Oslo Sentralstasjon
Encyclopedia
Oslo Central Station is the main railway station
in Oslo
and the largest railway station on the entire Norwegian railway system
. It is the terminus
of Drammen Line, Gardermoen Line, Gjøvik Line, Hoved Line and Østfold Line. It serves express, regional and local train services by four companies. The train station is owned and operated by Jernbaneverket and was opened in 1980.
Oslo Central was built on the site of the older Oslo East Station (), the combining of the former east and west stations being made possible by the opening of the Oslo Tunnel. Oslo Central has nineteen tracks, thirteen of which have connections through the Oslo Tunnel. The station has two buildings, the original Oslo East building and the newer main building for Oslo Central. Each building houses a large shopping centre
. The square in front of the station is called Jernbanetorget
.
in 1854
, the terminus in Oslo had been constructed as an ad-hoc solution located at Gamlebyen. Suggestions included Youngstorget
, Grünerløkka
and Vaterlands bru. In 1852 an architectural competition
was announced, and won by a suggestion based on Crown Street Station
in Liverpool
. This station was located east of the river Akerselva
and it was clear that this could not serve as a permanent solution, as it was close to neither the city centre or the port
. In 1859 the freight section of the station was expanded with the purchase of land between Loelva
and the port, and part of Bjørvika
. The station experienced increased traffic from day one, but especially after the expansion of Hovedbanen to Hamar
in 1862, and the opening of Kongsvingerbanen in 1865.
In 1872 Oslo got its second terminal station, located at Pipervika
near Aker Brygge
and the city hall
. Oslo Vestbanestasjon
(Oslo West Line Station or Oslo V) was built to allow Drammenbanen between Drammen
and Oslo to terminate in downtown Oslo. The two stations were located about 2 km apart and were not connected by rail until 1907 when Havnebanen was built. There had been discussions about building a central station to connect Drammenbanen with the eastern station, but this idea involved building it via Majorstuen
and Grefsen
. Oslo V always remained a secondary train station in Oslo, since it mostly served local traffic to Buskerud
, Telemark
and Vestfold
in addition to Sørlandsbanen.
at the Swedish
border through Østfold
to Oslo, Smaalenenebanen (now the Østfold Line). The traffic at the station was expected to explode due to this railway and it was decided that a new station had to be built. The engineers within NSB wanted to locate this new railway station west of the river Akerselva, between Jernbanetorget
and Bjørvika
. But a conflict arose between Carl Abraham Pihl
, who was director of NSB at the time, and the City of Oslo. While Phil wanted a separate station for the Smaalenebanen, the city wanted to concentrate the stations in one place in Oslo. On the other hand, the engineers insisted on moving the station closer to the city. The architect Georg Andreas Bull
made four suggestions for a new station with nine tracks over the river Akerselva. In 1878 the legislature decided to build the smallest suggested station—with only seven tracks over the river. The argument was that the station was overdimensioned. Oslo East Station (, ) opened in 1882.
. One of the proposed solutions to the problem was to build the line from Østfold on a viaduct
into the station and elevate it on a level above the other tracks. Another problem arose in 1893 considering where the new Gjøvik Line was to terminate. Some suggestions implied a station at Grefsen
with one line to Oslo East and one via Majorstuen to Oslo West. The Storting decided in 1895 that the Gjøvik Line was to be built to Oslo East.
To start the process of expanding the station, the Storting announced a competition in 1896, which was won by Sam Eyde
. The main idea was that the freight section was to be moved away from the passenger sections to Lodalen. The suggestion was put to the vote in the Storting in 1899, and with 70 against 39 votes the new station was delayed because of the high projected costs. Instead they appointed another committee to look at other possible solutions. The committee was split in its final decisions, but both fractions concluded that a new railway had to be built between the two stations, and proposed a line past the city hall and in a tunnel underneath Akershus Fortress
. But again the suggestion was watered out by the Storting and the only construction to take place was a new expedition for the Smaalenene Line and Gjøvik Line in addition to some minor changes to the freight section. The new railway line Havnebanen that connected the two stations opened in 1907.
The next major committee was created in 1938, and was to work out plans for what would become a central station. This was the first project to propose a tunnel under the entire city that would branch out from Drammenbanen before Oslo West. The committee proposed two suggestions, one where all traffic was directed to the new central station and one where the suburb
an traffic went to Oslo West. It also opened for construction of a line north of the city via Grefsen to Oslo East, but this was not recommended. The proposed tunnel below the city was proposed to be 1,660 metres long. The plans also included a twelve floor tall building for NSB's administration at the station, which at the time was spread around at 14 different places in the city. The committee delivered its proposal on December 7, 1939 to the Norwegian Ministry of Labour
.
