Buses in Stockholm County are a key part of the public transport system in the Stockholm area, which includes the city of Stockholm and its surrounding municipalities. The bus network is managed by Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL), the public transport authority responsible for coordination and ticketing of all transit services in the county, including buses, local rail, the Stockholm Metro, commuter trains, and some busses. SL operates under the jurisdiction of Region Stockholm, which oversees transport policy and contracts with private operators to run the services. [1]
The bus network extends across Stockholm County, providing connections between urban and suburban areas, as well as linking outlying municipalities. SL contracts various private companies such as Keolis, VR Sverige, Nobina, Transdev, and Stockholms Spårvägar to operate the buses through public procurement processes that ensure services are efficient and integrated with the wider public transport system. [2]
Public transport in Stockholm County began in the 1630s with the "gästgivarskjutsen," a system where local carriers and farmers provided carriage services between inns. This system operated for several centuries but was gradually replaced, officially ending in 1933, with the last services departing from Stockholm in 1913.
The 18th century saw the introduction of stagecoach routes, beginning with services between Stockholm and Uppsala in 1722. This service, known as "forvagnstrafik," and other routes were short-lived due to low demand. Attempts were made to connect other locations, such as the route from Stockholm to Ystad, but these also ceased quickly.
In 1791, a local stagecoach service began between Stockholm and Drottningholm Palace, but it was similarly short-lived, ending around 1802. Stagecoach services resumed in 1829, connecting Stockholm with cities like Enköping, Uppsala, and Grisslehamn. Horse-drawn omnibus services were also established in the early 19th century, starting with a route on Djurgården in 1831 and an urban line, "Försöket," in 1835. These services peaked in the 1850s before being gradually replaced by steam ferries and trams, with the last horse-drawn omnibus line closing in 1902.
Motorised buses were first tested in Stockholm in 1899 with a Daimler vehicle on Drottninggatan. Though early trials were unsuccessful, motorised bus services expanded significantly from 1919, connecting suburban areas around Stockholm. In 1925, AB Stockholms Spårvägar (SS) took over urban bus routes, while several other regional bus companies emerged to service suburban areas.
During World War II, fuel and rubber rationing forced reductions in bus services. Following the war, trolleybus services operated from 1941 until 1964, and bus traffic peaked between 1945 and 1955. In the 1960s, the Hörjel Agreement led to the creation of Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL) in 1967, centralising control of public transport. SL progressively took over all suburban bus companies.
Since the 1990s, SL has outsourced bus operations to private companies through contracts. The bus services have occasionally faced disruptions due to strikes, notably in 2008 and 2013.
Bus colours have evolved over time: early buses varied, but in 1929, SS standardised the livery to red. When SL assumed control in 1967, new buses continued this red theme until blue was introduced for stomlinje (trunk) routes in 1998.
As of 2020, Stockholm County had 502 bus routes within the SL network, serving 6,710 stops. [3] Some routes extend beyond county borders and may require additional fares. The most heavily used route, line 4, serves around 60,000 passengers daily, making it the busiest in Sweden. [4]
Bus route numbers indicate the geographical areas they cover:
Trunk buses, branded as Blue Bus Lines, offer frequent services with fewer stops than standard routes. They provide vital connections to the Stockholm Metro and Stockholm Commuter Rail, filling in gaps not served by rail lines and supporting cross-connections across the county.
The first trunk bus line in the city centre, line 4, began operating on 18 August 1998, using low-floor Scania buses. [5] It replaced line 54, with some route modifications to improve speed and efficiency. Trunk services expanded further, and by 2005, all trunk lines operated with articulated buses for increased capacity.
SL plans to electrify its entire bus fleet by 2035. [6] Stockholm's transition toward electrifying its bus fleet began in March 2015 with the introduction of fully electric hybrid buses on Line 73. This was part of the ZeEUS project, aimed at testing emission-free urban transport solutions. In partnership with SL, Volvo Buses and Keolis, Stockholm trialled eight plug-in hybrid buses, focusing on their performance in winter conditions. [7]
In August 2020, Stockholm launched Sweden's first fully electric Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service in Barkarbystaden. Operated by Nobina, the BRT line uses four articulated BYD buses, reducing travel time by giving priority at intersections and using dedicated lanes. [8] By August 2022, Stockholm's city centre saw its first fully electric buses, with 15 MAN models introduced. [9]
In 2023 electric buses constituted only about 2% of SL's fleet. Over the next decade, SL aims to incrementally increase this proportion through new traffic agreements. Between 2024 and 2026, SL will implement seven new service contracts across several areas, including Bromma, Solna, Sundbyberg, and Sollentuna. This first phase will introduce hundreds of new electric buses, increasing their share to 50% of the total fleet by 2026. By this time, all biogas and bioethanol-powered buses will also be phased out. [10]
The subsequent phases will see new contracts for Sigtuna, Upplands Väsby, and Ekerö in 2029, elevating the electric bus share to 60%. In 2031, further agreements covering the north-eastern Stockholm municipalities to Norrtälje will increase this to 75%. Finally, the remaining areas will transition by 2034 and 2035, achieving 100% electrification. [10]
SL has identified several challenges that could affect the timeline, including the availability of electric buses that meet its standards, sufficient charging infrastructure, battery costs, and the need for quick-charging capabilities. External factors, such as requirements from national defence for emergency operations and supply chain delays, may also influence progress. [10]
The Stockholm Metro is a rapid transit system in Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden. Its first line opened in 1950 as the first metro line in the Nordic countries. Today, the system consists of three lines and 100 stations, of which 47 are underground and 53 above ground. The system is owned by Region Stockholm via SL, the public transport authority for Stockholm County. It is the only metro system in Sweden.
