Snabbtåg, also known as X 2000 or X2, is a high-speed train that works on a number of various lines. One of its routes connects the capitals of Sweden and Denmark. There are at least five rides in each of the directions available every day.
Stockholm
I am at the Stockholm Central Station. This is the place where my acquaintance with the renowned Swedish train is going to happen. It’s not-so-early spring morning. The wind is cold and strong enough - and I go inside the building without paying a proper attention to its exterior (sorry, facade, no offense).
Fun fact: here functions a system (it involves heat exchangers, ventilation and hot water), which harness the energy from the movement of passengers and uses it to heat an office building across the street. Thinking about this, I watch the people who contribute to sustainability just by moving in and out the lower floor of the station.
Speaking of the lower floor, there are - among other things - lots and lots of luggage lockers. The storage is well-organized, its sections are easy to locate - thanks to letters, numbers and color coding. It is possible to pay for the service with a bank card, but for those who fancy an old-school way of dealing with money there is a banknotes-to-coins machine.
Now, the time of two tens comes: there are 10 minutes before the departure, and Snabbtåg appears on the track 10.
The train cars have a simple yet distinctive design. Their appearance is uncommonly charismatic, and this is achieved without using any colors and pictures, only by means of shapes and materials. Too sad, I don’t have enough time for applauding the authors of those lines and projections. The trip is about to start.
All passengers get on board and take their seats in a matter of seconds. I follow this good example. We depart right on schedule.
Space
My seat is in the 1st Class - which is, by the way, not much different from the class called second. Don’t get me wrong: this is a compliment to the latter and in no case a criticism of the first one.
The car has rows of three chairs, divided in accordance with the “2+1” scheme. The central lane is nicely wide, and I am sure that unpleasant occasions of unintentional luggage-hitting, feet-stamping or elbow-poking are rare here.
There is a proper legroom in front of the seats, and above them - enough space to store bags and backpacks. The car overall is rather generous in terms of free space.
Unfolding wooden tables are rather big as well. And the windows are huge, offering a wide view angle.
Supplies
The 1st Class has an extra feature in the “basic needs”category (apart from the free Wi-Fi, working on the whole train). The thing is located at the end of the car and it waits for those who are thirsty or slightly hungry. There are some free drinks and snacks. The choice options include tea, coffee, milk, water, pastry and fruits.
So, an apple is in my hand. I get myself comfortable in a chair - one of the separately standing ones.
Speed
The name Snabbtåg, translated from Swedish, means a fast train, and that is precisely descriptive and true. This vehicle is not the fastest in the world, however, it has the ability to deliver 200 km/h (and even more, it is said, if there were no safety restrictions). And it shares with its passengers a perfect sense of speed.
Now and then the ride becomes bumpy, and my cup of ticket-price-included coffee slightly moves on a table. Once or twice the car tilts so notably, that the sliding transparent door between its sections opens. My ears pop when we move through tunnels. I know there is no such thing as a racing train, but I feel like I am inside one. And I like it.
Scenery
The length of the route Stockholm to Copenhagen is 523 kilometers. The train goes to the very south of Sweden, passes the city of Malmö, and then crosses the Øresund strait.
The trip lasts for about five hours. Someone may say it’s a bit longer than could be expected from a high-speed train. Well, that is my answer to that: this is faster than any regular ride, and, in addition, there are many stops on the way.
SJ, the company that operates Snabbtåg, claims that it is Sweden's most popular train. From what I can see, that sounds about right: most of the seats are occupied during the whole ride. Even when some passengers get off the train, their places are taken by other people in no time. There are not many moments when nobody is sitting across the table from me.
However, the car never looks overcrowded, and I continue my voyage without experiencing the lack of free space. The weather changes within five hours: from cloudy to sunny and back. At some point we ride through a rain.
There is a section of the route that can be considered a highlight of its final part. The train crosses the border between Sweden and Denmark and moves above and under the water. The structure that makes this possible consists of the 8-kilometer bridge, the 4-kilometer tunnel and the artificial island. Here, you can see a big amount of wind turbines, sticking right out of the water, if your place is on the left side of the train.
Style
I look outside while sitting in a chair that is a good addition to the impressive exterior and well-planned interior of the train. This piece of furniture is elegant, comfortable and stylish. It is equipped with a table, a cup holder and a socket. And even all those great qualities are not my favorite things about it.
The upholstery of Snabbtåg chairs is what gets my personal traveler award. While in the majority of cases the leather is commonly accepted as the attribute of the best quality and upscale comfort (which I personally tend to disagree with), this train demonstrate another approach. The seats in the 1st Class are covered with good-looking and tactile-pleasant textile. Sitting here feels like lounging on an expensive couch made by some eminent industrial designer. To cut it short, two thumbs up - as movie critics of the VHS era used to say.
By the way, the seats in the 2nd Class are of the same form and fabric. The only difference I notice is armrests material - it’s wood with no upholstery. I sit for a bit in one of those on my way to the Bistro car, and this still feels good.
As for the Bistro car, it manages to surprise me. It looks like the general design code of X2 does not apply here, and as if this car was taken from a completely different train.
It’s all bright red, glossy and leathery. The screaming letters on the glass of windows jump at you. As for me, this is a bit strange. But they have the klassisk räksmörgås here (a shrimp sandwich, recommended in this video)!
I take the advice, and it reconciles me with the reality of intensely colored sofas.
Stockholm-Copenhagen to best fares
The sandwich is scrumptious. Not bad for a final chord of the trip!
Snabbtåg stops
The train reaches Copenhagen. It is sunny again, and I use the opportunity to take a proper look at wagons and locomotive in an unhurried manner. I am obviously under the modest charm of Snabbtåg.
In less than an hour the train will start its ride back to Stockholm. I leave my new friend resting and go to the place where I will have some rest too - the hotel called Urban House. A nice and cozy room awaits for me a block away from the railway station.
Summary
Stockholm and Copenhagen are both spectacular cities. It is great that we can move between them in a train which has its own unique character and offers a pleasant way of travelling. If you have a chance to ride Snabbtåg /X 2000/x2 on this route - do not miss it!
Tickets are available on Omio, ACPRail and the SJ website.
You can always find timetables, prices and detailed information at rail.cc.
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