Oslo Commuter Rail
Encyclopedia
Oslo Commuter Rail is a commuter rail centered in Oslo
, Norway
, connecting the capital to six counties
in Eastern Norway. The system is operated by the Norwegian State Railways (NSB) and its subsidiary NSB Gjøvikbanen, using Class 69 and Class 72
electric multiple unit
s (EMU). The network spans eight routes and 128 stations, with Oslo Central Station (Oslo S) as the central hub. The trains run on 553 kilometres (343.6 mi) of electrified
mainline
railway owned by the Norwegian National Rail Administration. Deficits are financed by the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications
, although the network also has a ticketing cooperation with Ruter
, the public transport authority in Oslo
and Akershus
.
The commuter rail operates mainly within Greater Oslo and two of the lines only provide services within the urban area. Six of the lines span beyond the urban area, reaching the counties of Østfold
, Hedmark
, Oppland
and Buskerud
. The system is also an airport rail link
to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
. West of Oslo, the system uses the Drammen, Asker, Spikkestad and Sørland lines, north of Oslo it uses the Gjøvik Line, east of Oslo it uses the Trunk, Gardermoen and Kongsvinger lines and south of Oslo it follows the Østfold and Eastern Østfold lines.
The system's predecessors date back to the opening of the Trunk Line in 1854. By 1902, all the routes used by the commuter rail had been taken into service. Electrification started in 1922, and Class 62 EMUs were introduced in 1931, followed by Class 65 units in 1936 and Class 67 in 1953. Electrification was completed in 1963. In 1980, the Drammen Line was connected to the rest of the system and all trains started operating to the new Oslo S. The high-speed
Gardermoen Line opened in 1998. By 2012, NSB will have taken delivery of new Stadler FLIRT
units and the Asker Line will have been completed. By 2018, the Follo Line is scheduled to open.
. The Asker, Drammen, Gardermoen and Østfold lines, and part of the Trunk Line, have double track
, accounting for 204 kilometres (126.8 mi), while the rest of the network has single track
.
Oslo S is the central hub of the commuter rail. Located in the central business district of Oslo, all lines either terminate
at, or run through the station. From Oslo S, there are four main corridors. All trains running through the West Corridor continue along either the North, South or East Corridor. Because there are more services in the latter three, some of these terminate at Oslo S.
Along the West Corridor, the Drammen Line runs straight into the Oslo Tunnel, which starts directly beneath Oslo S. Trains run through Nationaltheatret
, Norway's second-largest station, while in the tunnel. Just after surfacing, trains halt at Skøyen
. Four of the routes see their trains terminate at Skøyen, while the remaining four continue onwards to Lysaker. After Lysaker, Line 400 continues stopping at all nine stations serving suburbs in Bærum
and Asker
, before reaching Asker Station
, which serves as the terminus for most Line 400 services. For Line 400, Asker is 35 minutes and 24 kilometres (14.9 mi) from Oslo S.
Lines 440, 450 and 550 only call at Sandvika
before Asker, and use the Asker Line between the two stations. After Asker Station, Line 550 branches off along the Spikkestad Line and calls at seven stations in Asker and Røyken
before terminating at Spikkestad Station
. Spikkestad is 44 minutes and 37 kilometres (23 mi) from Oslo S. Lines 440 and 450, and some Line 400 trains, continue through the Lieråsen Tunnel
and make two more stops before reaching Drammen. Drammen is 39 minutes and 42 kilometres (26.1 mi) from Oslo S. Only Line 450 continues, along the Sørland Line, calling at seven stops in Eiker
and Kongsberg
before terminating at Kongsberg Station
. Kongsberg is 1 hour and 20 minutes, and 89 kilometres (55.3 mi) from Oslo S.
Along the East Corridor, Line 400 follows the Trunk Line and makes eleven stops serving suburban areas in Oslo, Lørenskog
and Skedsmo
before reaching Lillestrøm Station
, where the line terminates. For Line 400, Lillestrøm is located 29 minutes and 21 kilometres (13 mi) from Oslo S. Lines 440, 450 and 460 use the Gardermoen Line and the Romerike Tunnel to run directly to Lillestrøm. From there, lines 440 and 450 run along the Trunk Line, making four and two stops, respectively. After Kløfta Station
, Line 440 continues along the Trunk Line, making three more stops until terminating at Dal Station
. Dal is 34 minutes and 57 kilometres (35.4 mi) from Oslo S. Line 450 switches to the Gardermoen Line, and calls at Oslo Airport Station
and Eidsvoll Verk Station
before terminating at Eidsvoll Station
. Eidsvoll is 51 minutes and 64 kilometres (39.8 mi) from Oslo S. Line 460 branches from Lillestrøm and operates along the Kongsvinger Line. It calls at eleven stations and enters Hedmark before Årnes Station
, where most trains terminate. Årnes is 53 minutes and 58 kilometres (36 mi) from Oslo S. A limited number of trains make express services to Årnes, then call at up to five more stations before reaching Kongsvinger Station
, which is 1 hour and 10 minutes, and 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) from Oslo S. Several of these Kongsvinger trains are actually Swedish inter-city trains to Karlstad and two per day to Stockholm. These trains act like local trains in Norway and get financial support for that, needed to make them profitable.
Along the South Corridor, three lines follow the Østfold Line. Line 500 makes 12 stops before terminating at Ski Station
, which is 31 minutes and 24 kilometres (14.9 mi) from Oslo S. Line 550 and 560 make only one stop each, at Kolbotn
and Holmlia, respectively, before Ski. Southwards, Line 550 follows the Western Østfold Line with four intermediate stops before Moss, which is 49 minutes and 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) from Oslo S. Line 560 runs along the Eastern Østfold Line with 11 intermediate stops before Mysen Station
, which is 1 hour and 5 minutes and 63 kilometres (39.1 mi) from Oslo S. A limited number of services continue with two more stops before terminating at Rakkestad Station
, which is 1 hour and 21 minutes, and 68 kilometres (42.3 mi) from Oslo S.
North of Oslo, NSB Gjøvikbanen operates along the Gjøvik Line. Trains operate either to Hakadal Station
, Jaren Station
or Gjøvik Station
. The line is the only one to enter Oppland and calls at 23 stations north of Oslo S. Hakadal is 43 minutes and 32 kilometres (19.9 mi) from Oslo S, while Jaren is 1 hour and 25 minutes, and 72 kilometres (44.7 mi) from Oslo S. Gjøvik is the station furthest from Oslo, located 123 kilometres (76.4 mi) and 1 hour and 55 minutes away.
, while the Gjøvik Line is operated by the NSB-owned NSB Gjøvikbanen. The operating deficit is covered by the state for NSB's lines, while NSB Gjøvikbanen's routes are financed by a public service obligation
. The trains have two sections, manned and unmanned. Validated ticket-holders can travel in the unmanned section, which have orange doors. Manned sections, with gray doors, have a conductor
and allow passengers to purchase tickets. Tickets are available at ticket machine
s at stations; if bought inboard, there is a 20 Norwegian krone
(NOK) surcharge
.
