Hässleholm, Malmö

(Please note this post was re-written 2017-03-17). About a month since my last trip to Malmö, I'm making a new trip, this time over the long weekend of 6th of June (which is the national day in Swedish). In 2014, the 6th of June was a Friday, so the weekend was 3 days long. 

During my previous trip in May I took a Krösatåg train from Nässjö to Alvesta, this time I'm taking the other service from Alvesta to Hässleholm. This line was introduced as late as in 2013, making thus many new stations along the way.

First stop after Alvesta is in Vislanda. No trains were stopping here between 1970 and 2013, so the re-opening made a huge improvement for commuters.

Next stop is Diö.

Old station house is still present.

Älmhult is the next stop. Since it is one of the larger towns along this route, the station has been operated both by some SJ Snabbtåg and Öresundståg. Now it is also a station for Kröstatåg.

Painting at Älmhult station.

Killeberg

Osby is a station operated by Krösatåg and Öresundståg

Hästveda

Ballingslöv

I have now reached Skåne region, here is a advertisement for Jojo Summer card. Back in 2014 the price was 595SEK (in 2017 it is 675SEK).

Approaching Hässleholm

My train was "Jätten Finn", named after a troll ("Finn the giant").

My train was X11 (3134) from 1984. Today re-painted in yellow/white Krösatåg livery.

Due to a strike, no Öresundståg were operating this weekend, hence Krösatåg decided to have a double train for this service (which is normally operated with one X11). The other X11 (3173) has today been repainted in blue/white Transitio livery.

SJ were operating as usually.

X11 3173 were named after Ruben Rausing, who started Tetra Pak company.

Map of Krösatåg network back in 2014. Today also operating a line to Tranås, but not the line to Oskarshamn.

Train crew of Öresundståg on strike here in Hässleholm. The union SEKO could not agree with train operator Veolia about amount of part time jobs.

The strike lasted totally 16 days, and involved about 360 employees. The strike was estimated to have costed Skånetrafiken around 40 million SEK.

Current station in Hässleholm is from 1921 created by Folke Zettervall.

"At full speed" by Margit Kristiansson

On top of the strike, the line between Hässleholm and Lund was closed due to railway works, so the trains had to take a longer route through Åstorp and Skånebanan. Here is X2 turning off from Södra stambanan to Skånebanan.

Double X11 heading back to Alvesta.

Next is an X61 Pågatåg train to Helsingborg.

The strike is on the news. Here also reporting about suspended trains north of Stockholm.

This was my first time using X61 train from Skånetrafiken.

Nice view from a balcony in Hässleholm

The line I'm taking is normally operating Skånebanan. Here is Södra stambanan viewed to the left.

The line has been operated by Pågatåg since 2007. Here is a stop in Tyringe.

Perstorp

Klippan

Åstorp is a railway junction station between Skånebanan and Söderåsbanan.

Bjuv

Mörarp

Final stop for this train is Helsingborg. After a quick change I'm on another X61 to Malmö.

Rydebäck station.

Arriving to Malmö Central can be done either upstairs at the old train station or downstairs at the new Citytunnel station, the trains are then continuing to Copenhagen or Ystad.

Malmö Central station lower is a new station opened 2010 as part of the new Citytunnel project under Malmö city.

Station has a videoinstallation where the video from different places is projected. There are totally 90 hours of film, recorded during 7 years period from 40 different countries in 5 different continents.

Videoinstallation Elsewhere by Tania Ruiz Gutierrez.

Malmö C lower is operated by Pågatåg (local commuter trains), Öresundståg (regional commuter trains) and SJ Snabbtåg (national high speed trains).

Most of the passengers had an understanding for the strike, so no indication of a chaos at the train station was visible.

Maybe the explanation is the beautiful video installation...

The departure screen indicates plenty of cancelled trains this day.

The new station hall is directly connected to the old station building.

Öresundståg is a very popular train for Skåne, Halland, Blekinge and of course Copenhagen region, since this is the train service connecting Denmark and Sweden in the best possible way (trains are running each 20 min between Malmö and Copenhagen). The strike was only on the Swedish side, so the DSB company arrange buses from Hyllie to Kastrup for further connection to Öresundståg service on the Danish side.

The upper old train station building had some parked trains.

Since the opening of the lower stations, the use for the upper platforms has decreased.

Some Öresundståg passengers tried to enter an SJ Snabbtåg in vain. Skånetrafiken cards are not valid on SJ trains.

Here is X55 train to Göteborg, basically duplicating Öresundståg service to Göteborg, but with less stops.

The new Citytunnel probably started a construction boom along the new stations, here close to Malmö central the new Malmö Live is taking shape.

Here one of the Malmö university's new buildings, also called the Niagara block.

On the other side of the street still a typical Malmö harbour view.

This will be the new market hall in Malmö in 2016.

"Big brother is watching you".

Malmö Live will be opened 2015.

The tallest building in Sweden and all Nordic countries "Turning torso" is hard to miss wherever you are in Malmö.

The old tram line in Malmö to the right and Malmöhus castle to the left.

Passing by an organic plant and cafe.

Probably some school project.

Malmö museum tram line, but unfortunately without any service during 2014. I'll have to come back next year and see it.

Malmö fish market opens 5 days per week at 06:30

Scary animal on top of Malmöhus

Retro advertisement on the wall