SJ AB

SJ (formally SJ AB) is a government-owned passenger train operator in Sweden. SJ was created in 2000, out of the public transport division of Statens Järnvägar, when the former government agency was divided into six separate government-owned limited companies.

Overview

SJ's operations fall broadly into subsidised and unsubsidised services. The unsubsidised services was until 2011 monopoly and consist mainly of the high-speed train network. The subsidised trains are awarded through competitive bids. However, some trains fall in between these categories, since public transit agencies can pay SJ to allow transit pass holders access to SJ's trains.

SJ received a government bailout a few years after its creation, but has since had profit margins of up to ten per cent. All train operators in Sweden pay low track access charges to the track authority, Trafikverket.

Rolling stock

SJ owns about 40 trains of the type X2, running under the brand name SJ High-speed train (Swedish: SJ Snabbtåg), formerly branded X 2000. Their top speed is 200 km/h. SJ also owns about 40 double-decker trains of the type X40 (top speed 200 km/h). Furthermore SJ owns a number of older X12 and X14 multiple units. SJ only owns electric trains, no diesel trains.