A variety of service providers and differing policies has made traveling by train in Sweden with a bicycle a challenge. The national rail operator SJ currently does not allow bicycles unless dismantled and packed into travel bags or boxes, but from 2026, the EU legislation comes into force and states that new or renovated trains must allow a minimum of four bike spaces per train.

Read more at the European Cyclist Federation website

Until then, regional operators that allow bikes are the only option. More time consuming than SJ high speed trains, yet doable.

Regional operators allow a restricted number of bicycles per train (again, not SJ regional trains). Most of these take bikes for free, and in some cases you pay a small fee. It is always up to the train crew to restrict the number of bicycles and you might have to wait for the next departure. No operator offer bookable bike spaces.

This all sounds simple, yet it soon becomes tricky. If you need to travel longer distances with several operators involved, you will find it confusing to find a trip with regional trains with dedicated spaces for bicycles in the SJ app.

In order to book the right connections, you both need to know which operators take bikes, which stations to search for in SJ website or the SJ app, and piece departures and arrival times together. Once you have got this far, you can book them at SJ or the operator directly - as separate trips.

This is why we put together a list of both operators and common stretches (stations) to help you out. We also list the rules that apply to each company. 

In the list of itineraries, you can see which stations to search for in the SJ app or webpage to find the operators that carry bikes, and book them at SJ (in case of changes, we have included only changes with operators who take bikes). You also see the name of the operator; in SJ app this can be hidden behind "annan operatör". 

Stockholm-Malmö/Copenhagen

Stockholm-Norrköping: Mälartåg

Norrköping-Tranås: Östgötatrafiken

Tranås-Nässjö: Krösatåg

Nässjö-Alvesta: Krösatåg

Alvesta-Malmö/Copenhagen: Öresundståg

Karlstad-Stockholm: Tågab
(search at SJ, tickets can be sold there only) 

This train operator, Tågab, operates Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and holidays

Gothenburg-Stockholm 

Gothenburg-Mariestad: Västtrafik 

Mariestad-Hallsberg: Västtrafik

Hallsberg-Stockholm: Mälartåg 

 

Haparanda-Malmö 

Haparanda-Umeå: Vy Norrtåg 

Umeå-Sundsvall: Vy Norrtåg 

Sundsvall-Gävle: X-trafik 

Gävle-Norrköping: Mälartåg 

Norrköping-Tranås: Östgötatrafiken 

Tranås-Nässjö: Krösatåg

Nässjö-Alvesta: Krösatåg  

Alvesta-Malmö: Öresundståg