page_title: Linx (railway company)
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Linx (railway company) / History
caption_attribution_description: English: a Linx X2 train in the Stockholm main station, most likely on the Stockholm–Oslo route.
context_page_description: Linx AB was a railway company which operated inter-Scandinavian passenger trains between 2001 and 2004. Established as a joint venture between the Norwegian State Railways and the Swedish state-owned SJ, Linx operated the routes from Oslo, Norway, to Stockholm, Sweden, and from Oslo via Gothenburg, Sweden, to Copenhagen, Denmark. Services were provided up to ten times per day. However, slow speeds caused by curvy infrastructure in Norway, combined with competition from low-cost airlines, caused the company to lose money, and eventually grounded operations. The services were taken over by NSB and SJ. The main rolling stock were eleven X2 electric multiple units, although it used SJ Rc-hauled trains on the Gothenburg–Oslo service. The company was based in Gothenburg.
context_section_description: Linx was established following an informal agreement between the ministers of transport in Norway, Sweden and Denmark to establish high-speed rail connection between the countries' capitals. Linx was the train operating part of the agreement, while the governments would have to invest in better rail infrastructure to allow higher speeds.
  The company was introduced by NSB and SJ on 12 May 2000. The stated plans were to start with the service from Gothenburg to Copenhagen in January 2001, from Oslo to Gothenburg in June, and from Oslo to Stockholm in January 2002. The company would have its head office in Gothenburg and would lease rolling stock from SJ. NSB's chief executive officer, Osmund Ueland, became the company's first chair. The company had a share capital of 10 million Swedish krona (SEK) and was owned in equal shares by NSB and SJ. The company's first train ran on 7 January, from Gothenburg to Copenhagen. Service from Oslo to Gothenburg started on 17 June.
  Because Linx was only to operate profitable routes, it was decided that the company not take over the night train service from Oslo to Copenhagen. NSB stated that they wanted all inter-Scandinavian passenger transport to be operated by the new company, and therefore decided to terminate the night train as of September 2. Although the night trains were filled during the summer and parts of the winter, there was a low ridership during the rest of the year. However, it was a lack of engineers that forced NSB to terminate the night train service as of 20 June. There were protests against the ending of the service, particularly in Norway. Marketing Director Øyvind Rørslett of Linx stated that "we are concentrating on the day trains. We want to develop a holistic concept, where new modern trains are a major part. Night trains do not fit into this concept".
  X2 trains were never introduced on the section from Gothenburg to Oslo. Linx stated that investments for NOK 2 billion were needed on the Østfold Line to reach a travel time from Oslo to Gothenburg of 3 hours and 30 minutes, rather than the more than 4 hours at the time. In contrast, the Norway/Vänern Line on the Swedish side of the border meets the necessary standards.
  The first service from Oslo to Stockholm ran on 16 June 2002. Initially there were only three daily services, but later that year, two more daily services were introduced. At the same time, travel time was reduced by 20 minutes, as the trains stopped at only three intermediate stations. Linx operated with different prices on the same route, depending on if the ticket was bought in Norway or Sweden. The company stated that this was in part because of a strong Norwegian krone, in part because Norwegians were willing to pay more, and in part because the sales system in Sweden was more automated.
  In July 2003, Linx reduced the number of daily services from Gothenburg to Copenhagen from ten to four. The company stated that this was because of insufficient ridership. Linx had offered tickets with a lower price than Scandinavian Airlines, who operated the airline service between Oslo Airport, Gardermoen and Stockholm-Arlanda Airport. Ryanair also provided an airline service, but with fewer departures and with the same center-to-center transport time because it flew from the secondary Sandefjord Airport, Torp and Stockholm-Skavsta Airport. From 1 September 2003, Norwegian Air Shuttle started services from Gardermoen to Arlanda, and became a more direct competitor to Linx. From 27 October, Nordic Airlink (later FlyNordic) also started a flight between the same airports. With shorter travel time from center to center and comparable fares, Norwegian and Nordic started taking market shares away from Linx.
  Starting on December 15, NSB took over three of the daily services from Oslo to Gothenburg, by extending three of the InterCity services along the Østfold Line onwards from Halden Station to Gothenburg. On 24 January 2004, a Linx train derailed at Vestby Station on the Østfold Line. None of the 50 passengers were hurt in the incident.
  On 11 June 2004, NSB and 
caption: Linx X2 unit at Stockholm Central Station
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