Overview: a historic funding package for Sweden’s infrastructure
Sweden’s national infrastructure agency, Trafikverket, is presenting details of a new 12‑year plan that its leaders say will reshape the country’s transport network. The plan totals 1,171 billion kronor, described by Infrastructure Minister Andreas Carlson (KD) as historically large and about 27% higher than the previous plan. Generaldirektör Roberto Maiorana announced the framework in a press conference at the government offices, outlining how the money is expected to be spent through 2037 and beyond.
Where the money goes: roads, rails, and the maintenance backlog
Major allocations
Within the 1.171 trillion kronor, Trafikverket divides the funds into roughly three blocks. About 354 billion kronor is earmarked for maintenance of state roads, including load-bearing capacity, frost protection, and reinvestments, as well as the government’s co-financing of some municipal roads. Roughly 607 billion kronor is designated for new roads and railways, with Trafikverket and planning officials noting that around 80% of the new investments are slated for railways. A further 210 billion kronor targets continuing maintenance of the railway system itself.
The railway maintenance backlog: a core concern
Even with substantial rail funding, the plan acknowledges a substantial maintenance backlog. Estimates vary, but the backlog is widely cited as being between 80 and 100 billion kronor. The plan argues that improving capacity on tracks, even with increased resources, will take time and that this is why a dedicated horizon for railway fixes exists.
A 25-year horizon for the railway: an ambitious target
When will the backlog be cleared?
In the proposal to the government, Trafikverket’s leadership cautiously suggests that the railway maintenance backlog could be largely resolved within 25 years. The agency writes that “the railway maintenance will improve markedly, and the backlog is anticipated to be addressed by 2050,” contingent on stable resource growth and successful implementation of other rail improvement initiatives by different actors in the sector. In parallel, Trafikverket states that it has set a working expectation that “the entire railway gap will be gone in about 25 years.”
Reevaluating projects: efficiency over tradition
Why rethink investments?
The plan reflects a shift toward valuing efficiency and societal return. To date, a longstanding approach was to implement investments that had already been earmarked, even if current analyses showed higher costs. Trafikverket and the government have acknowledged this bias and say the era of “the laid plan is laid” is ending. A redesigned process aims to free up roughly 20 billion kronor by reordering priorities and moving some projects to other, potentially more profitable proposals.
Private capital and new funding models
OPS and other partnerships
Another notable feature is a ranking of investments by societal benefit and a call to assess projects suitable for private capital through OPS (Public-Private Partnerships). Trafikverket emphasizes that some projects could benefit from private involvement if they meet the criterion of societal profitability and deliver value beyond conventional public funding. The exact selection and sequencing will be crucial to determine how quickly the rail network can be modernized while maintaining other transport priorities.
Next steps and what this means for citizens
The government will review Trafikverket’s plan and decide on the allocation and oversight. The discussions come amid calls from the Riksrevisionen and political voices for greater efficiency and clearer justification for each investment. In practice, the plan is expected to drive project selection, prioritization, and reform of how capacity and maintenance are managed across Sweden’s rail and road networks in the years ahead.
Note: Traffic planning is an evolving story. Trafikverket will publish updates as the government review proceeds and as new assessments are completed.
