Älvsjö station, originally spelled "Elfsjö," first opened on 1 November 1879 along the Western Main Line, which connected Stockholm to Södertälje in 1860 and to Gothenburg in 1862.[3] Before the station was built, a provisional stop had been established at the request of Count Gustaf Lagerbjelke, the owner of nearby Älvsjö Gård manor.[4]
On 28 December 1901, the Nynäs Line was inaugurated, turning Älvsjö into a junction station. The name was officially changed from "Elfsjö" to "Älvsjö" in 1909. Between 1916 and 1917, the station underwent expansion, adding separate tracks for local and long-distance trains, along with a footbridge.[5]
In 1932, a new station building was constructed, and the footbridge was replaced by a pedestrian tunnel. Major changes in operation came on 1 January 1967 when Storstockholms Lokaltrafik (SL) took over responsibility for local rail traffic in Stockholm County, establishing the Stockholm commuter rail network.[6] This was followed by further development of the station, alongside the construction of the nearby exhibition centre.[7]
Facilities
Today, Älvsjö serves as a junction station for both the Nynäs Line and the Western Main Line, located between Årstaberg to the north, and Stuvsta and Farsta Strand stations to the South and South-East. It features two platforms, one for each line, with additional through tracks for long-distance and freight trains.[8]
The station includes a ticket hall situated above the tracks, with access to both central Älvsjö and Stockholmsmässan via a pedestrian viaduct. The ticket office has a main sales counter and two additional counters that open during large events at Stockholmsmässan. The station is equipped with numerous combined entry and exit gates. In 2022, it saw approximately 16,700 boardings on a typical winter weekday.[9]
A renovation of the bus station and adjacent square began in February 2011, with the work completed in autumn 2014.[10]
Freight
Approximately 1 kilometre north of the commuter rail station is the Älvsjö Freight Yard, which has been in operation since 1972. This facility handles the loading and unloading of goods transported to and from Stockholm and locations further south.[11][7]
Future Metro Station
The southern terminus of the planned Yellow Line will be at Älvsjö Station. The line is planned to open in 2034 and will run approximately 8 kilometres north from Älvsjö to Fridhemsplan via Liljeholmen.[12] The depot for the line will be situated in the Älvsjö industrial area.[13]