The Grona Taget Programme in Sweden, Designed for Passenger Attractive, Environmentally-Friendly and Cost-Efficient, Demonstrates the Future of High Speed Trains in Nordic Countries.

The Grona Taget research, development and demonstration program a jointinitiative by the Swedish Railway Administration Banverket, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Bombardier Transportation and other partners started in 2005 and is scheduled to run until 2011. A unique and very fruitful cooperation between society, universities and industry to build up knowledge and resources to develop and specify the next generation of high speed trains for Nordic operation. The main objective of the program to achieve is reduced travel times, more attractiveness for passengers, achieve feweroperational costs and about 30 per cent less energy consumption compared to existing X2000 high speed fleet. The high speed train concept of the Grona Taget would cut the travel time between Stockholm and Gothenburg by 10 20 % with a operating top speed of 250 - 300 km/h. The programs valuable results can be adapted to various markets with similar requirements around the world. In a time when rail operators are increasingly challenged by the pressures of volatile energy costs, operating efficiency and global climate change.