Solna’s building committee has approved the detailed plan for expanding the Mälarbanan railway through the city. The line between Huvudsta and Duvbo will go from two to four tracks, while new homes, parks, squares and public transport are developed along the route. The project is carried out with the Swedish Transport Administration (Trafikverket) and the City of Sundbyberg, and the city calls it one of the largest infrastructure investments in the area in many years.

What the plan contains

Besides the four tracks, the detailed plan includes, among other things:

  • about 1,400 new homes
  • two preschools
  • new entrances to Sundbyberg station
  • an entirely new commuter rail station in Huvudsta
  • new walking and cycling routes
  • parks, squares and new meeting places

Why the city is doing it

Expanding the railway and putting parts of the tracks in tunnels is meant to make it possible to connect districts that the railway currently cuts apart. Areas around the tracks that are now seen as back sides could instead be developed into new urban environments with homes, workplaces, services and green space.

The expansion is also intended to increase rail capacity through the region and create better conditions for more departures and smoother journeys, both locally and nationally. Sara Kukka-Salam, chair of Solna’s municipal executive board, called the decision an important step for Solna’s development.

Changes after review and next steps

The plan proposal was reworked after comments received during the review stage. Issues including noise, cloudbursts, geotechnical conditions and safety were addressed, and several adjustments were made to the plan. The next step is for the municipal executive board, and then the city council, to take a position on the detailed plan.

Wider context

In a report published a day earlier, the city said its emissions fell by 3.1 percent in 2024, mainly because emissions from transport, the municipality’s largest source, dropped by about 9 percent. Solna lists urban planning that makes sustainable travel easier among its climate measures.