What The Nice Train does

Snälltåget (English: "The Nice Train") is a Swedish open-access long-distance rail operator founded in 2007 and headquartered in Malmö, operating commercially without government subsidies under the legal entity Snälltåget i Sverige, a branch (bifirma) of Merresor AB, which sits within the Transdev group. The company runs cross-border passenger rail services across five countries — Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, and Austria — with a route portfolio that includes daily Malmö–Copenhagen shuttles, Stockholm–Hamburg day trains, overnight trains to Berlin, Hamburg, and Dresden, night trains to the Austrian Alps serving 14+ ski destinations, a new domestic Arctic night-train to Abisko, and the recently launched Malmö–Gothenburg–Oslo service. Core technology is standard open-access rail infrastructure with tiered comfort products (seating, shared sleeping berths, and private compartments for up to six), an onboard restaurant car (Krogen) with chef-curated menus, and a digital self-service booking platform (snalltaget.se) supporting dynamic pricing, multilingual service in Swedish/English/German, and ancillary purchases such as baggage check-in, ski equipment transport, and bicycle carriage.

The business model is a mix of one-time ticket sales (dynamic pricing from 299 SEK economy to 1,999+ SEK private compartments), retail commissions on package holidays sold through SkiStar, STS Alpresor, and Nortlander (combining train + transfer + accommodation + lift pass), and ancillary transaction fees (luggage, ski, bike, transfer buses via Skinetworks). Distribution is direct-to-consumer through the company's own website and Berlin Welcome Card retail partnership, targeting leisure travelers, ski enthusiasts, families, students/youth, and budget Interrail users. Marketing is primarily digital — Google Ads with enhanced conversion tracking, email/newsletter via Apsis, and destination content marketing — with no disclosed enterprise or B2B customer concentration. The company's strategic positioning rests on three differentiators: exclusive or primary cross-border routes (notably the only direct Sweden–Austria rail), a tightly integrated ski vacation ecosystem with transfer and accommodation partners, and a climate-neutral value proposition enabled by renewable electricity procurement.

Name

The Nice Train

Legal name

Snälltåget i Sverige, bifirma till Merresor AB

Website

https://snalltaget.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Snälltåget (The Nice Train) is a Swedish open-access cross-border rail operator running ticket and package-holiday services across Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, and Austria, serving leisure travelers, ski enthusiasts, families, and budget passengers with night and day trains plus integrated ski-resort transfers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Passenger Rail Transport

NAICS

Rail Transportation (4821)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Night Train/Sleeper Rail Operators (TLAFADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cross-Border/International Passenger Rail Operators (TLAFADAE), Long-Distance/Overnight Intercity Rail Operators (THAIAAAD)

Keywords

• Passenger rail transport
• Cross-border train services
• Night train travel
• Ski resort rail connections
• Open-access rail operator

Headquarters

HQ city

Malmö

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Train Ticket Sales: Core revenue from selling individual train tickets across multiple routes including domestic Swedish routes, cross-border services to Norway, Denmark, Germany, Austria, and seasonal destinations. Tickets available in various comfort levels: seating, sleeping berth in shared compartment, or private compartment. Dynamic pricing with advance booking discounts.
2. Package Holidays: Snälltåget acts as retailer for package holidays combining train travel with accommodation and ski passes through partnerships with SkiStar, STS Alpresor, and Nortlander. Customers can book complete ski vacations including train, bus transfer, lodging, and lift access.
3. Ancillary Services: Additional revenue streams include baggage check-in fees (498 kr round trip), ski equipment check-in (698 kr round trip), bicycle transport (199 kr per direction), and transfer bus connections to mountain destinations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Snälltåget is a Swedish open-access rail operator that sells passenger train tickets on cross-border routes between Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, and Austria. It operates overnight and day trains with multiple comfort levels (seating, shared sleeping berths, private compartments) and complements ticket sales with package holidays to ski resorts, onboard restaurant services, baggage handling, and bicycle transport.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Krogen: Restaurant car service on Snälltåget trains offering meals, drinks, and breakfast.
• Lönnkrogen

Products and services

• Snälltåget Night Train Service Cross-border night train passenger rail service with overnight accommodations in seating, sleeping berths, or private compartments, targeting leisure travelers and ski vacationers.
• Krogen (Restaurant Car) Onboard restaurant car service offering hot meals prepared with chef-curated menus, breakfast, and beverages, with table reservations required on most departures.
• Lönnkrogen Smaller onboard refreshment service on night trains to Berlin, Dresden, and Austria, offering coffee, drinks, snacks, and pre-ordered breakfast bags.
• Connecting Transfer Service Shuttle bus connections from train stations to ski resorts and mountain destinations in Jämtland, Härjedalen, and the Austrian Alps, operated in partnership with Skinetworks.
• Luggage Check-in Service Checked baggage service allowing passengers to register larger luggage including skis, strollers, and tents in the luggage van for selected departures (498 kr round trip for baggage, 698 kr for ski equipment).
• Bicycle Transport Bicycle transport service on summer and autumn mountain trains (routes 24 and 25), with pre-booking required at 199 SEK per direction.
• Ski Package Holidays Complete ski vacation packages combining train travel, transfer, accommodation, and lift passes, offered through partnerships with SkiStar, STS Alpresor, and Nortlander to Swedish and Austrian ski destinations.
• Malmö–Oslo Direct Route Daily cross-border rail service between Malmö and Oslo via Gothenburg, launched by Snälltåget subsidiary, operating without subsidies and carrying over 900,000 passengers annually.

