X25 EMUs for Saltsjöbanan
updated on 17th Nov 2025 19:48 posted on 11th Nov 2025 17:17
On 11 November 2025, Škoda Transportation signed a contract with Region Stockholm for the supply of new EMUs for Saltsjöbanan. This is a suburban railway that starts in the centre of Stockholm and runs southeast to Saltsjöbaden on the Baltic Sea coast in the Stockholm archipelago. This is where the name Saltsjöbaden comes from, which literally means "salt sea spa". It is an important recreational area to which the Saltsjöbanan ("Salt Sea Line") has been running since 1893.
After a historical development in which freight traffic gradually disappeared from the line, the latter was taken over by the city of Stockholm in 1969 and is now owned by Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL), which classifies it as a light rail. The 1,435 mm gauge, 18.5 km long line is an isolated section (not connected to the national railway network), has 18 stops and is equipped with a 750 V DC overhead line, which will be converted to 1,500 V DC in the future. The line is mainly single-track, has several loops and is undergoing some modernizations, which are due to be completed by 2028. The transport is provided by Stockholms Spårvägar.
Two- and three-car units manufactured in 1975 - 76 by ASEA and consisting of C10 power cars and C11 non-powered cars are used here. These 750 V DC trains (16 units at present) have a top speed of 70 km/h and are modifications of the C8 sets from the Stockholm Metro. Now, after more than half a century of service, the fleet is about to be replaced by units that have been given the designation X25 (this follows on from the designation X15p for EMUs produced by Stadler on another line in the Stockholm region, Roslagsbanan with a track-gauge of 891 mm).
Region Stockholm therefore launched a tender on 19 February 2024, which was won by Škoda Transportation; the decision has been made on 11 November 2025. Other companies participating in the tender were Alstom, CAF, Siemens and Stadler. As Region Stockholm confirmed to us, no court complaints were filed by other participants (so far).
The contract includes 16 two-car X25 units worth approximately 1.56 billion SEK (around 142 million EUR) and also an option for another 15 EMUs. If they are confirmed in full, the value of the order, including the supply of spare parts and training of personnel, will increase to more than 2.5 billion SEK.
The 36 m long units will have a maximum speed of 80 km/h and all bogies will be powered. The capacity will be approximately 250 passengers, of which 94 will be seated. During peak hours, it will be possible to couple up to three units in multiple control. The traction power of the new Škoda trains and other principal parameters will be decided in the joint design phase.
The latter will begin in 2026, when the exterior and interior design will be definitively determined; the Finnish division Škoda Transtech will also participate in the development. Production is to begin in 2027 and the first trains are to be delivered to Stockholm in 2029 for test operation. Regular service is planned to begin at the turn of 2029/30 and after the entire batch is delivered, it will be possible to offer up to 12-minute intervals on the line during peak hours.
After all X25s have been put in service and the Type C10/C11 units have been withdrawn, which is according to the current plan in the second half of 2030s, the line voltage will be converted to 1,500 V DC for the whole line at the same time. This also means that the Škoda EMUs will be able to work both on 750 and 1,500 V DC.
Although the new trains will have a maximum speed of 80 km/h, there are various maximum speeds on the Saltsjöbanan's different sections, and no one allows 80 km/h today. The maximum speed will be 70 km/h here until C10/C11 units have been removed (they limit the maximum speed). Then, it will be possible to increase to 75 km/h on certain sections. To allow 80 km/h, which is required for 10 min headway, some track work are required. Again, 80 km/h will only be allowed on certain sections.
