Borås, Strömstad

Today I will continue the journey from Falköping to Strömstad and then back with a direct summer service to Stockholm.

The day starts early, as I can spot the only freight train I will see today. It is train 77637 from Avesta Krylbo to Göteborg Skandiahamnen. The train is operated by CFL Cargo

185 686 Traxx F140 AC2 was put in service 2010, back then it had a livery of "Peterson Rail AB"

The locomotive is owned by Railpool and since 2016 hired to CFL Cargo Sverige AB

This is the advantage of staying in a hotel next to the railway, it is 7:41 on Sunday morning and I can spot this train before having my breakfast.

Hotel Ranten in the morning

X50-3 3292 is the same train I took the day before

Surprisingly it is the first train from Falköping on a Sunday morning leaving at 8:53

Shortly after I'm arriving at Herrljunga

X14 3241 will be my next train to Borås

Herrljunga station

Grill, Café says this sign - but everything is closed

X52-2 9050 is leaving Herrljunga for Uddevalla

Västtågen, previously operated by DSB First, today by SJ Götalandståg

Inside X14

Nighttrain passing by

Traveling on Älvsborgsbanan

Ljung

Torpåkra

Mollaryd

Borgstena

Fristad

Lake Öresjö

Knalleland

Borås övre

Borås Central

"Knallen" statue by Arvid Knöppel from 1947.

My next train is X61 to Göteborg

This particular X61 is coming from Skånetrafiken and it is borrowed to Västtrafik

The seats are still colored with Skånetrafiken colours

Now traveling at Kust to kust banan

Sandared

Hultafors

Rödberg

Bollebygd

Rävlanda

Hindås

Göteborg C

3292 again, this time to Uddevalla

Now it getting very wet

Säve

Ytterby

Tjörn bridge

Stenungsund

Svenshögen

Ljungskile

This train is supposed to operate the line Falköping-Nässjö as it has JLT card readers

Uddevalla

My next train is this Snabbtåg to Strömstad, which will be the one going back to Stockholm later

X55

This is the only section where it is allowed to travel on SJ Snabbtåg having Västtrafik tickets, as this train is replacing Västtrafik ordinary service between Uddevalla and Strömstad

Kragenäs

Överby

Final stop - Strömstad

Strömstad is a popular summer destination - hence this service is operated only in the summer

"Kostervalsen" by Bo Darnell, 1993

Boats to the islands

"Porten mot Väster" by Claes Hake, 2009.

Fish & chips, why not...

The same train will take me back to Stockholm

After checking the railway map, I'm realizing that I'm traveling a long journey from one coast to another

Fish & chips purchased outside the station, better than the food sold at the bistro onboard

Tanum

Dingle

Munkedal

The line is served by manual staff operations

Uddevalla

Vara

At Herrljunga, I'm finally can see the sun, which of course did not show up much during this trip. Better late than never...

Skövde