Two of the lines, 400 and 500, are designated as providing inner services. These operate along the Drammen Line to Asker, along the Trunk Line to Lillestrøm and the Østfold Line to Ski, stopping at all stations. The six other line, which make up the outer services, only make occasional stops on these sections. The inner services operate with a normal headway
of 30 minutes, with 15 minutes offered in one direction during rush hour. In late evening and parts of the weekend, this is further reduced to 60 minutes. NSB's outer routes operate with a normal headway of 60 minutes, with rush-hour services offered at 30-minute intervals and late evening service provided every 120 minutes. Services between Årnes and Kongsvinger is limited to five daily services, and from Mysen to Rakkestad with four daily services. The Gjøvik Line runs with a 40-minute headway, with three different stopping patterns. One calls at all stations until Hakadal, one calls at most stations until Jaren, while one is an express service that runs the line's full length to Gjøvik.
Within Oslo and Akershus, NSB has an agreement with the public transport authority Ruter
to use their fares and ticketing system to ease transfer between the commuter rail and other forms of public transport. Ruter makes use of a zone system, including a single-zone fare within Oslo. From 2010, the contactless ticket system Flexus
is being introduced. In Oslo, there is transfer to the Oslo Metro at Oslo S (to Jernbanetorget
), at Nationaltheatret and at Grefsen (to Storo
). Transfer to the Oslo Tramway is possible from Oslo S, Nationaltheatret, Skøyen and Grefsen. At Moss, there is transfer to the Moss–Horten Ferry
. Line 450 provides connection to Norway's main international airport, Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
.
between 1970 and 1993. A motor car has a power output of 1188 kW, allowing a speed of 130 kilometres per hour (80.8 mph). Each car is 24.85 metres (81.5 ft) long, with motor cars weighing 64 tonne and end cars weighing down to 28.8 tonnes (28.3 LT). Typical seating capacity is 96 passengers in the motor cars and 112 passengers in the end cars. The class was delivered in four versions, named A through D. After the initial delivery of fifteen 69As in 1970 and 1971, twenty 69Bs were delivered in 1974 and 1975. These were designed to operate on longer sections and were equipped with only one door per car. This turned out to extend stopping time too much, and the C and D versions were delivered with two doors per car. From 1975 to 1977, NSB took delivery of fourteen 69Cs and from 1983 to 1993 thirty-nine 69Ds. The latter is distinguishable because of its different front. NSB operates both two- and three-car sets, and up to three units can be run in multiple, allowing NSB to operate any train length from two to nine cars. Eighty-two units remain in service, although some of those are used on the Bergen Commuter Rail
and the Arendal Line
.
NSB Class 72
is a series of 36 four-car electric multiple units built by AnsaldoBreda. The units are permanently coupled together using Jacobs bogie
s. Each unit has a power output of 2550 kW, allowing a top speed of 160 kilometres per hour (99.4 mph). The trains are 85.57 metres (280.7 ft) long and weigh 156 tonnes (153.5 LT), and have seating for 310 passengers and one toilet. The trains have better accessibility
than Class 69 and unlike their predecessors are equipped with an electronic public information system. Some of the 36 units are used on the Jæren Commuter Rail.
and Norsk Elektrisk & Brown Boveri
(NEBB). The units had a power output of 344 kW, giving a top speed of 70 kilometres per hour (43.5 mph). The motor cars were built in wood, were 20.6 metres (67.6 ft) long, weighed 43.2 tonnes (42.5 LT) and seated 73 passengers. They ran mostly on the Drammen Line and were in service around Oslo from 1931 to 1953.
NSB Class 65 and NSB Class 67 were two similar series of electric multiple units, all built by Skabo and NEBB. Class 65 was delivered in three versions, named A through C. Class A and B were rebuilt passenger wagons. Fouteen units of Class 65A were built from 1936 to 1939 and had a wooden body. Thirteen units of Class 65B were delivered in 1941 and 1942 and was built with a steel frame. They were 22 centimetres (8.7 in) longer than the A-series. Twenty-two Class 65C units were built from 1949 to 1952. From 1949 to 1950, 17 middle and end cars were delivered for the Class 65 units. Class 67 was a series of 18 units built from 1953 to 1955. They had a slightly more advanced technological system, but were otherwise often run mixed with Class 65 units. The Class 65 motor cars had a power output of 464 kW and a top speed of 70 kilometres per hour (43.5 mph). They were 20.7 metres (67.9 ft) long, weighed 42.5 to 46.6 t (41.8 to 45.9 ) and had a seating capacity for 66 passengers. Class 65 remained in service until 1993 and Class 67 until 1995.
The first part of what is now the Oslo Commuter Rail was the Trunk Line, which opened on 1 September 1854 between Oslo East Station (Oslo Ø, located at the same place as the current Oslo S), and Eidsvoll. The line was at first private
, although it was nationalized
in 1926. On 3 October 1862, the Kongsvinger Line opened from Lillestrøm to Kongsvinger. The Østfold Line opened from Oslo Ø to Moss and onwards to Halden on 2 January 1879, followed by the Eastern Østfold Line from Ski via Mysen to Sarpsborg on 24 November 1882.
West of Oslo, the first part of the current commuter rail was the Randsfjord Line (parts of which have since become part of the Sørland Line), which opened on 15 November 1866 between Drammen and Vikersund
. The Sørland Line from Hokksund to Kongsberg opened on 10 November 1871 and connected to the Randsfjord Line. On 7 October 1872, the Drammen Line opened from Oslo West Station
(Oslo V) to Drammen. This line, along with the section from Drammen to Kongsberg, were built with narrow gauge and did not connect to the main station of Oslo Ø. The Gjøvik Line opened from Grefsen to Jaren on 20 December 1900, and from Oslo Ø to Grefsen and from Jaren to Gjøvik on 28 November 1902.
In 1903 and 1904, the Trunk Line was upgraded to double track. The section from Drammen to Kongsberg was converted to standard gauge on 1 November 1909. Between 1917 and 1920, dual gauge
was laid between Oslo V and Drammen, and from 13 November 1922, the Drammen Line was entirely operated with standard gauge. The first electrification of NSB's lines was put into service on 26 October 1922 on the Drammen Line between Oslo V and Brakerøya
. The section from Oslo V to Sandvika was upgraded to double track on 26 November 1922. From 1922, NSB introduced El 1
-hauled passenger trains on the Drammen Line, and later other lines.
The next electrification occurred on the Trunk Line from Oslo Ø to Lillestrøm on 1 September 1927, the Randsfjord Line from Drammen to Kongsberg on 10 April 1929 and the Drammen Line from Drammen to Brakerøya on 6 May 1930. El 5
locomotives were acquired for the Trunk Line. Electric multiple units were put into service in 1931, with the delivery of four Class 62 units on the route from Oslo V to Sandvika. These proved not to be sufficiently powerful for the large traffic and were later moved to less used services from Oslo V to Asker or Heggedal
. The class remained on the commuter rail service until 1953.
From 1936, NSB took delivery of Class 65 multiple units, replacing El 1 as the primary hauler on the electrified commuter rail network. Class 65 were the first that were optimized for local traffic, with wide doors and turnable seats. NSB took delivery of 49 units until 1952, although they were also used outside the commuter rail network. The Østfold Line was upgraded to double track and put into service in four sections: from Bekkelaget to Ljan
on 1 June 1924, from Oslo Ø to Bekkelaget on 15 May 1929, from Ljan to Kolbotn
on 15 December 1936 and from Kolbotn to Ski on 14 May 1939. The Østfold Line was also the next line to be electrified, which opened in sections between 1936 and 1940. NSB took into use El 8
locomotives on the line.
