A consortium of Australian and Chinese investors have acquired A-Train AB – the owner and operator of the Arlanda Express airport rail service.
The sale comes 10 years after Macquarie European Infrastructure Fund (MEIF) purchased A-Train AB, a limited company set up by the Swedish government to construct and operate a new double-track railway between Stockholm and Arlanda Airport.
The consortium comprises STC Pooled Fund, an Australian superannuation fund, and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE), a Chinese government agency in charge of foreign investment.
Since the link opened in 1999, A-Train has possessed an exclusive concession to operate services along the corridor until 2040. After experiencing financial difficulties, MEIF stepped in to acquire A-Train in 2004.
The sale has been approved by infrastructure owner Arlandabanan Infrastructure AB.
Edward Beckley, the European head of Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets, the manager of MEIF, said: “During MEIF’s ownership, A-Train has invested hundreds of millions of krona in its infrastructure and rolling stock, creating an award winning train service. Furthermore, A-Train has made the Arlanda Rail Link available to other train operators and offers significant discounts for all airport workers in the region.
“Consequently, the annual passenger numbers on the rail link have increased by over two million in the past decade, to reach five million annual travellers, bringing substantial environmental and economic benefits for the region.”
