Transportation in Sweden

Transportation in Sweden.

Contents

Road traffic

See also: Rules of the road

Stockholm on "Dagen H"
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Stockholm on "Dagen H"

Sweden had left-hand traffic (Vänstertrafik in Swedish) from approximately 1736 and continued to do so well into the 20th century. Despite this virtually all cars in Sweden were actually left-hand drive and the neighbouring Nordic countries already drove on the right, leading to some confusion at border crossings. The Swedish voters rejected a change to driving on the right in a referendum held in 1955.

Nevertheless, in 1963 the Riksdag passed legislation ordering the switch to right-hand traffic. The changeover took place on a Sunday morning at 5am on September 3, 1967, which was known in Swedish as Dagen H (H-Day), the 'H' being for Högertrafik or right-hand traffic.

Since Swedish cars were left-hand drive, experts had suggested that changing to driving on the right would reduce accidents, because drivers would have a better view of the road ahead. Indeed, fatal car-to-car and car-to-pedestrian accidents dropped sharply as a result.

Highways

  • total: 210,760 km
  • paved: 162,707 km (including 1,428 km of expressways)
  • unpaved: 48,053 km (1999)
  • Waterways: 2,052 km
  • note: navigable for small steamers and barges

Railways

Rail transport are operated by SJ, Green Cargo, Tågkompaniet and a number of regional companies. Light rail systems are used in Gothenburg, Norrköping and Stockholm. There is a metro system in Stockholm, the Stockholm Metro.

  • Total: 12,821 km (includes 3,594 km of privately-owned railways)
  • standard gauge: 12,821 km 1.435 m gauge (7,918 km electrified and 1,152 km double track) (1998)
  • narrow gauge: 221 km 0.891-m gauge (2001)

Ports and harbors

Merchant marine

  • total: 167 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 2,205,370 GRT/1,663,091 DWT
  • ships by type: (2000 est.)
    • bulk 5
    • cargo 28
    • chemical tanker 31
    • combination ore/oil 4
    • liquified gas 1
    • petroleum tanker 29
    • railcar carrier 1
    • roll-on/roll-off 40
    • short-sea passenger 4
    • specialized tanker 6
    • vehicle carrier 17

Airports

See also: Swedish Civil Aviation Administration

  • 255 (2000 estimate)
  • Airports - with paved runways: (Official figures. A great number of wartime airfields exist with various lengths)
    • total: 147
    • over 3,047 m: 3
    • 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
    • 1,524 to 2,437 m: 80
    • 914 to 1,523 m: 28
    • under 914 m: 25
  • Airports - with unpaved runways:
    • total: 108
    • 914 to 1,523 m: 5
    • under 914 m: 103
  • Heliports
    • 1 (2000 est.) (Every hospital, airport and military base has Helipads.)

List of airports

See also

References


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