On 15 June 1953, the Trunk Line from Lillestrøm to Eidsvoll took electrification into use. Further upgrades on the Drammen Line installing double track were put into service on 24 July 1953 from Billingstad
to Hvalstad
, on 29 November 1955 from Hvalstad to Asker and on 9 November 1958 from Sandvika to Billingstad. Between 1953 and 1955, NSB took delivery of 18 Class 67 multiple units. While visually similar to Class 65, they had improved technology and reliability. On 1 February 1961, the Gjøvik Line from Oslo Ø to Tøyen was put into service with double track and the line from Oslo Ø to Jaren put into service as electrified. Double track from Tøyen to Grefsen opened on 27 May 1962 and the sections from Jaren to Gjøvik was electrified in 1963.
In the 1960s, NSB found the need for a new generation of trains. Class 69 was built in aluminum
and were longer, allowing for more passengers per car. They had a maximum speed of 130 kilometres per hour (80.8 mph); this had a significant cost impact, as it allowed not only faster travel time, but allowed the services from Oslo Ø to Lillestrøm and Ski to run fast enough to dispense with one third of the previous number of units. Combined with the increased size, NSB could replace three three-car trains with two two-car trains. At the same time, some smaller stops were terminated to allow faster travel time. Eighty-eight units were delivered in four series between 1970 and 1993, with later series having a three-car configuration. On 3 June 1973, the 10.7 kilometres (6.6 mi) long Lieråsen Tunnel opened, shortening the Drammen Line by 11.7 kilometres (7.3 mi). The 13.7 kilometres (8.5 mi) long section from Asker to Spikkestad was kept as a branch line, and named the Spikkestad Line, while the section from Spikkestad to Brakerøya was removed.
The Oslo Tunnel opened on 30 May 1980, connecting the Drammen Line to Oslo Ø. Initially, only the Lillestrøm–
Drammen/Spikkestad lines used the tunnel, in addition to some services from Eidsvoll and Årnes to Skøyen. At the same time, Oslo Ø was rebuilt to the 19-platform Oslo S, which was put into service on 26 November 1986. Oslo V was closed on 27 May 1989.
In 1993, NSB received a large delivery of middle cars for the majority of the Class 69 units, allowing NSB to operate them as three-car trains. Between 1992 and 1996, a new, upgraded double track was put into service between Ski and Moss. The section is capable of speeds from 160 to 200 km/h (99.4 to 124.3 ). The Gardermoen Line opened as Norway's first high-speed line
on 8 October 1998. The line runs parallel to the Trunk Line from Oslo S to Eidsvoll, via Oslo Airport, Gardermoen—which opened the same day. The section from Oslo S to Lillestrøm, consisting mainly of the Romerike Tunnel, was delayed because of leaks in the tunnel, and opened on 22 August 1999. In 1997, NSB ordered 36 Class 72
multiple units to supplement and replace existing material. They were pained green and branded as part of the NSB Puls scheme, which was quickly abandoned. The four-car units were taken into service in 2002.
The ministry decided in the early 2000s to make the services on the Gjøvik Line subject to public service obligations, as a trial to privatize
operation of all passenger train services in Norway. In the tender, NSB's subsidiary, NSB Anbud (since renamed NSB Gjøvikbanen) won the ten-year contract, after having underbid Veolia Transport Norway
and DSB. Nine Class 69 trains were upgraded and designated 69G and will operate until 2015 on the Gjøvik Line. Because of a cabinet change in 2005, the PSO contracting was terminated. On 27 August 2005, the Asker Line opened between Sandvika and Asker, allowing trains to bypass the many local stations at 160 kilometres per hour (99.4 mph).
The opening of four tracks at Lysaker will allow NSB to run all local trains that previously have run to Skøyen all the way to Lysaker. The closed Høvik Station
will be used to turn trains. The Oslo Tunnel remains the bottleneck west of Oslo, so no more trains can run westwards, although more will be able to continue past Skøyen.
In 2008, NSB ordered 50 Stadler FLIRT
multiple units, to be designated Class 74, with delivery between 2011 and 2013. Twenty-six of these will be delivered in a commuter train configuration. NSB holds an option for an additional 100 units. The trains will have a maximum speed of 200 kilometres per hour (124.3 mph) and a faster acceleration than the existing classes. The combination of the Asker Line and more rolling stock will allow NSB to operate a more aggressive service after a major restructuring of the lines in 2012. In particular, there will be between five and seven minute headway on the sections between Asker and Lillestrøm, and a twenty-minute headway to Oslo Airport and Eidsvoll.
The next larger railway construction around Oslo is scheduled to be the Follo Line, which will connect Oslo Central Station directly with Ski. The 22.5 kilometres (14 mi) long line is planned to be built nearly entirely in a single tunnel and will allow speeds at 200 kilometres per hour (124.3 mph). It will allow higher speeds and capacity southwards for the lines to Moss and Rakkestad, as well as regional trains to Østfold and Sweden. The line is scheduled for completion in 2018. Parliament has passed the Ringerike Line, which would run from Sandvika to Hønefoss Station
on the Bergen Line. While mainly proposed as a shortening of the Bergen Line, the line would double up as a commuter train line, allowing Hønefoss
and Ringerike
significantly faster public transport to the capital area. The line would be 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) long and allow speeds of 200 kilometres per hour (124.3 mph). However, no financing has been secured for the project.
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, connecting the capital to six counties
Counties of Norway
Norway is divided into 19 administrative regions, called counties . The counties form the primary first-level subdivisions of Norway and are further divided into 430 municipalities...
in Eastern Norway. The system is operated by the Norwegian State Railways (NSB) and its subsidiary NSB Gjøvikbanen, using Class 69 and Class 72
NSB Class 72
NSB Class 72 is a class of 36 electric multiple units built by AnsaldoBreda for the Norwegian State Railways. Delivered between 2002 and 2005, the four-car units operate on the Oslo Commuter Rail and the Jæren Commuter Rail. The trains have a capacity of 310 passengers and the motors allow a...
electric multiple unit
Electric multiple unit
An electric multiple unit or EMU is a multiple unit train consisting of self-propelled carriages, using electricity as the motive power. An EMU requires no separate locomotive, as electric traction motors are incorporated within one or a number of the carriages...
s (EMU). The network spans eight routes and 128 stations, with Oslo Central Station (Oslo S) as the central hub. The trains run on 553 kilometres (343.6 mi) of electrified
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
mainline
Rail transport in Norway
The Norwegian railway system comprises 4,087 km of track of which 2,622 km is electrified and 242 km double track. There are 696 tunnels and 2760 bridges....
railway owned by the Norwegian National Rail Administration. Deficits are financed by the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications
Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Transportation and Communications is a Norwegian ministry established in 1946, and is responsible for transportation and communication infrastructure in Norway. It is led by Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa...
, although the network also has a ticketing cooperation with Ruter
Ruter
Ruter As is the public transport authority for Oslo and Akershus, Norway. The company, organized as a limited company is responsible for managing, but not operating, public transport in the two counties, including bus, the Oslo Metro, the Oslo Tramway and ferries...
, the public transport authority in Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
and Akershus
Akershus
- Geography :The county is conventionally divided into the traditional districts Follo and Romerike, which fill the vast part of the county, as well as the small exclave west of Oslo that consists of Asker and Bærum...
.
The commuter rail operates mainly within Greater Oslo and two of the lines only provide services within the urban area. Six of the lines span beyond the urban area, reaching the counties of Østfold
Østfold
is a county in southeastern Norway, bordering Akershus and southwestern Sweden , while Buskerud and Vestfold is on the other side of the bay. The seat of the county administration is Sarpsborg, and Fredrikstad is the largest city.Many manufacturing facilities are situated here. Moss and...
