The architect Tina commutes to Gothenburg on Sweden’s most beautiful railway line

Tina Karling Hellsvik works as an architect and has her office in Gothenburg. But her home is in the village of Blomberg on Kinnekulle. Between work and home, Tina travels along one of Sweden’s most beautiful railway lines - the Kinnekulle Line. Thanks to the train, she can work efficiently during her journeys.

It is Tuesday morning, and Tina Karling Hellsvik pours herself a cup of tea in the large, airy kitchen before going up to her office on the second floor of the newly built house. From the large window, she has a view of Lake Vänern.

Tina is an architect and runs her own company, KarlingHellsvik Arkitektur. She has both lived and worked in the Skaraborg region for many years, but for several years now she has had an office in her former hometown of Gothenburg.

“We are five architects sharing an office. It’s enjoyable to run your own business and at the same time have colleagues in the field to bounce ideas off.”

Last year, Tina and her husband Erik bought a plot of land in the small railway village of Blomberg. Tina designed the house herself, which sits on a hill with a view of Lake Vänern. In the village, newly built houses are mixed with older cottages. And running through the village is the Kinnekulle Line.

Commuting on the Kinnekulle Line

The Kinnekulle Line runs from Håkantorp, via Lidköping and Mariestad, to Gårdsjö, where it connects with the Western Main Line.

Today, Tina is heading to Gothenburg a little later than usual. She is often at the station as early as 7:30 a.m. to catch the direct train to Gothenburg. But today, it is closer to ten o’clock when she walks toward her train.

The walk to the train station takes only a couple of minutes - she just has to walk down a hill and she’s there. By the railway, the old station building still remains, and the local water and sewage association has created an activity area with a pétanque court in the old railway park. In the past, trains here were loaded with stone quarried from Kinnekulle.

“I think there are quite a lot of trains. If we want to go to Mariestad or Lidköping, it’s just a 40- or 10-minute journey respectively - it’s very convenient! I much prefer traveling by train to taking the bus; it moves along in a completely different way when you’re on a train.”

To make the train stop at one of the smaller stations, you need to turn a special sign—a semaphore. Tina explains that she turns it back once she has made eye contact with the train driver.
Once on board, Tina chooses a window seat.

“I rarely bring out my laptop on the train - I prefer to work things out in my head when I travel. It’s perfect to go by train, because the movement is so predictable - it just rolls along.”

Designing floor plans in her head

Tina’s architectural assignments are many and varied - she designs everything from villas and apartment buildings to industrial facilities and detailed development plans. She is also hired for all kinds of renovation projects. During her train journeys, she often works on different kinds of problem-solving.

“When I design a floor plan, it’s as if it exists in 3D inside my head. On the train, I can turn it around and examine it, working on different solutions. Sometimes, traveling by train is also perfect for finding inspiration. For example, if I have a problem with how a roof should be designed, I can look outside and be inspired by all the roofs passing by. That usually gives me ideas I can continue working on!”

For Tina, time spent on the train is definitely not wasted.

“I need time away from my computer. My work is creative, and I rarely solve problems by staring at a screen. If I’m working from home one day, I go for a long walk instead and do my designs in my head!”

The ability to commute to Gothenburg is a bonus

Today, Tina greatly appreciates how easily she can travel from her home to Gothenburg by train, but it wasn’t something she knew would work when she and Erik bought the plot. For many years, they had been eyeing the area overlooking Lake Vänern, and when the landowner prepared plots with water and sewage connections, they were quick to act.

“When we came here after buying the plot, we went down to the station and realized how frequently the trains run. It was a pleasant surprise!”

The proximity to Gothenburg is one of the things Tina appreciates about living in Blomberg. But it’s far from the most important reason for her.

“I enjoy bigger cities and everything that happens there, but I feel done with living in a large city. Here, nature is so close, and for us it’s important to enjoy that. We often go for a 40–50 km bike ride after work. On warm days, we end the ride with a swim in Lake Vänern from a pier in Blomberg harbor. Then we cycle home and enjoy the amazing sunsets that our lake view offers. It’s an incredible everyday luxury!”

This text has been translated with the help of AI.