This case study presents the cross-border public train service between Kiruna in Norrbotten, Sweden and Narvik in Nordland, Norway. 

It explores the business model of this service, including its governance arrangements, operational provisions to develop the service and address demand, and its territorial scope. This case study offers an example of how a historic cross-border railway continues to play a key role in accommodating necessary public transportation in the region. At the macro-level, it reflects a unique European case of long-standing soft-power collaboration between two countries with open borders. By enabling access to train services, it continues to sustain the possibilities and opportunities for local and regional development. The key obstacles to the service are presented, and solutions to these problems are discussed. The final section then reflects on the lessons learnt from this case study. 

This case study report is part of a series of 31 case studies developed in the framework of the study ‘Providing public transport in cross-border regions – Mapping of existing services and legal obstacles’, completed by Spatial Foresight in cooperation with TCP international, TRT trasporti e territorio and EureConsult for the European Commission’s DG REGIO.