, Hedmark
Hedmark
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Akershus. The county administration is in Hamar.Hedmark makes up the northeastern part of Østlandet, the southeastern part of the country. It includes a long part of the borderline with Sweden, Dalarna County and Värmland County. The...
, Oppland
Oppland
is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway....
and Buskerud
Buskerud
is a county in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane, Hordaland, Telemark, and Vestfold. The county administration is located in Drammen.-Geography:...
. The system is also an airport rail link
Airport rail link
An airport rail link is a service providing passenger rail transport from an airport to a nearby city; by mainline- or commuter trains, rapid transit, people mover or light rail...
to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen is the principal airport serving Oslo, Norway. It acts as the main domestic hub and international airport for Norway, and the second-busiest airport in the Nordic countries. A hub for Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian Air Shuttle, and a focus city for Widerøe, it is...
. West of Oslo, the system uses the Drammen, Asker, Spikkestad and Sørland lines, north of Oslo it uses the Gjøvik Line, east of Oslo it uses the Trunk, Gardermoen and Kongsvinger lines and south of Oslo it follows the Østfold and Eastern Østfold lines.
The system's predecessors date back to the opening of the Trunk Line in 1854. By 1902, all the routes used by the commuter rail had been taken into service. Electrification started in 1922, and Class 62 EMUs were introduced in 1931, followed by Class 65 units in 1936 and Class 67 in 1953. Electrification was completed in 1963. In 1980, the Drammen Line was connected to the rest of the system and all trains started operating to the new Oslo S. The high-speed
High-speed rail
High-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include for upgraded track and or faster for new track, whilst in the United States, the U.S...
Gardermoen Line opened in 1998. By 2012, NSB will have taken delivery of new Stadler FLIRT
Stadler FLIRT
Stadler FLIRT is an electric multiple unit produced by Stadler Rail AG. The articulated trainset comes in units of two to six cars with two to six motorized axles. The maximum speed is 200 km/h...
units and the Asker Line will have been completed. By 2018, the Follo Line is scheduled to open.
Network
The Oslo Commuter Rail runs entirely on mainline railways owned and maintained by the Norwegian National Rail Administration. The commuter rail uses ten lines, utilizing a line length of 553 kilometres (343.6 mi). The lines are all electrified at and consists of 128 stationsTrain station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
. The Asker, Drammen, Gardermoen and Østfold lines, and part of the Trunk Line, have double track
Double track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
, accounting for 204 kilometres (126.8 mi), while the rest of the network has single track
Single track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
.
Oslo S is the central hub of the commuter rail. Located in the central business district of Oslo, all lines either terminate
Train station
A train station, also called a railroad station or railway station and often shortened to just station,"Station" is commonly understood to mean "train station" unless otherwise qualified. This is evident from dictionary entries e.g...
at, or run through the station. From Oslo S, there are four main corridors. All trains running through the West Corridor continue along either the North, South or East Corridor. Because there are more services in the latter three, some of these terminate at Oslo S.
Along the West Corridor, the Drammen Line runs straight into the Oslo Tunnel, which starts directly beneath Oslo S. Trains run through Nationaltheatret
Nationaltheatret station
Nationaltheatret Station is an underground railway station on the Drammen Line serving Vika and the central business district of Oslo, Norway. It is the second-busiest railway station in Norway, behind Oslo Central Station , from which Nationaltheatret is away...
, Norway's second-largest station, while in the tunnel. Just after surfacing, trains halt at Skøyen
Skøyen Station
Skøyen is a railway station located in Oslo, Norway and is part of Drammen Line. The station serves commuter trains, some regional trains and the Flytoget airport express train service. Skøyen station is owned and operated by the Norwegian National Rail Administration.Though some continue on, the...
. Four of the routes see their trains terminate at Skøyen, while the remaining four continue onwards to Lysaker. After Lysaker, Line 400 continues stopping at all nine stations serving suburbs in Bærum
Bærum
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
and Asker
Asker
Asker is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Viken traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Asker. The municipality is a suburb of Oslo, the national capital...
, before reaching Asker Station
Asker Station
Asker is a railway station located in downtown Asker in Akershus, Norway. The station serves as the main public transportation hub for the municipalities located around the Asker Line, the Drammen Line and the Spikkestad Line. The station was opened with the Drammen Line in 1872...
, which serves as the terminus for most Line 400 services. For Line 400, Asker is 35 minutes and 24 kilometres (14.9 mi) from Oslo S.
Lines 440, 450 and 550 only call at Sandvika
Sandvika Station
Sandvika Station is a railway station located in downtown Sandvika in Bærum, Akershus, Norway. The station serves as a local public transport hub and is located on the Asker Line and the Drammen Line. The station was opened with the Drammen Line in 1872. In 2005 the Asker Line opened allowing...
before Asker, and use the Asker Line between the two stations. After Asker Station, Line 550 branches off along the Spikkestad Line and calls at seven stations in Asker and Røyken
Røyken
Røyken is a village and municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Midtbygda. The parish of Røken was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 ....
before terminating at Spikkestad Station
Spikkestad Station
Spikkestad Station is a railway station located at Spikkestad in Røyken, Norway and the terminus of Spikkestadbanen. The station was opened as part of Drammenbanen in 1885, but in 1973 the new Lieråsen Tunnel opened through Lieråsen, and the old part of Drammenbanen was transformed to a commuter...
. Spikkestad is 44 minutes and 37 kilometres (23 mi) from Oslo S. Lines 440 and 450, and some Line 400 trains, continue through the Lieråsen Tunnel
Lieråsen Tunnel
Lieråsen Tunnel is a railway tunnel on Drammenbanen between Asker Station and Lier Station in Norway. The 10,723 m long tunnel was opened in 1973 and was the longest railway tunnel in the country until Romeriksporten was opened in 1999....
and make two more stops before reaching Drammen. Drammen is 39 minutes and 42 kilometres (26.1 mi) from Oslo S. Only Line 450 continues, along the Sørland Line, calling at seven stops in Eiker
Eiker
Eiker is a traditional district in the county of Buskerud, Norway.-History:Eiker consists of the municipalities of Nedre Eiker and Øvre Eiker . The area is located in the southern part of Buskerud county....
and Kongsberg
Kongsberg
is a town and municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is located at the southern end of the traditional region of Numedal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Kongsberg....
before terminating at Kongsberg Station
Kongsberg Station
Kongsberg Station is a railway station located in downtown Kongsberg in Buskerud, Norway, on the Sørland Line. The station is served by express trains to Kristiansand and is the terminus of the local trains from Oslo and Eidsvoll.-History:...
. Kongsberg is 1 hour and 20 minutes, and 89 kilometres (55.3 mi) from Oslo S.
Lørenskog
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Lørenskog. Lørenskog was separated from the municipality of Skedsmo on 1 January 1908.-Name:...
and Skedsmo
Skedsmo
Skedsmo is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillestrøm. About one third of the municipal population lives in Lillestrøm. Other important towns are Skedsmokorset, Skjetten and...
before reaching Lillestrøm Station
Lillestrøm Station
Lillestrøm Station is a railway station located at Lillestrøm in Skedsmo, Norway. The station serves as the main transportation hub of the eastern parts of Greater Oslo and all trains east of Oslo stop at Lillestrøm...
