Therefore no one wants to run Stockholm's commuter train

The commuter trains are the SL traffic's grief children. In the fall of 2022, a long period of strul began where delays and canceled trains became an involuntary everyday life for travelers. Just before the turn of the year 2023, SL announced that man tired of the operator Mtr. The problems were so overwhelming that The agreement was demolished prematurely.

In March 2024 took SJ over the operation. SL found that it quickly became Significantly better order on trafficbut just before New Year, SJ announced that they did not want to continue driving the trains. The assessment was that the risk is too high that the calculation will not go together with the conditions of traffic management.

– SJ is happy to be in the procured traffic. We think it is important that there is a Swedish operator who is prepared to drive socially important traffic. But there must be much more balanced conditions. Putting all risk on the provider is completely unreasonable, says SJ's CEO Monica Lingegård.

Recently, SL announced Suddenly that man pauses the ongoing procurement process with reference to the fact that only one tender has been received. Pierre Sandberg, associate director of the industry organization Train Companies, hopes that, to say the least, the cool interest on the part of the operators will be an awakening for the politicians and officials.

– This must reasonably mean the turning point. Running commuter train traffic in Stockholm is a prestige assignment. The fact that large operators choose not to submit tenders is a clear undergraduate, he says.

Who takes over when SL's two -year emergency agreement expires in the spring of 2026 is thus highly unclear. Roger Delin, department chair for ST at SJ Stockholm train, emphasizes that the staff is concerned about the uncertain location.

– There is clearly a concern, he says.

If the new procurement Does not get ready in time can be forced to extend the emergency agreement with SJ. An agreement that according to Local newspaper Mitt i The region cost at least SEK 800 million more during the first year, compared with 2023 when MTR still drove the trains.

However, the Traffic Region Council Anton Fendertert (MP) believes that it is difficult to compare the costs for different years.

– If you compare with 2023, the difference is very large, but then we got very little of the traffic we actually ordered from MTR. If you compare with 2019, the difference is not huge. But comparisons are difficult. 2023 was an unusual year, he says.

Another point that has teased the operators is the cost distribution. According to Monica Lingegård, the starting point is now that the risks should mainly be assumed by the train operator. This means that an agreement that runs over 12 years becomes too difficult to count on.

– There are costs that we are very capable of predicting and can count on. But there are also costs that are completely impossible for us to forecast so far ahead and then we cannot bear all risk.

An example is lifetime extension of the train fleet. The operator rents the trains from the traffic management and is expected during the contract period to extend the life of the various vehicles by up to 15 years. There, SL is certainly included and pays, as stated in the agreement that DN has taken note of, but with clearly stated limits on what, for example, an engineer or workshop technician may cost.

– In all its simplicity, I think SL should bear the cost of the life extension on its own trains. It is incredibly difficult to estimate here and now what it takes for the trains to live 10-15 years longer, says Monica Lingegård.

A source in the industry points out that something that also annoys the operators is the traffic management's requirements for « one -sided right of decision ». This means that the operator has no opportunity to get out of the agreement, it is only the administration that owns that right. If problems arise, the operator must buy himself from the situation.

It was the train operator VR which is owned by the Finnish state that delivered the now paused procurement's only tender. Johan Oscarsson, CEO of Swedish VR, says he is both surprised and sad about the outcome. The company acted in the belief that several other players have submitted tenders. The message that they were actually alone, at the same time, they were also informed that the procurement was stopped.

– According to the service statement, seven tenderers were pre -qualified, ie quite a few. But obviously it was only we who submitted a tender.

According to the Traffic Administration, VR's tender met with the requirements set and kept within the cost frameworks. Johan Oscarsson points out that the company has not decided whether to make another attempt when the procurement will ever resume.

– We'll see. We are in a grief process right now.

Regarding the tough criticism of the operators, Anton Fendert says it is very important for the traffic committee to listen to the market as the work goes on.

– As I understood, it was done in this now suspended procurement a lot of adjustments in the risk distribution compared to what it looked like earlier. I want to think that SL and the traffic management have been very responsive.

Whose fault is it that only one tender was received?

– It is something that we need to clarify. But at present, there is nothing that I want to speculate on.

Do you think you can get a robust operator?

– I will do everything in my power so that we will have a long -term functioning commuter train traffic, both for travelers and employees. It is my firm conviction that it is possible, says Anton Fendert.