In 1940 after the German invasion of Norway
in World War II
the German puppet government in Norway
took over control of transport planning in Norway and changed the plans in 1942 with the Tøyen Project. The idea involved dismantling both Oslo V and Oslo Ø and building a new central station at Tøyen
. The idea was to concentrate all suburban transport to diesel buses while the trains were to be responsible for long distance transport. Tram
and commuter train services were to be abandoned and the area freed was to be converted to freeways, so it would become less important to have the main train stations centrally located in the city. Both the committee and NSB rejected the project. During the war the German forces
exploited the railway network and stock, and by the end of the war the entire railway system was worn out.
After the war, in 1946, the Planning Office for the Central Station was created, led by Egil Sundt. This committee announced an architecture contest for a new central station, and the suggestion Green Light by John Engh
won. The planning office started work on planning the station based on the 1938 committee's work, and in addition decided to expand Alnabru Railway Yard in parallel with the railway station. The office presented plans in which it would take 15 years to complete. One of the greatest problems was the placement of the tunnel under the city. NSB wanted a straight line for quick transport while there on the other hand were extremely complex geological
conditions in Oslo, including large areas of clay
. The plans had originally included a station at Oslo City Hall
, but a more northernly line was chosen that would be 1,802 meters long.
But passing the plans through the Storting proved difficult, even though the plans were presented in 1952. In 1959 the plans were revised and in 1960 a new committee was created. They suggested building a third line between Grefsen and Bestun for freight trains to connect between the eastern and western lines. It also felt that the tunnel should be expanded westwards and terminate somewhere between Skarpsno and Skøyen
and at the same time close Havnebanen. The new plans were approved by the Storting in 1962.
The new central station was to have the same basic plans as the suggestion that won the contest in 1946, though slightly modified, among other things keeping the old Oslo Ø building. The station was to have 19 tracks, of which 12 were to connect to the Oslo Tunnel. Construction of the new station started in 1979 and in 1980 the Oslo Tunnel could be taken into use. The tunnel got one of the planned stations, Nationaltheatret
, while Elisenberg
was never built due to lack of funds. Oslo S was taken into use on November 27, 1986 and officially opened by King Olav V
on February 12, 1987. At the same time Oslo V was closed, and is now the seat for the Norwegian Nobel Institute
.
Four railway companies offer a combination of express, regional and commuter train service in addition to the Flytoget
(Airport Express Train) service.
, trams and subway.
|- style="text-align: center;"
| Nationaltheatret
| colspan="3" |Drammenbanen
| Terminus
|- style="text-align: center;"
| rowspan="4" | Terminus
| colspan="3" |Gardermobanen
| Lillestrøm
|- style="text-align: center;"
| colspan="3" |Gjøvikbanen
| Tøyen
|- style="text-align: center;"
| colspan="3" |Hovedbanen
| Bryn
|- style="text-align: center;"
| colspan="3" |Østfoldbanen
| Nordstrand
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...
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 the largest railway station on the entire Norwegian railway system
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....
. It is the terminus
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...
of Drammen Line, Gardermoen Line, Gjøvik Line, Hoved Line and Østfold Line. It serves express, regional and local train services by four companies. The train station is owned and operated by Jernbaneverket and was opened in 1980.
Oslo Central was built on the site of the older Oslo East Station (), the combining of the former east and west stations being made possible by the opening of the Oslo Tunnel. Oslo Central has nineteen tracks, thirteen of which have connections through the Oslo Tunnel. The station has two buildings, the original Oslo East building and the newer main building for Oslo Central. Each building houses a large shopping centre
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
. The square in front of the station is called Jernbanetorget
Jernbanetorget
Jernbanetorget is a large square in Oslo, Norway, in front of Oslo Central Station. It is the largest node for public transportation in Norway, with all tram lines passing through and connection to all train services in Oslo at the train station and all express- and regional busses departing from...
.
Two stations
When the first railway line, Hoved Line, was built between Oslo and EidsvollEidsvoll
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Romerike traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Sundet.-Name:...
in 1854
, the terminus in Oslo had been constructed as an ad-hoc solution located at Gamlebyen. Suggestions included Youngstorget
Youngstorget
Youngstorget is a square and marketplace in Oslo, Norway.It is located on the street Torggata, between Storgata and Møllergata. The square was traditionally used as a market place for trade with agricultural produce. It is named for merchant Jørgen Young . It was named Nytorvet in 1852, which was...