, where the line terminates. For Line 400, Lillestrøm is located 29 minutes and 21 kilometres (13 mi) from Oslo S. Lines 440, 450 and 460 use the Gardermoen Line and the Romerike Tunnel to run directly to Lillestrøm. From there, lines 440 and 450 run along the Trunk Line, making four and two stops, respectively. After Kløfta Station
Kløfta Station
Kløfta station is a train station at Kløfta which was opened in 1854 as a part of Norways first railway, Hovedbanen with endpoints at Kristiania and Eidsvoll...
, Line 440 continues along the Trunk Line, making three more stops until terminating at Dal Station
Dal Station
Dal is a railway station located in Dal in Eidsvoll, Norway. The station is located on Hovedbanen and was opened in 1854. The station is served by commuter trains with hourly services to Oslo Central Station and Drammen Station, a service that Dal functions as the terminal station for.-External...
. Dal is 34 minutes and 57 kilometres (35.4 mi) from Oslo S. Line 450 switches to the Gardermoen Line, and calls at Oslo Airport Station
Oslo Airport Station
Oslo Airport Station , also known as Gardermoen Station, is a railway station located in the airport terminal building of Oslo Airport, Gardermoen in Norway...
and Eidsvoll Verk Station
Eidsvoll Verk Station
Eidsvoll Verk Station is a railway station located on the Gardermoen Line at Råholt near Eidsvoll Verk in Eidsvoll, Norway. The station is served by Line 450 of the Oslo Commuter Rail between Eidsvoll and Kongsberg, operated by the Norwegian State Railways. The station was taken into use in 1999...
before terminating at Eidsvoll Station
Eidsvoll Station
Eidsvoll is a railway station located at Eidsvoll in Akershus, Norway. The station is the terminus of both the Trunk Line, the Gardermoen Line and the Dovre Line. Though the Dovre Line and the Trunk Line/Gardermoen Line practically are the same continual railway, there is a naming change at the...
. Eidsvoll is 51 minutes and 64 kilometres (39.8 mi) from Oslo S. Line 460 branches from Lillestrøm and operates along the Kongsvinger Line. It calls at eleven stations and enters Hedmark before Årnes Station
Årnes Station
Årnes Station is a railway station located in Årnes in Nes, Norway on Kongsvingerbanen. The station was built in 1862 as part of Kongsvingerbanen. The station is served hourly by the Oslo Commuter Rail line 460 operated by Norges Statsbaner, in addition to extra rushhour trains and express trains...
, where most trains terminate. Årnes is 53 minutes and 58 kilometres (36 mi) from Oslo S. A limited number of trains make express services to Årnes, then call at up to five more stations before reaching Kongsvinger Station
Kongsvinger Station
Kongsvinger Station is a railway station located in downtown Kongsvinger, Norway, on the Kongsvinger Line and Solør Line. The station was built in 1862 as part of the Kongsvinger Lin and designed in Swiss chalet style by Heinrich Ernst Schirmer and Wilhelm von Hanno...
, which is 1 hour and 10 minutes, and 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) from Oslo S. Several of these Kongsvinger trains are actually Swedish inter-city trains to Karlstad and two per day to Stockholm. These trains act like local trains in Norway and get financial support for that, needed to make them profitable.
Ski Station
Ski Station is a railway station located in Ski, Norway. Located from Oslo Central Station on the Østfold Line, at the point where the railway splits in two into an eastern and western line....
, which is 31 minutes and 24 kilometres (14.9 mi) from Oslo S. Line 550 and 560 make only one stop each, at Kolbotn
Kolbotn Station
Kolbotn is a railway station located at Kolbotn in Oppegård, Norway. Located 12 km from Oslo S on the Østfold Line, it is served by commuter trains operated by Norges Statsbaner....
and Holmlia, respectively, before Ski. Southwards, Line 550 follows the Western Østfold Line with four intermediate stops before Moss, which is 49 minutes and 60 kilometres (37.3 mi) from Oslo S. Line 560 runs along the Eastern Østfold Line with 11 intermediate stops before Mysen Station
Mysen Station
Mysen is a railway station located in Mysen in Eidsberg, Norway. The station is served by commuter trains from Skøyen and Oslo S on an hourly basis, with extensions to Rakkestad Station during rush hour. Mysen Station was opened in 1882 as part of the eastern section of the Østfold Line....
, which is 1 hour and 5 minutes and 63 kilometres (39.1 mi) from Oslo S. A limited number of services continue with two more stops before terminating at Rakkestad Station
Rakkestad Station
Rakkestad Station is a railway station located in Rakkestad, Norway on the Østfold Line. The station is also served by the Oslo Commuter Rail line 560 from Oslo S with two trains during rush hour. Rakkestad Station was opened in 1882 as part of the eastern section of the Østfold line and is the...
, which is 1 hour and 21 minutes, and 68 kilometres (42.3 mi) from Oslo S.
North of Oslo, NSB Gjøvikbanen operates along the Gjøvik Line. Trains operate either to Hakadal Station
Hakadal Station
Hakadal Station is a railway station on the Gjøvik Line at Hakadal in Norway. The station was opened as Hakedal in 1900 as a stop for passengers and freight two years ahead of the opening of the Gjøvik Line in 1902. In 1971, the station became fully automatized and remote controlled...
, Jaren Station
Jaren Station
Jaren Station is a railway station located at Jaren in Oppland, Norway. The station is the terminus for the Oslo Commuter Rail, but is also served by regional trains that continue to Gjøvik. Both services are provided by NSB Gjøvikbanen.-History:...
or Gjøvik Station
Gjøvik Station
Gjøvik Station is a railway station located in downtown Gjøvik, Norway and is the terminus of the Gjøvik Line. The station was opened 28 November 1902...
. The line is the only one to enter Oppland and calls at 23 stations north of Oslo S. Hakadal is 43 minutes and 32 kilometres (19.9 mi) from Oslo S, while Jaren is 1 hour and 25 minutes, and 72 kilometres (44.7 mi) from Oslo S. Gjøvik is the station furthest from Oslo, located 123 kilometres (76.4 mi) and 1 hour and 55 minutes away.
Service
Seven of the lines are operated by the Norwegian State Railways, owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and CommunicationsNorwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Transportation and Communications is a Norwegian ministry established in 1946, and is responsible for transportation and communication infrastructure in Norway. It is led by Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa...
, while the Gjøvik Line is operated by the NSB-owned NSB Gjøvikbanen. The operating deficit is covered by the state for NSB's lines, while NSB Gjøvikbanen's routes are financed by a public service obligation
Public Service Obligation
In transport, public service obligation or PSO is an arrangement in which a governing body or other authority offers an auction for subsidies, permit the winning company a monopoly to operate a specified service of public transport for a specified period of time for the given subsidy...
. The trains have two sections, manned and unmanned. Validated ticket-holders can travel in the unmanned section, which have orange doors. Manned sections, with gray doors, have a conductor
Conductor (transportation)
A conductor is a member of a railway train's crew that is responsible for operational and safety duties that do not involve the actual operation of the train. The title of conductor is most associated with railway operations in North America, but the role of conductor is common to railways...
and allow passengers to purchase tickets. Tickets are available at ticket machine
Ticket machine
A ticket machine, also known as a ticket vending machine , is a vending machine that produces tickets. For instance, ticket machines dispense train tickets at railway stations and tram tickets at some tram stops and in some trams...
s at stations; if bought inboard, there is a 20 Norwegian krone
Norwegian krone
The krone is the currency of Norway and its dependent territories. The plural form is kroner . It is subdivided into 100 øre. The ISO 4217 code is NOK, although the common local abbreviation is kr. The name translates into English as "crown"...