Quantifiable outcome

• 900,000+ passengers annually on Malmö-Oslo route alone, operating without government subsidies
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SkinetworkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSkinetworks provides transfer bus services from train stations to Austrian ski resorts including Obertauern, Wagrain, Bad Gastein, Saalbach-Hinterglemm, Zell am Ziller, Mayrhofen, Sölden, Obergurgl, Ischgl, and St. Anton. Transfer buses are coordinated with train arrival/departure times.
• STS AlpresorcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSTS Alpresor offers package holidays combining train travel to Austrian ski destinations such as Bad Gastein. The package includes train transport to St. Johann im Pongau and bus transfer to the resort.
• NortlandercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNortlander is a package travel partner offering complete ski vacation packages with train, transfer, accommodation, and lift passes. Available for winter travel to Austrian Alps.
• SkiStarcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSkiStar offers package bookings for train travel combined with accommodation and SkiPass at Swedish mountain destinations including Åre and Vemdalen. Customers can book complete ski vacations through SkiStar's platform.
• Visit Berlin / Berlin Welcome CardminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSnälltåget acts as retailer for Berlin Welcome Card, which provides free public transport in Berlin and discounts at museums and attractions. Visit Berlin collects booking data through the widget.
• FOREX BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFOREX offers 1% discount on currency exchange rates for passengers presenting their Snälltåget ticket in any FOREX store. Available for travelers purchasing foreign currency for trips to destinations like Copenhagen.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Italo (NTV): Italo is Italy's private high-speed rail operator competing with state-owned Trenitalia on intercity routes. Comparable to Snälltåget as a private, premium-positioned European passenger rail brand using open-access or commercial positioning.
• Eurostar: Eurostar operates high-speed cross-border passenger rail services across Europe (UK-France-Belgium-Netherlands-Germany). Comparable to Snälltåget as a cross-border European passenger rail operator focused on leisure and business travelers between major cities.
• FlixTrain: FlixTrain is a German-based open-access long-distance passenger rail operator, part of the FlixMobility group. It is directly comparable to Snälltåget in operating unsubsidized intercity and cross-border trains in Europe, competing for similar price-sensitive and climate-conscious travelers.
• Westbahn (WESTbahn): Westbahn is an Austrian private open-access passenger rail operator competing on intercity routes without subsidies. It is directly comparable to Snälltåget as a private, commercially operated European rail carrier focused on point-to-point intercity service.
• Leo Express: Leo Express is a Czech private passenger rail operator running cross-border services into Central Europe (Germany, Austria, Poland, Slovakia). It is directly comparable to Snälltåget as a privately operated cross-border European rail competitor.
• RegioJet: RegioJet is a Czech private passenger rail and bus operator running cross-border services across Central Europe. It is directly comparable to Snälltåget as a private open-access operator using low-cost positioning to compete with state incumbents.
• ÖBB Nightjet: ÖBB Nightjet is Austrian Federal Railways' overnight passenger train network serving major European cities including Berlin, Hamburg, and Alpine destinations. It is directly comparable as a European night-train operator overlapping with Snälltåget's overnight routes to Austria and Germany.

Broad incumbents

• SJ (Statens Järnvägar / Swedish national rail): SJ is the dominant Swedish state-owned passenger rail operator and the primary incumbent on domestic Swedish routes. It is broadly comparable to Snälltåget on overlapping domestic Swedish corridors (Stockholm-Malmö, etc.) but operates at much greater scale and with public-service obligations.
• DSB (Danish State Railways): DSB is the incumbent Danish state-owned passenger rail operator providing cross-border services to Sweden and Germany. Comparable to Snälltåget on overlapping Copenhagen-Malmö and Germany-connecting routes, but operates at larger scale with state backing.

Regional players

• Vy (Norwegian rail operator): Vy operates passenger rail services in Norway and broader Scandinavia, including the Oslo-Gothenburg corridor that overlaps with Snälltåget's new Malmö-Oslo route. Comparable as a Scandinavian passenger rail competitor with regional, not cross-border-international, focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/snalltaget
• Facebookfacebook.com/snalltaget

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Nice Train