cheaper and slower local trains (that also require a supplemental
fare to/from the airport station). For travel in greater Stockholm,
the city’s public transport network (known by the initials SL)
embraces one of the simplest and fairest fare systems. Basic fares
include a time-based 75-minute (single journey), one-day, three-
day, and 30-day tickets that may be used across most transit
modes and encourage transit use. You should find it easy to buy
tickets and travel between modes without any knowledge of
Swedish. SL has a smartphone app. Trains/trams are
frequent and intermodal connections arranged
logically. North American transit providers ought
to visit Stockholm to experience how things can
be done right.
Rail transit is potentially most useful for the
greatest number of travelers when it operates an
integrated and coordinated network that enables
passengers to travel from myriad points to myriad
destinations at any time. Effective intermodal
nodes between routes should allow easy and timely transfers.
Transfer points that involve complex interfaces, unnecessarily
long walks between boarding areas, difficult or confusing fare
arrangements, or unacceptable long waits between services
discourage passenger transfers and limit the usefulness of the
network as an integrated system.
Train services that operate on a regular interval timetable and
maintain the advertised frequency are the most useful to the
traveler. While peak periods demand the most service, rail service
providers should avoid long gaps during slack periods because
these discourage prospective travelers and greatly limit the round-
the-clock usefulness of a service to the general public. Likewise, a
rail service solely focused on unidirectional, peak-period “rush-
hour” services to/from an urban center is of limited use to anyone
except a select segment of traditional commuters. In theory, high-
way travel affords a traveler the freedom of movement at any time
of day, so rail transit should as well. Too often,
modern rail-transit startup services are focused
solely on providing a limited, rush-hour alternative
to overly traveled highways.
Rail speeds should be at least quick enough to
offer schedules competitive with highway times.
Time is money, so it is crucial to recognize that
rail’s end-to-end travel times should be equivalent
or better than highway travel times, or rail cannot
appeal to potential travelers.
If any portion of a transit journey seems unsafe, travelers will
consider alternatives. Not only must safe conditions be main-
tained on rail vehicles, but also safe, crime-free environments
must be managed both at and around all stations and intermodal
transfers. Transit should make the traveler feel safe during all
portions of the journey.
Offering obvious solutions for rail transit is just the eye opener.
How we ultimately achieve them may not be so simple. 2TrainsMag.com 15WHY IS BUYING A
TRANSIT TICKET
MORE DIFFICULT IN
LOS ANGELES
THAN IT IS IN
GERMAN CITIES?An evening train catches a glint of sunlight as it passes the silhouette of Stockholm’s City Hall. Stockholm’s wonderful, well-integrated multi-
modal transit system is both easy to use and well traveled. Brian Solomon