(NOK) surcharge
Fee
A fee is the price one pays as remuneration for services. Fees usually allow for overhead, wages, costs, and markup.Traditionally, professionals in Great Britain received a fee in contradistinction to a payment, salary, or wage, and would often use guineas rather than pounds as units of account...
.
Two of the lines, 400 and 500, are designated as providing inner services. These operate along the Drammen Line to Asker, along the Trunk Line to Lillestrøm and the Østfold Line to Ski, stopping at all stations. The six other line, which make up the outer services, only make occasional stops on these sections. The inner services operate with a normal headway
Headway
Headway is a measurement of the distance/time between vehicles in a transit system. The precise definition varies depending on the application, but it is most commonly measured as the distance from the tip of one vehicle to the tip of the next one behind it, expressed as the time it will take for...
of 30 minutes, with 15 minutes offered in one direction during rush hour. In late evening and parts of the weekend, this is further reduced to 60 minutes. NSB's outer routes operate with a normal headway of 60 minutes, with rush-hour services offered at 30-minute intervals and late evening service provided every 120 minutes. Services between Årnes and Kongsvinger is limited to five daily services, and from Mysen to Rakkestad with four daily services. The Gjøvik Line runs with a 40-minute headway, with three different stopping patterns. One calls at all stations until Hakadal, one calls at most stations until Jaren, while one is an express service that runs the line's full length to Gjøvik.
Within Oslo and Akershus, NSB has an agreement with the public transport authority Ruter
Ruter
Ruter As is the public transport authority for Oslo and Akershus, Norway. The company, organized as a limited company is responsible for managing, but not operating, public transport in the two counties, including bus, the Oslo Metro, the Oslo Tramway and ferries...
to use their fares and ticketing system to ease transfer between the commuter rail and other forms of public transport. Ruter makes use of a zone system, including a single-zone fare within Oslo. From 2010, the contactless ticket system Flexus
Flexus (ticket)
Flexus is an electronic ticket system that was introduced on all public transport in Greater Oslo, in 2009. The system may eventually replace all paper tickets on trips with Ruter and commuter trains around Oslo operated by the Norwegian State Railways...
is being introduced. In Oslo, there is transfer to the Oslo Metro at Oslo S (to Jernbanetorget
Jernbanetorget (station)
Jernbanetorget is both a rapid transit station on the Oslo Metro and a light rail station of the Oslo Tramway. The metro station is in the Common Tunnel used by all lines under the city centre. It is located between Stortinget to the west and Grønland to the east. Until the construction of the...
), at Nationaltheatret and at Grefsen (to Storo
Storo (station)
Storo is a rapid transit station on the Ring Line of the Oslo Metro, and a tram station on the Grünerløkka–Torshov Line of the Oslo Tramway. It is located at Storo in the Nordre Aker borough of Oslo, Norway. The tram station opened on 28 November 1902, and the rapid transit station on 20 August...
). Transfer to the Oslo Tramway is possible from Oslo S, Nationaltheatret, Skøyen and Grefsen. At Moss, there is transfer to the Moss–Horten Ferry
Moss–Horten Ferry
The Moss–Horten Ferry is an automobile ferry on Norwegian National Highway 19 that connects the counties of Østfold and Vestfold at the quays of Moss and Horten. The crossing of Oslofjord is performed with three double-ended ferries operated by Bastø Fosen, making the crossing in 30 minutes, with...
. Line 450 provides connection to Norway's main international airport, Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen is the principal airport serving Oslo, Norway. It acts as the main domestic hub and international airport for Norway, and the second-busiest airport in the Nordic countries. A hub for Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian Air Shuttle, and a focus city for Widerøe, it is...
.
Rolling stock
NSB Class 69 is a series of 88 two and three-car electric multiple units built by Strømmens VærkstedStrømmens Værksted
Strømmens Værksted A/S was an industrial company based in Skedsmo, Norway, specializing in the production of rolling stock. Founded in 1873, it remains as a part of Bombardier Transportation...
between 1970 and 1993. A motor car has a power output of 1188 kW, allowing a speed of 130 kilometres per hour (80.8 mph). Each car is 24.85 metres (81.5 ft) long, with motor cars weighing 64 tonne and end cars weighing down to 28.8 tonnes (28.3 LT). Typical seating capacity is 96 passengers in the motor cars and 112 passengers in the end cars. The class was delivered in four versions, named A through D. After the initial delivery of fifteen 69As in 1970 and 1971, twenty 69Bs were delivered in 1974 and 1975. These were designed to operate on longer sections and were equipped with only one door per car. This turned out to extend stopping time too much, and the C and D versions were delivered with two doors per car. From 1975 to 1977, NSB took delivery of fourteen 69Cs and from 1983 to 1993 thirty-nine 69Ds. The latter is distinguishable because of its different front. NSB operates both two- and three-car sets, and up to three units can be run in multiple, allowing NSB to operate any train length from two to nine cars. Eighty-two units remain in service, although some of those are used on the Bergen Commuter Rail
Bergen Commuter Rail
Bergen Commuter Rail sometimes called Vossebanen is a commuter rail between Bergen and Arna, Voss and Myrdal, Norway. The service is operated by Norwegian State Railways using Class 69 electric multiple units...
and the Arendal Line
Arendal Line
The Arendal Line is a long railway line between Arendal and Simonstad in Norway. At Nelaug, north of Arendal, the line intersects with the Sørland Line. The southern section is electrified and provides a feeder passenger service. The line originally ran north from Arendal to Treungen and the...
.
NSB Class 72
NSB Class 72 is a class of 36 electric multiple units built by AnsaldoBreda for the Norwegian State Railways. Delivered between 2002 and 2005, the four-car units operate on the Oslo Commuter Rail and the Jæren Commuter Rail. The trains have a capacity of 310 passengers and the motors allow a...
is a series of 36 four-car electric multiple units built by AnsaldoBreda. The units are permanently coupled together using Jacobs bogie
Jacobs bogie
Jacobs bogies are a type of rail vehicle bogie commonly found on articulated railcars and tramway vehicles....
s. Each unit has a power output of 2550 kW, allowing a top speed of 160 kilometres per hour (99.4 mph). The trains are 85.57 metres (280.7 ft) long and weigh 156 tonnes (153.5 LT), and have seating for 310 passengers and one toilet. The trains have better accessibility
Accessibility
Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product, device, service, or environment is available to as many people as possible. Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity...
than Class 69 and unlike their predecessors are equipped with an electronic public information system. Some of the 36 units are used on the Jæren Commuter Rail.
Retired
NSB Class 62 was a series of four multiple units built in 1931 and 1933 by Skabo JernbanevognfabrikkSkabo Jernbanevognfabrikk
Skabo Jernbanevognfabrikk was a mechanical workshop focusing on design and construction of railcars. It was established by Hans Skabo in Drammen, Norway in 1864; it became the first rail car factory in the country when it took delivery of the cars for Kongsvingerbanen...
and Norsk Elektrisk & Brown Boveri
Norsk Elektrisk & Brown Boveri
Norsk Elektrisk & Brown Boveri A/S also known as NEBB was a Norwegian manufacturing company, which built a large amount of the rolling stock that is used by Norges Statsbaner. The plant was located at Skøyen. In 1988 it merged into Asea Brown Boveri ....
