The Swedish Transport Administration Trafikverket will reduce track access charges (TAC) for rail freight transport by 20 percent starting with the 2028 timetable. The decision provides significant relief to rail freight operators facing rising operating costs, after TAC in Sweden rose by 40 percent between 2024 and 2025 — a surge that filtered directly into freight prices paid by end customers.
Trafikverket's announcement positions the new TAC structure as a permanent reduction in rail freight cost base. The decision follows a study commissioned by the Swedish government to Trafikverket in June 2024 to review the TAC calculation methodology. Alongside the freight cut, charges for passenger trains will rise by 15 percent; however, the impact on ticket prices will remain limited, with passenger fares expected to increase by 15 percent overall, according to Trafikverket.
Track access charges represent a major component of total cost for rail freight operators and have a significant impact on the final price paid by the customer. After the 40 percent TAC increase in 2025, the Swedish government raised the subsidy fund from approximately 50 million euros to 80 million euros to support the sector — a step that proved insufficient to address the long-term cost pressure on its own. The 20 percent reduction marks a structural cost correction rather than a temporary subsidy adjustment.
The move can also be read as a policy step aligned with the broader European objective of expanding rail freight modal share. The European Union, through the Green Deal and TEN-T framework, has been pushing road-to-rail conversion, and TAC levels across member states have become a critical competitive variable. Sweden's decision falls in line with the policy approach in countries with high rail freight modal share — including Germany, Austria and Switzerland — where TAC reductions or targeted subsidies have long been used to support rail's competitiveness against road.
On the supply chain side, the cut will deliver direct cost advantages for intermodal and block train operators serving Sweden and the Baltic corridor. Sectors with high economies of scale — automotive, chemicals, building materials and food — could increase rail's share in intra-Nordic shipments, easing structural pressure on road haulage rates and accelerating modal shift among Scandinavian shippers.
Key Takeaways:
1. Trafikverket will reduce rail freight track access charges by 20 percent starting with the 2028 timetable.
2. The cut is a structural cost correction following the 40 percent TAC increase in Sweden during 2024-2025.
3. Passenger train TAC will rise by 15 percent, with limited ticket-price impact expected at around 15 percent.
4. The Swedish government's 2025 subsidy fund increase from 50 to 80 million euros made room for the move from temporary relief to permanent correction.
5. The decision aligns with the EU Green Deal and TEN-T framework's push for road-to-rail modal shift across Europe.
