The Eastern main line opens up new possibilities for growth

There is a lot of thought going into the East Link. It impacts the city's present and future development, traffic flows, the environment, business conditions and more, both during construction and after completion.

"This is a big project that will affect residents and businesses in the city for a long time,” says Niklas Borg (conservative), chairman of the municipal board. “It is an investment for the future that will determine the conditions for Linköping to continue to develop as an attractive and life-friendly city and a strong engine for growth in the region. Many new attractive locations will be created in the city - parks, housing and business premises.”

The decision on the so-called Steninge rail route opens up immediate opportunities. Large areas of land that had been reserved for the various rail routing options for the East Link will now be available.

It means new, attractive neighbourhoods for businesses and homes and a more cohesive city without barriers. Shortened travel times and a new modern central station are all positive effects that will contribute to growth in the city for many years, changing Linköping's position, perhaps forever.

Attracting new businesses

"Interest from companies in relocating here is increasing significantly,” says Louise Felldin, Director of Business Development in Linköping Municipality. “They often cite our strong profile in innovation, access to expertise, and our perfect location as the reason,” she adds.

“The new East Link will make it easier to conduct business in Linköping, drawing on expertise from the entire Greater Stockholm area, and vice versa,” says Felldin.

“Linköping is growing constantly not thanks to any one factor but several, supporting each other. We should be so grateful and proud, and take advantage of our strengths and opportunities as best we can,” she says.

The location of the current central station creates a barrier. Thanks to the new location, the inner city can expand around and across the river Stångån and remain a cohesive part of the city, while inviting more people to take part of the beautiful area around the water and the adjacent green space at Stångebro.

A city centre of the future

The announcement of the rail route creates momentum for other important developments. Several new roads are in the works, including a new exit from the E4. That supports the development of nearby housing and business areas, but will also help avoid congestion in the city centre when the construction of the East Link really gets under way.

Another important factor to the city’s continued growth is the city centre, which is important not only for those who live here but also for attracting visitors. We like to think of it as the living room of Linköping, where you meet up with family and friends to spend time together. However, since our city centre was built, the needs and expectations of customers have changed. E-commerce, for example, continues to flourish and got an even bigger boost during the pandemic.
To keep up with the future, the municipality together with the business community, property owners and associations, have agreed on a common vision on how our city centre should further be developed. It should feel just as relevant, modern and cosy when the city centre expands alongside construction of the East Link.

One ambition is to have more people active in the city centre for a larger part of the day, creating a safe, attractive environment. To achieve this, more people need to live and work in the area. Another way to create a more vibrant city centre is to enable a more varied shopfront offer. That means including culture, public services and offices in addition to shops and restaurants.

"It is a fantastic opportunity to work with the municipality to future-proof Linköping's city centre” says Rikard Norman, a business policy executive at Fastighetsägarna, which is a property owners’ association.

“Our members want to create a buzz in the city – a mix of housing, offices, commerce, restaurants and culture” he says. “We need to continuously and proactively work to bring a relevant offer and understand market and customer needs. By working together and sharing the same vision, we’re well on our way to create a city centre which withstands the challenges and expectations of the future.,” he adds.

Several sites and buildings in the city centre are culturally and historically valuable and trade-offs between preserving cultural-historical aspects and the need for development is a central issue.

"Our city centre will be developed with a strong identity of its own, where the future, its rich history and the present are utilised and highlighted,” comments Erik Adlfosson, city architect at the municipality. “Everything needs to be done in a conscious harmony,” he adds.

Linköping - Future Now

These initiatives will make Linköping a continuous life-friendly city – one that is close to everything, with a vibrant city centre where people thrive and want to be. The construction of the East Link will impact the city during the construction period, but above all when the construction is complete. When the trains start rolling in 2035, we will see a partially new inner city, with a greater use of the area by river Stångån and increased flows of people within, to, and from Linköping. The business community will have a place to grow with access to both new attractive locations, new customers and new skills. Then the next chapter begins.