The Southern Main Line () is a long standard gauge electrified railway between Malmö and Katrineholm in Sweden. The trains continue further on to Stockholm Central Station along the Western Main Line and terminate there (at platforms 16–19). The line also connects to other lines, most notably in Malmö the Öresund line to Copenhagen, and in Lund to the West Coast Line towards Gothenburg.
History
The first parts of the line opened in 1856 between Malmö and Lund, and the last parts in 1874. An unusual route was chosen as the line passed far from many of the bigger towns at the time, such as Hörby and Kristianstad. This was an attempt to "colonize" the countryside and populate it. Another strategic choice was to put it far from the coast to minimize vulnerability to military attacks. A number of new towns sprung up or grew as the line brought access to the area, such as Eslöv and Hässleholm.
Initially the route Katrineholm–Nässjö was called Eastern Main Line, whereas the original definition of Southern Main Line was kept and thus reserved for Malmö–Nässjö–Falköping. Not until 1990, the newly founded railway authority Banverket changed the official definition according to modern use. (Nässjö–Falköping became known as Jönköping Line.)
Present
The line entirely consists of at least double track, with four tracks on the section Malmö–Arlöv. Today high-speed X 2000 trains travel at for large parts of the way.
Stations
This is a list of stations along the line where the long-distance trains stop:
Katrineholm
Norrköping
Linköping
Mjölby
Nässjö
Alvesta
Hässleholm
Lund
Malmö
Here is a list of all the stations along the line:
Katrineholm
Norrköping
Kimstad
Linghem
Linköping
Mantorp
Mjölby
Tranås
Aneby
Nässjö
Bodafors
Sävsjö
Stockaryd
Lammhult
Moheda
Alvesta
Vislanda
Diö
Älmhult
Killeberg
Osby
Ballingslöv
Hässleholm
Sösdala
Tjörnarp
Höör
Stehag
Eslöv
Örtofta
Stångby
Lund
Hjärup
Åkarp
Burlöv
Malmö
Future
As of 2018, the Arlöv–Lund segment is being rebuilt from two to four tracks. The project includes lowering the tracks through Åkarp and Hjärup for a total of in order to decrease noise pollution, as well as an expansion of Burlöv station allowing it to accommodate Øresundståg, and a new station in in the south of Lund. Construction on a section between Arlöv and south of Lund began in 2017, while Flackarp–Lund is still under planning. The entire project is expected to be completed in 2024.
Around year 2020–2030 a new high-speed line for 300 or 320 km/h is planned to be opened between Linköping and Södertälje. It is called Ostlänken and will cut travel time by 40 minutes. There are also plans to increase the permitted speed to between Nässjö and Hässleholm around 2020. Both plans are delayed until further notice by the government, both for cost reasons, and awaiting the political discussion of how to improve the railway network.