Östgötapendeln

Östgötapendeln is the commuter train of Östergötland county and the backbone of its regional network. It is the county's largest single line, with more than four million trips a year. Östgötatrafiken, the county transport authority, owns the trains, while contracted companies supply the crews.

Where it runs

Trains run between Norrköping and Motala or Tranås. Stops include Kimstad, Linghem, Linköping, Vikingstad, Mantorp, Mjölby (for Boxholm and Tranås) and Skänninge.

Zones and fares

Tickets are priced by zone. The zone is set by the stops where you board, change and get off. The city zone covers Linköping, Norrköping and Motala. Outside it, a small zone is a trip under 8 km, a medium zone under 20 km and a large zone under 30 km, and the county zone covers all of Östergötland.

Adult single tickets cost SEK 35 in a small or city zone, SEK 65 in a medium zone, SEK 80 in a large zone and SEK 95 for the whole county. Cheaper off-peak fares apply on weekdays from 08:30 to 15:00 and from 17:00 to 06:30, and all day at weekends and on public holidays. Youth, student and senior fares are lower again. A single ticket lasts 60 to 120 minutes depending on zone size, and the trip must have started, or your last change been made, before it runs out. For frequent travel there are 24-hour, 30-day and 365-day tickets.

Buying a ticket

The Östgötatrafiken app handles both the journey search and the purchase. On board you can tap a contactless payment card on the ticket reader. Tickets and travel cards are also sold online, at station ticket machines and through local agents, and occasional travellers can buy a paper ticket from an agent or a machine.

Bikes, luggage and pets

Bikes travel at no charge, electric bikes included, but each train takes a maximum of six. A bike sticker on the train shows where to board, and the bike must be strapped down in the marked space. Prams have priority, though a bike already on board keeps its place. If six bikes are already aboard, you wait for the next train or leave yours in a station rack. Bikes cannot travel on the replacement buses that sometimes stand in for trains.

Luggage should be something you can carry yourself. Dogs, cats and other pets ride free, on a lead or in a carrier, and the trains have marked places for them.