småstopp

Småstopp, meaning “small stops” in Swedish, is a railway transport term used to describe minor stops along a railway line, typically at small stations or halts with relatively low passenger usage. The concept is used in transport planning to balance coverage with efficiency, allowing trains to skip less-used stations while still serving communities along a corridor.

There are two main forms of småstopp. Some are regular but infrequent calls in the timetable, meaning certain services will stop there as part of their scheduled route. Others function as stop on request (begäran), where the train only stops if passengers on the platform signal their intention to board, or if a passenger aboard requests to alight at that point. In practice, the stop is announced in the timetable or on onboard and platform information systems, and the driver or conductor may carry out the stop if conditions warrant it.

Operationally, småstopp reduce dwell times at small stations, which helps shorten journey times and lower energy use on lines with uneven demand. They are most common on regional and rural services or branch lines, where passenger volumes do not justify a full-service stop at every station.

The term is especially used in Sweden and in some neighboring European networks, and is closely related to the concept of a request stop. While some travelers may prefer all trains to stop at every station, småstopp represent a compromise between service coverage and operational efficiency, maintaining access to smaller communities while preserving timetable reliability on busier routes.