Øresundståg ID checks from Denmark to Sweden

Øresundståg ID checks from Denmark to Sweden

In response to the European migrant crisis the Swedish government mandated ID checks on all trains coming from Denmark from December 2015. As checks performed by the Swedish police took up to 20 minutes per train, timetables were severely disrupted. Beginning on 4 January 2016, transport operators would be fined if any improperly documented people were found to be brought into Sweden. As a result, DSB restructured the timetable, constructed a fence between the platforms at Copenhagen Airport station, and introduced its own ID checks in order to gain entrance to the Malmö-bound platform at CPH Airport station. The frequency of trains across the bridge had been reduced to a maximum of 3 tph. Apart from the reduced frequency, services from Sweden to Denmark ran as usual to Helsingør during the day and Østerport in the evenings, with no ID checks entering Denmark. Since 4 May 2017 the line had changed to perform ID checks only at Malmö Hyllie station for trains travelling to Sweden.

As of 2023, frequency of 6 trains per hour during rush hour had resumed, and trains are timetabled to wait 6 minutes at Malmö Hyllie where the Swedish police check ID of alighting passengers.

Øresundståg Rolling Stock

Øresundståg ET / X31K & X32K

The trains used are the fourth and latest generation of the IC3 family of multiple units, specifically designed for use in regional traffic in areas connected by the Øresund Line. They are electrically powered, and can run on both the Danish power supply (25 kV 50 Hz AC) and the Swedish power supply (15 kV 16+2⁄3 Hz AC). Named Contessa by its manufacturer Bombardier, they are designated Litra ET in Denmark and Littera X31K (where X means electric multiple unit, and K means allowed to go to Copenhagen) in Sweden. The chassis is manufactured entirely of stainless steel, painted in a light shade of gray. Roughly half of the trains are owned by DSB and the other half by Transdev.

They are multiple units manufactured by Bombardier Transportation in Kalmar, previously known as Kalmar Verkstad and later in Hennigsdorf by LEW Hennigsdorf.

Each trainset is 79 metres long and weighs about 157 tonnes. The trainset consists of three carriages, giving a weight of about 52 tonnes per unit. Eight of the train's 12 axles are powered, which gives good acceleration. The train's top speed is 180 km/h. Each train costs 67 million Swedish kronor (2006), equivalent to 22 million kronor per unit.

The trainset has a total of 237 seats (79 per carriage), of which some are in a low floor carriage in the middle.

The train type is nicknamed "Øresundstog / Öresundståg" (Danish / Swedish), but they are used not only for services on the Øresundståg network, but also for some local Scania traffic, for the DSB intercity trains Copenhagen-Ystad, and formerly for some of SJ's Copenhagen-Gothenburg intercity trains. Even though these other trains do not in fact form part of the Øresundståg network, they often referred to by that name. In the summertime they are nicknamed by locals as "the longest sauna in Sweden" due to inoperative climate control.

A refurbishment program, including new exterior paint jobs, refurbished seats and new toilet systems for the train sets was started in 2016. The first refurbished train set was entered into service on March 15 2018.

All trains are maintained at the Helgoland depot in Amager and since May 2020 also at a new purpose-built depot in Hässleholm.

Øresundståg X32

Due to a higher demand for comfort on the long-distance trains serving the line between Malmö and Ängelholm, SJ introduced the short-lived X32, a long-distance version of the X31. It had better comfort at the cost of less capacity. The second class section used seats from the first class section of the X31, while the first class section in the X32 used a more classic interior similar to the X2000 highspeed EMU. These trainsets entered service in 2006 and did not have permission to go to Denmark due to the interior being unsuitable for the commuter services in Denmark. However, as more passengers started commuting between Denmark and Sweden, there was a need for extra trainsets so in 2007 all X32 were rebuilt into standard X31 sets.

Øresundståg Overview

Øresundståg Status: Regional train
Øresundståg Locale: Øresund Region
Øresundståg Current Operator(s): Transdev
Øresundståg Rolling Stock: X31K & X32K / ET
Øresundståg Track Gauge: 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Øresundståg Operating Speed: 180 km/h (112 mph)
Øresundståg Rake Maintenance:
Amager (Denmark)
Hässleholm (Sweden)