(NEBB). The units had a power output of 344 kW, giving a top speed of 70 kilometres per hour (43.5 mph). The motor cars were built in wood, were 20.6 metres (67.6 ft) long, weighed 43.2 tonnes (42.5 LT) and seated 73 passengers. They ran mostly on the Drammen Line and were in service around Oslo from 1931 to 1953.
NSB Class 65 and NSB Class 67 were two similar series of electric multiple units, all built by Skabo and NEBB. Class 65 was delivered in three versions, named A through C. Class A and B were rebuilt passenger wagons. Fouteen units of Class 65A were built from 1936 to 1939 and had a wooden body. Thirteen units of Class 65B were delivered in 1941 and 1942 and was built with a steel frame. They were 22 centimetres (8.7 in) longer than the A-series. Twenty-two Class 65C units were built from 1949 to 1952. From 1949 to 1950, 17 middle and end cars were delivered for the Class 65 units. Class 67 was a series of 18 units built from 1953 to 1955. They had a slightly more advanced technological system, but were otherwise often run mixed with Class 65 units. The Class 65 motor cars had a power output of 464 kW and a top speed of 70 kilometres per hour (43.5 mph). They were 20.7 metres (67.9 ft) long, weighed 42.5 to 46.6 t (41.8 to 45.9 ) and had a seating capacity for 66 passengers. Class 65 remained in service until 1993 and Class 67 until 1995.
History
Private railways of Norway
Private railways in Norway consist of industrial and public railways. Industrial railways were used to transport ore or other industrial products to ports, although they have, particularly to begin with, also operated passenger and cargo services. The other nine private railways have been public...
, although it was nationalized
Nationalization
Nationalisation, also spelled nationalization, is the process of taking an industry or assets into government ownership by a national government or state. Nationalization usually refers to private assets, but may also mean assets owned by lower levels of government, such as municipalities, being...
in 1926. On 3 October 1862, the Kongsvinger Line opened from Lillestrøm to Kongsvinger. The Østfold Line opened from Oslo Ø to Moss and onwards to Halden on 2 January 1879, followed by the Eastern Østfold Line from Ski via Mysen to Sarpsborg on 24 November 1882.
West of Oslo, the first part of the current commuter rail was the Randsfjord Line (parts of which have since become part of the Sørland Line), which opened on 15 November 1866 between Drammen and Vikersund
Vikersund Station
Vikersund Station is a railway station located at the village of Vikersund in Modum, Norway, on the railway Randsfjordbanen. The station is served by some express trains between Bergen and Oslo operated by Norges Statsbaner.-History:...
. The Sørland Line from Hokksund to Kongsberg opened on 10 November 1871 and connected to the Randsfjord Line. On 7 October 1872, the Drammen Line opened from Oslo West Station
Oslo Vestbanestasjon
Oslo West Station or Oslo V, is a former railway station located in Vika in Oslo, Norway. It was the terminus of the Drammen Line between 1872 and 1980, until the Oslo Tunnel opened. The station remained in use until 1989, when all traffic was moved to the new Oslo Central Station...
(Oslo V) to Drammen. This line, along with the section from Drammen to Kongsberg, were built with narrow gauge and did not connect to the main station of Oslo Ø. The Gjøvik Line opened from Grefsen to Jaren on 20 December 1900, and from Oslo Ø to Grefsen and from Jaren to Gjøvik on 28 November 1902.
In 1903 and 1904, the Trunk Line was upgraded to double track. The section from Drammen to Kongsberg was converted to standard gauge on 1 November 1909. Between 1917 and 1920, dual gauge
Dual gauge
A dual-gauge or mixed-gauge railway has railway track that allows trains of different gauges to use the same track. Generally, a dual-gauge railway consists of three rails, rather than the standard two rails. The two outer rails give the wider gauge, while one of the outer rails and the inner rail...
was laid between Oslo V and Drammen, and from 13 November 1922, the Drammen Line was entirely operated with standard gauge. The first electrification of NSB's lines was put into service on 26 October 1922 on the Drammen Line between Oslo V and Brakerøya
Brakerøya Station
Brakerøya Station is a railway station located at the village of Brakerøya in Drammen, Norway on the railway Drammenbanen. The station is served by commuter trains 440 and 450 with half hour headway by Norges Statsbaner.-History:...
. The section from Oslo V to Sandvika was upgraded to double track on 26 November 1922. From 1922, NSB introduced El 1
NSB El 1
NSB El 1 is the first electric locomotive series used by Norges Statsbaner, from 1922 until 1973. Twenty-four engines were delivered from ASEA and Thune, twenty-two in 1922 and two in 1930...
-hauled passenger trains on the Drammen Line, and later other lines.
The next electrification occurred on the Trunk Line from Oslo Ø to Lillestrøm on 1 September 1927, the Randsfjord Line from Drammen to Kongsberg on 10 April 1929 and the Drammen Line from Drammen to Brakerøya on 6 May 1930. El 5
NSB El 5
NSB El 5 was an electric locomotive built by AEG, Norsk Elektrisk & Brown Boveri, Siemens, Hamar Jernstøperi and Thune between 1927 to 1936, with a total of 12 units being delivered to Norges Statsbaner. They were capable of 1,044 kW and top speed of 70 km/h. Number 2039 is preserved by the...
locomotives were acquired for the Trunk Line. Electric multiple units were put into service in 1931, with the delivery of four Class 62 units on the route from Oslo V to Sandvika. These proved not to be sufficiently powerful for the large traffic and were later moved to less used services from Oslo V to Asker or Heggedal
Heggedal Station
Heggedal Station is a railway station located at Heggedal in Asker, Norway on Spikkestadbanen. The station was opened as part of Drammenbanen in 1959, but in 1973 the new Lieråsen Tunnel opened through Lieråsen, and the old part of Drammenbanen was transformed to a commuter train line.The station...
. The class remained on the commuter rail service until 1953.
From 1936, NSB took delivery of Class 65 multiple units, replacing El 1 as the primary hauler on the electrified commuter rail network. Class 65 were the first that were optimized for local traffic, with wide doors and turnable seats. NSB took delivery of 49 units until 1952, although they were also used outside the commuter rail network. The Østfold Line was upgraded to double track and put into service in four sections: from Bekkelaget to Ljan
Ljan Station
Ljan Station is a railway station in the Ljan area of bydel Nordstrand in Oslo, Norway. Located on the Østfold Line, it is served by the Oslo Commuter Rail line 500 operated by Norges Statsbaner with two hourly services. The station was opened with the rest of Østfoldbanen in 1879.-External links:*...
on 1 June 1924, from Oslo Ø to Bekkelaget on 15 May 1929, from Ljan to Kolbotn
Kolbotn Station
Kolbotn is a railway station located at Kolbotn in Oppegård, Norway. Located 12 km from Oslo S on the Østfold Line, it is served by commuter trains operated by Norges Statsbaner....
on 15 December 1936 and from Kolbotn to Ski on 14 May 1939. The Østfold Line was also the next line to be electrified, which opened in sections between 1936 and 1940. NSB took into use El 8
NSB El 8
The NSB El 8 was a Norwegian electric locomotive which was built between 1940 and 1949. Although fast, the El 8 did not have bogies, making it rather stiff in the turns, a problem which was remedied with the introduction of the NSB El 11 and NSB El 13....
locomotives on the line.
