Final Day of Stockholm’s Historic Lidingöbanan Operation Before Modernization

Stockholm’s Lidingöbanan, one of Sweden’s longest‑running narrow‑gauge suburban railways, completed its last day of traditional operations on 31 December 1984. Originally opened in the 1910s and operated for decades with aging rolling stock and infrastructure, the line faced severe maintenance backlogs. Authorities suspended service after New Year’s Eve 1984 to begin a series of long‑planned upgrades, including track renewal, improved signaling, and fleet modernization. While the line did not close permanently, the end‑of‑year shutdown marked a major transition from early 20th‑century equipment to a modern light‑rail system. It reopened later with significantly improved reliability and safety.