New railway meets industry's growing needs in Luleå Port
Industrial transport through the Port of Luleå needs to be more frequent, heavier and more efficient. With support from Region Norrbotten, the port's railway has been expanded to meet the growing flow of goods. The new facility has now been inaugurated.
More companies are establishing themselves in Norrbotten and the industry's transport needs are growing rapidly. To meet this development, the Port of Luleå has upgraded and expanded its railway facility. The investment makes it possible to run more and heavier trains to and from the port.
For Region Norrbotten, co-financing is about strengthening what is needed for the county to grow. Together with Luleå Port, the region's support has also made it possible to use EU funds for a strategic initiative that strengthens the transport system throughout Norrbotten. During the opening, Luleå Port's CEO Anders Dahl highlighted the importance of the support.
– Building a railway is expensive and we are very happy about the co-financing we have received. It strengthens our work. The infrastructure must be in place when the goods arrive
Regional development in practice
Luleå Port is one of the most important logistics hubs in northern Sweden. Here, shipping, rail and road transport meet, and the port plays a central role for both existing companies and new investments in the county.
When more goods can be moved from road to rail, transportation becomes both more efficient and more sustainable. It is also an important prerequisite as industry's needs grow and more investments take place in the county.
Johannes Sundelin, chairman of the development committee, sees the initiative as a concrete part of the work to strengthen Norrbotten's development.
“In order for the new industrialization taking place in Norrbotten to be fully possible, we need to improve the transport network. The railway system is already heavily loaded, and this investment has made it possible to run more and heavier trains to the port,” he says.
Johannes Sundelin, chairman of the development committee. Photo: Simon Eliasson.
From bottleneck to future investment
As freight flows grow, the capacity of the port's railway facility also needs to increase. Both current companies and new industrial establishments are expected to need to transport significantly larger quantities of goods in the coming years.
The new railway facility is therefore an important part of the work to build the infrastructure that Norrbotten needs to continue developing. When transportation works better, it will also be easier to take advantage of new jobs, establishments and investments.
– This is regional development in its purest form, says Johannes Sundelin.
Text: Linda Kvenås
Quick facts about Luleå Port's new railway
The new railway was inaugurated on August 25, 2026. Representatives from, among others, Luleå Port, the business community and public actors were present. The investment includes, among other things, new tracks, better switches and increased capacity for goods through the port.
Since 2024, approximately six kilometers of track in Luleå Port have been upgraded or rebuilt. Large parts of the railway can now be operated with axle loads of up to 32,5 tons, which is unusual on Swedish railways.
In the terminal area, one track has become three to handle larger volumes of goods and more traffic. Two new tracks have also been built alongside the terminal to be able to load and unload wagons without disrupting other traffic.
New level crossings and motorized switches make the railway facility more efficient and safe.
The project "Increased freight transport by rail" is part of a larger railway investment in the Port of Luleå.
For the project, Luleå Port has been granted SEK 53,2 million from the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Development and the EU Regional Fund. Region Norrbotten is contributing SEK 16 million.