, Grünerløkka
Grünerløkka
Grünerløkka is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway. Grünerløkka became part of the city of Oslo in 1858.Grünerløkka was named after Friedrich Grüner who bought a mill in the area from king Christian V of Denmark in 1672 . During the 19th century, Grünerløkka became a working class area...
and Vaterlands bru. In 1852 an architectural competition
Architectural design competition
An architectural design competition is a special type of competition in which an organization or government body that plans to build a new building asks for architects to submit a proposed design for a building. The winning design is usually chosen by an independent panel of design professionals...
was announced, and won by a suggestion based on Crown Street Station
Crown Street railway station
Crown Street Station was located on Crown Street, Liverpool, England. The station opened on 15 September 1830 as the Liverpool passenger terminus of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, the world's first public passenger line...
in Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
. This station was located east of the river Akerselva
Akerselva
Akerselva, or Akerselven, is a river which flows through Oslo. It starts at Maridalsvannet in Oslomarka, and follows the urban areas Nordre Aker, Sagene, Grünerløkka, Oslo centre and Grønland, whereby it finally ends at Paulsenkaien and Oset in Bjørvika. The river is considered to be a part of the...
and it was clear that this could not serve as a permanent solution, as it was close to neither the city centre or the port
Port
A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....
. In 1859 the freight section of the station was expanded with the purchase of land between Loelva
Alnaelva
Alnaelva, also known as Alna or the Alna River, is a river the runs through Oslo, Norway, from Alnsjøen to the Oslo Fjord at Bjørvika. It also drains Breisjøen, Steinbruvann, Tokerudbekken and Østensjøvannet. Large sections of the river run in culverts and the river is highly polluted, partially...
and the port, and part of Bjørvika
Bjørvika
Bjørvika is a neighborhood in the Sentrum borough of Oslo, Norway. The area is an inlet in the inner Oslofjord, situated between Gamlebyen and Akersness. It serves as an outlet for the river Akerselva. Since the 2000s, it has been undergoing urban redevelopment, being transformed from a container...
. The station experienced increased traffic from day one, but especially after the expansion of Hovedbanen to Hamar
Hamar
is a town and municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hedmarken. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hamar. The municipality of Hamar was separated from Vang as a town and municipality of its own in 1849...
in 1862, and the opening of Kongsvingerbanen in 1865.
In 1872 Oslo got its second terminal station, located at Pipervika
Pipervika
Pipervika is a neighborhood in the borough Sentrum in Oslo, Norway. It is located between the Oslofjord, Akershus Fortress and The City Hall Square. Today the term Pipervika is primarily used for the bay between the fortress and Aker Brygge. This was formerly commonly known as Piperviksbukta...
near Aker Brygge
Aker Brygge
Aker Brygge is an area in Oslo, Norway. It is a popular meeting place for shopping, dining, and entertainment. Oslo residents, tourists from all over the world, business people on the move, as well as musicians, artists, actors, A-, B- and C-celebrities find Aker Brygge their favourite place to...
and the city hall
Oslo City Hall
Oslo City Hall houses the city council, city administration, and art studios and galleries. The construction started in 1931, but was paused by the outbreak of World War II, before the official inauguration in 1950. Its characteristic architecture, artworks and the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, held...
. Oslo Vestbanestasjon
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 West Line Station or Oslo V) was built to allow Drammenbanen between Drammen
Drammen
Drammen is a city in Buskerud County, Norway. The port and river city of Drammen is centrally located in the eastern and most populated part of Norway.-Location:...
and Oslo to terminate in downtown Oslo. The two stations were located about 2 km apart and were not connected by rail until 1907 when Havnebanen was built. There had been discussions about building a central station to connect Drammenbanen with the eastern station, but this idea involved building it via Majorstuen
Majorstuen
Majorstuen is a neighbourhood in the Frogner borough in the western part of Oslo, Norway.Majorstuen is known for its vibrant downtown, especially its shopping area. The area has several elegant townhouses circa 1880-1890. The area is also an important public transport junction in Oslo, where all...
and Grefsen
Grefsen
right|thumbnail|300px|Grefsen ChurchGrefsen is a neighbourhood of the city of Oslo, Norway.Together with Kjelsås, Grefsen was part of the borough Grefsen-Kjelsås until January 1, 2004, when they became part of the new borough of Nordre Aker....
. Oslo V always remained a secondary train station in Oslo, since it mostly served local traffic to 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:...
