Östgötland transport authority (ÖstgötaTrafiken) in Sweden has selected German Rail operator Deutsche Bahn’s subsidiary DB Regio Sverige to operate local services for ten years.

The contract begins in mid-December 2010 and has an option for a four-year extension.

During the contract period train services will increase from an initial 3.3 million train-km to 3.8 million a year.

Five new Coradia Lirex X61 EMUs are also scheduled to enter service with the 2010 timetable change, allowing trains to run at a 20min frequency between Norrköping and Mjölby.

ÖstgötaTrafiken said the routes were some of the most punctual in the country and expectations from the company were high.