Europe’s smallest new tramway

Lund is a university city in southern Sweden (population 85 000), not far from Malmö. In 2015 the city council approved the construction of a 5.5km (3.7-mile) tram line linking the central area (railway station) with the university and developing areas beyond (a Science Park called ESS). 

 

The line opened on 13 December 2020 and cost SEK 1.26bn (EUR 123M) including seven low-floor CAF Urbos 32m double-ended trams, kept in a depot 700m beyond the outer terminus. On a Sunday the 15-minute service was only lightly patronised. At weekday peaks five trams are in service operating a 7/8-minute headway. 

 

Sweden is virtually a cashless society these days and there are no ticket machines on the system. The cars have scanners - a railway day return from Helsingborg to Lund which acted as a 24-hour ticket, including local traffic at both ends. Otherwise you need an app on your mobile phone. 

 

The tramway was built to boost the town’s green credentials and with an eye to the future, when residential and science park development currently in progress is completed. Sweden is one of the few countries in Europe where an initiative like this could gain the political support to happen.