I Rode Sweden’s WEIRD High-Speed Train Nobody Talks About
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Sweden’s high-speed railway network is dominated by SJ’s excellent X2000 trains, but did you know there’s actually another competitor? The former MTRX service has now been taken over by Finnish railway company VR, running its own high-speed trains between Stockholm and Gothenburg.
So join me in this video to see what I thought of VR’s Swedish operation — and why I ended up slightly disappointed, perhaps for the wrong reason.
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Train type: Stadler Flirt X74
Route: Stockholm C to Göteborg C
Train: VR Snabbtåg 2031
Distance: 457km
Journey time: 3h37m
Average speed: 126 km/h
Price: 783 SEK
00:00 Intro
00:38 Stockholm C
02:43 The Competitor
03:25 VR Sweden High-Speed Train
04:35 Boarding
05:11 Departure
06:02 Route Map
06:30 Flemingsberg
07:00 Igelstabron
07:27 Södertälje and Trackworks
07:55 Ticketless Travel
08:14 Meal Service
09:25 Katrineholm
09:55 Seat Tour
11:15 Snacks and Hot Drinks
12:00 What’s VR Doing in Sweden?
13:01 Skövde C
13:38 Train Interior Tour
14:48 Wi-Fi Test
15:05 Alingsås
15:33 Overall Thoughts
16:12 Tickets
16:30 Göteborg C
#Travel #Trains #TripReport
45 Comments
Great video, Simon! I love your videos. I tried the Nightjet mini-cabins from Amsterdam to Vienna, and they had great service. I got a ticket for 94 euros. It has improved a lot. You should review it on your channel sometime soon!"
7:04 what app is this?
I finally realized why the train crews in Pågatågen had the lanyards to the keys with logo of VR. I felt it was strange but later I forgot about it, but now I know 😅
Btw. those advertisements look incredibly tacky inside 🫣 Do they want the interior to look like it a cheap flight or what?
I love the name Trainy McTrainface! 😂 The moral of that story is never ever let the general public name anything 😁🫣
Great video as always Simon 👍
Considering how SJ treats its passengers, I'm glad there's a little bit of competition.
I recommend trying out the new connection crossing the Finnish-Swedish border, with a VR connection from Oulu to Haparanda.
Interesting. This is an alternative for us when travelling to Göteborg. Speed isn't of essence, price is kind of. More money to spend at the destination.
I love when there is lots of color on and in the train 😊
Is the VY flirt or VR flirt better? I have only been on the VY flirt, but the VR one also looks quite interesting
My favorite not german is back.
I took that train to göteborg before it was bought by VR. I loved the red color. It was pretty fast. I started the journey from the station on top of that gigantic 2km bridge
Great video. The VR service reminds me a bit of Flixtrain here in Germany. You'll get an okay service but with it's edges here and there 🛤️
Technically the train starts at Solna Station, sometimes.
Great vid as ever! Noticed some of those seats line up very poorly with the windows…
11:12 you are right, not very 1st class, more like the Ryanair level of comfort …
Why is this HERE….
What???
Where is the reference to the title, Peter???
Even though newer trains like the ones run by MTRX and now VR operate on the route (X74), I still find the older X2000 trains much nicer to travel on, especially in first class. I do have to give props to VR for stopping at Flemingsberg south of Stockholm, though; it was super convenient for me to board there when I lived nearby. (I now live near the Årsta Bridges. Do give a shout next time you’re in Stockholm; if it’s the summer months, you can see them from my boat if you fancy it!)
VR should not be allowed to operate trains on other countries – they can't even be bothered to wash their trains in Finland. Until Finnish passengers can get some clean windows, VR should be considered not fit for purpose.
😢 I was hoping for a train named Muhammad!
Everyone else: Time to be back to school 😭😭😭
Simon: Check out those Christmas lights!
Yeah as a Finn seeing VR trains in Sweden is kinda funny. From what I've heard the justification VR is using to expand into Sweden is to get experience for the eventual opening of Finnish passenger rail traffic to competition since government funded passenger services (which range from routes like various railbus and commuter train services to IC services north of Oulu and Kuopio to the infamous night trains) will be have to put on public tender by 2030 due to EU regulations. (There are private railway companies already like Fenniarail, ArcticRail and North Rail, but those have only focused on freight contracts.) So yeah, theyre essentially using Sweden as a testing ground for when eventually Finnish railways get opened up.
Thanks for posting. VR trains in Sweden are not accessible for interrail travelers. That makes them a no-go for me.
Nice to see you in 🇸🇪 again Simon. I totaly agree with you about VR. It's Ok but not more. They will survive ….sadly I would say. 😎🚂
Simon as a Dane which country do you see as your "Brother nation" or friend the most?
Simon, an interesting detail about the seat is that the first class seat on Öresundståg is very close to identical with very little differences.
i have seen less complaints about VR as an operator compared to MTRX so at least its not worse.
privatization of public transport is funny because its mostly the government owned train operators from other countries who run them.
DB spotted at 4:17
Hyped
Nice video
3:18 although Stadler KISS is called Stadler Dosto in Sweden for ”reasons”
Psst, in the (swedish) train world being early is ”+” and delays are ”-”, not the other way around.
Seems worse than in Finland .. a lot worse. You should give Helsinki – Tampere a go. I always buy first class
Some nice video & info, but why do you keep covering 1st Class travel because most people won't be using that so it's kind of giving an unrealistic impression
"Glenn", of course, is just as much a gag name for a Gothenburg train as "Trainy McTrainface". Everyone is named Glenn in Gothenburg.
First I thought that you were trying out the new “real” VR service to Sweden. That should have been some quick work if that was the case.
In regard to VR between Stockholm and Gothenburg? I hate the seats!
Did you forget to release the video for 8 months hehe?
And VR is doing this because the Finnish passenger train market is opening up in 2030, so they could face new competition in Southern Finland. This means that SJ could, conversely, enter the Finnish market in 2030. Or any other company, for that matter.
So this is VR diversifying its business before its home market becomes contested.
Sweden is so Beautiful ❤️😍
00:50 Its called Tornberg klockan, there are 3 of them in city! built by my relatives.
04:09 Yes Glenn town!
How about some Swedish trains in Finland? VR is refurbishing some in Oulu. It looks like they're using the same green paint for SJ as they use on their own trains!
Those table lamps make it warm and inviting, dare I use the word "cozy" 😀
It looks like a reasonable competitor and I wish them luck. I hope it breeds enough competition to help the SJ to adapt, not that their services were bad before but still.
Spännande resa.
Tak for turen Simon.
Seems to be a reasonable option to travel between those two cities. But since I get a hell lot of Stadler Flirts at home, I will always take the chance to ride an X2000, when I travel in Sweden😎
Thanks for the qualitative subtitles.
Very much rather Finnish railway control than chinese or whatever the current company controlling the trains are.