On 15 June 1953, the Trunk Line from Lillestrøm to Eidsvoll took electrification into use. Further upgrades on the Drammen Line installing double track were put into service on 24 July 1953 from Billingstad
Billingstad Station
Billingstad Station is a railway station located at Billingstad in Asker, Norway on Drammenbanen. The station is served by the Oslo Commuter Rail line 400 operated by Norges Statsbaner with two hourly services. The station was opened in 1919....
to Hvalstad
Hvalstad Station
Hvalstad Station is a railway station located at Hvalstad in Asker, Norway on the Drammen Line. The station is served by the Oslo Commuter Rail line 400 operated by Norges Statsbaner with two hourly services.-History:...
, on 29 November 1955 from Hvalstad to Asker and on 9 November 1958 from Sandvika to Billingstad. Between 1953 and 1955, NSB took delivery of 18 Class 67 multiple units. While visually similar to Class 65, they had improved technology and reliability. On 1 February 1961, the Gjøvik Line from Oslo Ø to Tøyen was put into service with double track and the line from Oslo Ø to Jaren put into service as electrified. Double track from Tøyen to Grefsen opened on 27 May 1962 and the sections from Jaren to Gjøvik was electrified in 1963.
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
and were longer, allowing for more passengers per car. They had a maximum speed of 130 kilometres per hour (80.8 mph); this had a significant cost impact, as it allowed not only faster travel time, but allowed the services from Oslo Ø to Lillestrøm and Ski to run fast enough to dispense with one third of the previous number of units. Combined with the increased size, NSB could replace three three-car trains with two two-car trains. At the same time, some smaller stops were terminated to allow faster travel time. Eighty-eight units were delivered in four series between 1970 and 1993, with later series having a three-car configuration. On 3 June 1973, the 10.7 kilometres (6.6 mi) long Lieråsen Tunnel opened, shortening the Drammen Line by 11.7 kilometres (7.3 mi). The 13.7 kilometres (8.5 mi) long section from Asker to Spikkestad was kept as a branch line, and named the Spikkestad Line, while the section from Spikkestad to Brakerøya was removed.
The Oslo Tunnel opened on 30 May 1980, connecting the Drammen Line to Oslo Ø. Initially, only the Lillestrøm–
Drammen/Spikkestad lines used the tunnel, in addition to some services from Eidsvoll and Årnes to Skøyen. At the same time, Oslo Ø was rebuilt to the 19-platform Oslo S, which was put into service on 26 November 1986. Oslo V was closed on 27 May 1989.
In 1993, NSB received a large delivery of middle cars for the majority of the Class 69 units, allowing NSB to operate them as three-car trains. Between 1992 and 1996, a new, upgraded double track was put into service between Ski and Moss. The section is capable of speeds from 160 to 200 km/h (99.4 to 124.3 ). The Gardermoen Line opened as Norway's first high-speed line
High-speed rail
High-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include for upgraded track and or faster for new track, whilst in the United States, the U.S...
on 8 October 1998. The line runs parallel to the Trunk Line from Oslo S to Eidsvoll, via Oslo Airport, Gardermoen—which opened the same day. The section from Oslo S to Lillestrøm, consisting mainly of the Romerike Tunnel, was delayed because of leaks in the tunnel, and opened on 22 August 1999. In 1997, NSB ordered 36 Class 72
NSB Class 72
NSB Class 72 is a class of 36 electric multiple units built by AnsaldoBreda for the Norwegian State Railways. Delivered between 2002 and 2005, the four-car units operate on the Oslo Commuter Rail and the Jæren Commuter Rail. The trains have a capacity of 310 passengers and the motors allow a...
multiple units to supplement and replace existing material. They were pained green and branded as part of the NSB Puls scheme, which was quickly abandoned. The four-car units were taken into service in 2002.
The ministry decided in the early 2000s to make the services on the Gjøvik Line subject to public service obligations, as a trial to privatize
Privatization
Privatization is the incidence or process of transferring ownership of a business, enterprise, agency or public service from the public sector to the private sector or to private non-profit organizations...
operation of all passenger train services in Norway. In the tender, NSB's subsidiary, NSB Anbud (since renamed NSB Gjøvikbanen) won the ten-year contract, after having underbid Veolia Transport Norway
Veolia Transport Norway
Veolia Transport Norway is the Norwegian subsidiary of Veolia Transport, part of Veolia Corporation and operates through its subsidiaries buses, ferries and trams in the counties of Akershus, Finnmark, Nordland, Rogaland and Sør-Trøndelag, primarily through the purchase of former monopolists. The...
and DSB. Nine Class 69 trains were upgraded and designated 69G and will operate until 2015 on the Gjøvik Line. Because of a cabinet change in 2005, the PSO contracting was terminated. On 27 August 2005, the Asker Line opened between Sandvika and Asker, allowing trains to bypass the many local stations at 160 kilometres per hour (99.4 mph).
Future
In 2011, the Asker Line from Lysaker to Sandvika and a new Lysaker Station is scheduled to open. This will increase the capacity and regularity along the Drammen Line.The opening of four tracks at Lysaker will allow NSB to run all local trains that previously have run to Skøyen all the way to Lysaker. The closed Høvik Station
Høvik Station
Høvik Station is a railway station located at Høvik in Bærum, Norway on the Drammen Line. The station is served by the Oslo Commuter Rail line 400 operated by Norwegian State Railways with two hourly services. The station opened in 1874, two years after the Drammen Line....
will be used to turn trains. The Oslo Tunnel remains the bottleneck west of Oslo, so no more trains can run westwards, although more will be able to continue past Skøyen.
In 2008, NSB ordered 50 Stadler FLIRT
Stadler FLIRT
Stadler FLIRT is an electric multiple unit produced by Stadler Rail AG. The articulated trainset comes in units of two to six cars with two to six motorized axles. The maximum speed is 200 km/h...
multiple units, to be designated Class 74, with delivery between 2011 and 2013. Twenty-six of these will be delivered in a commuter train configuration. NSB holds an option for an additional 100 units. The trains will have a maximum speed of 200 kilometres per hour (124.3 mph) and a faster acceleration than the existing classes. The combination of the Asker Line and more rolling stock will allow NSB to operate a more aggressive service after a major restructuring of the lines in 2012. In particular, there will be between five and seven minute headway on the sections between Asker and Lillestrøm, and a twenty-minute headway to Oslo Airport and Eidsvoll.
The next larger railway construction around Oslo is scheduled to be the Follo Line, which will connect Oslo Central Station directly with Ski. The 22.5 kilometres (14 mi) long line is planned to be built nearly entirely in a single tunnel and will allow speeds at 200 kilometres per hour (124.3 mph). It will allow higher speeds and capacity southwards for the lines to Moss and Rakkestad, as well as regional trains to Østfold and Sweden. The line is scheduled for completion in 2018. Parliament has passed the Ringerike Line, which would run from Sandvika to Hønefoss Station
Hønefoss Station
Hønefoss Station is a railway station located at Hønefoss in Ringerike, Norway. The station is located at the intersection between the Bergen Line, the Randsfjord Line and the Roa–Hønefoss Line...
on the Bergen Line. While mainly proposed as a shortening of the Bergen Line, the line would double up as a commuter train line, allowing Hønefoss
Hønefoss
Hønefoss is a city in Buskerud county, Norway, and the center of the municipality of Ringerike.In 1852, Hønefoss received town status and was separated from Norderhov. Hønefoss celebrated its 150th year of township in 2002...
and Ringerike
Ringerike
oskar er kjempe kulRingerike is a municipality in Buskerud county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Ringerike...
significantly faster public transport to the capital area. The line would be 40 kilometres (24.9 mi) long and allow speeds of 200 kilometres per hour (124.3 mph). However, no financing has been secured for the project.