The expansion and modernization of Sweden’s rail system, requires the management of some of the country’s most significant transport investments. Working in partnership with Trafikverket across planning, design and delivery, our high-speed rail teams are navigating the technical, environmental and organizational complexity of building a high-speed rail network that supports faster journeys, greater freight capacity and lower-carbon transport.
Sweden’s rail network extends across nearly 11,000 kilometers, carrying a mix of passenger, regional and freight services. While many routes already support speeds of up to 200 km/h, growing demand and network congestion have increased the need for new high-speed infrastructure.
Trafikverket’s priorities reflect the scale and complexity of Sweden’s rail ambitions: delivering faster travel, improved freight connectivity and reduced climate impact while coordinating major programs across multiple contracts, disciplines and stakeholders. This requires not only new corridors with greater capacity and higher speeds, but also an integrated approach to planning and delivery that keeps long-term network outcomes in focus.
Managing complexity across Sweden’s rail expansion
To create new high-speed corridors through challenging terrain and growing communities, Trafikverket needed solutions that balanced engineering, environmental and stakeholder requirements.
The 270-kilometer North Bothnia Line is one of Europe’s largest transport infrastructure investments. Running along Sweden’s Norrland coast between Umeå and Luleå, the railway is designed for speeds of up to 250 km/h and will connect major northern cities while creating a vital freight link to the wider European rail network. A significant challenge lies in the northern section of the program, where the route crosses multiple municipalities and must navigate soft soils, wetlands and forested areas.
Since 2025, we have supported Trafikverket in leading the planning stages for 45 kilometers of the Skellefteå-Luleå section through Piteå municipality. Across 20 kilometers of railway south of Piteå and 25 kilometers north of the city, including several crossing structures, passing and maintenance loops, a regional station in Norrfjärden and an option for a bridge crossing at Pitsundet, we are providing services related to route selection studies, railway plans, environmental impact assessments and permit management, alongside public and stakeholder consultation.
By integrating planning, environmental assessment and stakeholder engagement, we’re advancing a strategically important section of the North Bothnia Line while addressing local, regulatory and environmental considerations.
Unifying planning and delivery at scale
Trafikverket’s high-speed rail investments require coordination across large multidisciplinary teams, multiple contracts and complex procurement processes. That’s why we combined local leadership in Sweden with specialist expertise from Spain, the UK and our global rail network, to bring experience from mature high-speed rail programs while adapting it to Swedish regulatory requirements and operating conditions.
The North Bothnia Line Design Package, NBK207, a 30-kilometer section of the Dåva-Skellefteå corridor between Gryssjön and Robertsfors, required detailed design, environmental coordination and procurement preparation for future construction. Working with approximately 180 technical and project management professionals, we delivered the detailed design for the route, including 21 bridges, three sidings and associated civil infrastructure which was completed on schedule in late 2025. We also prepared tender documentation for major construction contracts, supported procurement activities, and now provide construction support services ahead of planned construction activities.
To help coordinate delivery, our teams developed digital processes that improved collaboration across multiple BIM environments and disciplines. We also linked Allmän Material och Arbetsbeskrivning (AMA)-coded design information to quantity take-offs, technical specifications and cost data, supporting more consistent project controls and construction documentation. For Trafikverket, these approaches helped connect planning, design, procurement and delivery activities across a large and complex rail program.
Advancing faster journeys and reducing carbon in design
Trafikverket’s investments are focused not only on delivering new infrastructure, but on improving mobility, strengthening freight connectivity and reducing climate impacts. On the North Bothnia Line, we supported this ambition by integrating carbon considerations into the design process. By connecting AMA-coded project data with Trafikverket’s climate impact assessment tools, project teams could assess climate impacts, test design alternatives and explore opportunities for lower-carbon materials and construction approaches.
These decisions are ultimately about the outcomes the railway will deliver. Once complete, the North Bothnia Line is expected to reduce passenger travel times between Umeå and Luleå to approximately 90 minutes, compared with journeys that currently take more than four hours by bus or train. It will also increase freight capacity, strengthening connections between northern Sweden, the national rail network and international markets.
Our work across the Swedish high-speed rail network brings together planning, engineering, digital and environmental expertise with experience from Sweden and international rail markets. By connecting this expertise across projects, we’ve helped Trafikverket address complex delivery challenges while keeping the wider network outcomes in view — from faster journeys and greater freight capacity to more sustainable infrastructure.