SJ will not operate trains between Gothenburg and Malmö from June 19 to August 20 due to a shortage of train drivers and ongoing track work. SJ has opted to cancel all departures since the company has to prioritize among departures throughout Sweden during the summer. However, alternative transportation, including trains and buses, are available between Gothenburg and Malmö. The bus company Vy has signed a contract with SJ, and the number of departures will increase, which could meet the demand. Passengers can book tickets through usual online platforms or over the phone. SJ travelers during the same period last summer had between two and six departures from Gothenburg to Malmö. In comparison, the regional train Öresundståget runs the same route with between 15 and 19 departures per day.
Between June 19 and August 20, no SJ trains run between Gothenburg and Malmö. Because SJ has too few train drivers and track work is underway along the route, the company has chosen to cancel all departures.
– We have a general shortage of locomotive drivers in the industry and it affects us just like everyone else and unfortunately it also affects us this summer, says Martina Nord, press communicator at SJ.
The company must prioritize among departures throughout Sweden during the summer and because track work is in progress on the route, it has been chosen to completely stop the traffic.
– Just on the Gothenburg-Malmö route, there are alternative traffic, both train and bus, says Martina Nord.
Photo: SJ
Now, however, it is clear that SJ has signed a contract with the bus company Vy. The company also normally runs between Gothenburg and Malmö, but will increase the number of departures to meet a feared high demand.
SJ’s travelers are coming to be able to book trips and buy tickets with the buses via the usual platforms online or over the phone.
– It makes it easier for travelers. You might buy a trip where this is a connection and then you will still be able to buy the whole trip in the app. There it also becomes clear that there are still a large number of departures between Gothenburg and Malmö, says Martina Nord.
The current period last summer SJ had between three and six departures a day from Gothenburg to Malmö and between two and six departures in the northbound direction.
It can be compared with the regional train Öresundståget, which runs the same route with between 15 and 19 departures per day. However, the Öresund train makes more stops than SJ’s trains and the journey with the regional train takes a little longer than SJ’s express train.
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