While much of Europe is rediscovering the night train as a low-carbon alternative to short-haul aviation, Sweden’s northern corridors are experiencing a quiet contraction. In a recent critique of the country’s transport policy, observers note a widening gap between Sweden’s environmental rhetoric and the reality of its infrastructure. For those in the far north, the rail is becoming less of a reliable artery and more of a disappearing luxury.
The specific grievance centers on the night train service to northern Norrbotten, which is facing significant service reductions. Klaus Wiegel, a regional advocate writing in *Dagens Nyheter*, argues that the current trajectory of the Swedish State Railways (SJ) and the Transport Administration (Trafikverket) is effectively forcing travelers back into the skies. At a time when climate data suggests rail capacity should be doubled, the service is instead being halved.
This institutional retreat suggests a lack of integrated vision for regional connectivity. When rail becomes unreliable or unavailable, the carbon-intensive aviation industry remains the only viable default. For a nation that famously exported the concept of *flygskam* (flight shame) to the world, the dismantling of its northern rail links presents a stark paradox in its transition toward a sustainable future.
With reporting from *Dagens Nyheter* phot.
Source · Dagens Nyheter