Storstockholms Lokaltrafik known as SL, (Greater Stockholm Local Transport) is the public transport organisation responsible for managing land-based public transport in Stockholm County, Sweden. SL oversees a network that includes the Stockholm Metro, Pendeltåg commuter trains, buses, trams, local rail, and some ferry services.
Roslagsbanan is a narrow gauge commuter railway system in Roslagen, Stockholm County, Sweden. Its combined route length is 65 kilometres and there are 38 stations. It is built to the Swedish three foot gauge. The Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL) classifies it as "light rail" in its maps.
Nockebybanan is a tram line between Nockeby and Alvik in the western suburbs of Stockholm, Sweden. The 5.6 kilometers (3.5 mi) long line is part of the Storstockholms Lokaltrafik public transport network, and connects with the Stockholm metro and Tvärbanan tram at Alvik metro station. The Nockebybanan, also known as line 12, is operated by Arriva.
Stockholm commuter rail is the commuter rail system in Stockholm County, Sweden. The system is an important part of the public transport in Stockholm, and is controlled by Storstockholms Lokaltrafik. The tracks are state-owned and administered by the Swedish Transport Administration, while the operation of the Stockholm commuter rail services itself has been contracted to SJ AB since March 2024.
Saltsjöbanan is an electrified suburban rail system between Stockholm and Saltsjöbaden in Nacka, Sweden. It is 18.5 kilometres (11.5 mi) in length and has eighteen stations in use. An average of 17,200 boardings are made on an ordinary workday (2019). The line is mostly single-track, and is isolated from Sweden's national railway network, although both are built to compatible 1,435 mmstandard gauge. The Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL) classifies it as "light rail" in its maps.
Transport in Stockholm consists of an extensive and well-developed transport network, integrating both public and private services across the city and surrounding county. Stockholm regularly ranks as having one of the best public transport systems in the world.
Lidingöbanan is a light-rail line in Stockholm, Sweden, between Ropsten and Gåshaga brygga, serving the southern half of Lidingö island.
Djurgårdslinjen is a heritage tram line with the route number 7N, running between Norrmalmstorg and Waldemarsudde in Stockholm, Sweden.
AB Stockholms Spårvägar is a name used by two different Swedish limited companies operating public transport in Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden.
Uppsala Central Station is a railway station in Uppsala, Sweden. It lies on the East Coast Line, which runs south to Stockholm and north to Gävle and Sundsvall. It is also the southeastern terminus for the Dala Line which runs northwest ending in Mora. There are frequent commuter services to Stockholm. Long-distance trains, such as the SJ 3000, connect Uppsala to the northern parts of the country. Many trains, including the Stockholm commuter rail (Pendeltåg), also leave the main line to connect Uppsala with Stockholm-Arlanda Airport. Next to the station is a hub for the regional coach services operated by Upplands Lokaltrafik. Many local bus routes run through or near the station grounds as well, and there is a large area set aside for bicycle parking.
Odenplan is a station on both the Green Line of the Stockholm Metro and the City Line of the Pendeltåg commuter rail network which is called Stockholm Odenplan. It is located at Odenplan in Vasastan, in central Stockholm.
The Djurgården ferry is an inner city ferry route in Stockholm, Sweden. It runs from a terminal near Slussen, in the old town of Gamla Stan, to Allmänna gränd on the island of Djurgården, with an optional stop at the island of Skeppsholmen. The service is integrated into Stockholm's public transport system, as route 82, and accepts all the relevant tickets of Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL).
Spårväg City is a tram line in central Stockholm, inaugurated in 2010. It is the first tram line in regular traffic in central Stockholm since 1967. The service is run by AB Stockholms Spårvägar for Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL), using the name "Route 7".
The Stockholm tramway network forms part of the public transport system in Stockholm, the capital city of Sweden.
The Red line, is one of the three Stockholm Metro lines. It has a total of 36 stations, of which four are cut and cover, 16 are tunneled, and 15 are on the surface. The line is a total of 41.238 kilometres (25.624 mi) long. It consists of four branches with terminals in Fruängen and Norsborg in the southwest and Mörby centrum and Ropsten in the northeast.
The Blue line is one of the three Stockholm Metro lines. It is 25.5 kilometres long, and runs from Kungsträdgården via T-Centralen to Västra skogen where it branches in two, and continues to Hjulsta and Akalla as lines 10 and 11 respectively.
Märsta is a railway station located in Märsta in Sigtuna Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden. The station is located 36.5km north of Stockholm C, on the Swedish East Coast Line. The station serves long-distance and regional SJ trains, and since 1968 has also been a northern terminus for Stockholm's commuter trains. The station opened in 1876, ten years after the inauguration of the Stockholm-Uppsala railway line. The current station building was built in 1914 and, but severely damaged in a fire in May 2000. Demolition was first considered but it was then decided that the building would be rebuilt.
The Green Line is the oldest of the three Stockholm Metro lines. The 41.256-kilometre (25.635 mi) long line comprises a single double-tracked line north of the city centre, splitting into three branches south of the city centre. The first section of the line opened as a metro in 1950, making it the first and oldest metro line in the Nordic countries, although some parts of the line date back to the 1930s and were originally used by the Stockholm tramway.
The Malmö city bus network serves the city of Malmö, Sweden, and its surrounding area with 16 routes. City buses have operated in Malmö since 1927, supplementing and eventually supplanting the city's tram network. Buses continue to serve as the primary means of transport within the city, despite an expansion of intracity train services during the 2010s.