, Telemark
Telemark
is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:...
and Vestfold
Vestfold
is a county in Norway, bordering Buskerud and Telemark. The county administration is in Tønsberg.Vestfold is located west of the Oslofjord, as the name indicates. It includes many smaller, but well-known towns in Norway, such as Larvik, Sandefjord, Tønsberg and Horten. The river Numedalslågen runs...
in addition to Sørlandsbanen.
A new East Line Station
The year after the western station opened, in 1873, the Norwegian legislature, the Storting, decided to build a new railway from KornsjøKornsjø
Kornsjø is a village in Enningdalen in Halden, Norway on the border to Sweden. The village has 250 residents . At Kornsjø is the bordercrossing for the railway lines Østfoldbanen and Norgebanan . Previously change of crew was performed at Kornsjø Station, but this has since been closed....
at the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
border through 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...
to Oslo, Smaalenenebanen (now the Østfold Line). The traffic at the station was expected to explode due to this railway and it was decided that a new station had to be built. The engineers within NSB wanted to locate this new railway station west of the river Akerselva, between Jernbanetorget
Jernbanetorget
Jernbanetorget is a large square in Oslo, Norway, in front of Oslo Central Station. It is the largest node for public transportation in Norway, with all tram lines passing through and connection to all train services in Oslo at the train station and all express- and regional busses departing from...
and Bjørvika
Bjørvika
Bjørvika is a neighborhood in the Sentrum borough of Oslo, Norway. The area is an inlet in the inner Oslofjord, situated between Gamlebyen and Akersness. It serves as an outlet for the river Akerselva. Since the 2000s, it has been undergoing urban redevelopment, being transformed from a container...
. But a conflict arose between Carl Abraham Pihl
Carl Abraham Pihl
Carl Abraham Pihl was a Norwegian civil engineer and director of the Norwegian State Railways from 1865 until his death...
, who was director of NSB at the time, and the City of Oslo. While Phil wanted a separate station for the Smaalenebanen, the city wanted to concentrate the stations in one place in Oslo. On the other hand, the engineers insisted on moving the station closer to the city. The architect Georg Andreas Bull
Georg Andreas Bull
Georg Andreas Bull was a Norwegian architect and chief building inspector in Christiania for forty years. He was among the leading architects in the country, and left his mark on Norwegian building history both as a creative architect, and through his measurement studies and archeological...
made four suggestions for a new station with nine tracks over the river Akerselva. In 1878 the legislature decided to build the smallest suggested station—with only seven tracks over the river. The argument was that the station was overdimensioned. Oslo East Station (, ) opened in 1882.
Committee after committee
But it soon turned out that the station was too small. The population of Oslo had doubled to 150,000 between 1875 and 1890 and between the opening of the station and 1890 the traffic had increased from 400,000 passengers annually to more than a million, and the station was already too small. The most critical part was the freight section, where the trains had to partially use the main railway for switchingRailroad switch
A railroad switch, turnout or [set of] points is a mechanical installation enabling railway trains to be guided from one track to another at a railway junction....
. One of the proposed solutions to the problem was to build the line from Østfold on a viaduct
Viaduct
A viaduct is a bridge composed of several small spans. The term viaduct is derived from the Latin via for road and ducere to lead something. However, the Ancient Romans did not use that term per se; it is a modern derivation from an analogy with aqueduct. Like the Roman aqueducts, many early...
into the station and elevate it on a level above the other tracks. Another problem arose in 1893 considering where the new Gjøvik Line was to terminate. Some suggestions implied a station at Grefsen
Grefsen
right|thumbnail|300px|Grefsen ChurchGrefsen is a neighbourhood of the city of Oslo, Norway.Together with Kjelsås, Grefsen was part of the borough Grefsen-Kjelsås until January 1, 2004, when they became part of the new borough of Nordre Aker....
with one line to Oslo East and one via Majorstuen to Oslo West. The Storting decided in 1895 that the Gjøvik Line was to be built to Oslo East.
To start the process of expanding the station, the Storting announced a competition in 1896, which was won by Sam Eyde
Sam Eyde
Samuel Eyde was a Norwegian engineer and industrialist, the founder of Norsk Hydro and Elkem.-Biography:Sam Eyde was the son of a shipowner, and studied engineering in Berlin where he graduated in 1891. He started his career in Hamburg, working with the railways where he planned new lines, bridges...
. The main idea was that the freight section was to be moved away from the passenger sections to Lodalen. The suggestion was put to the vote in the Storting in 1899, and with 70 against 39 votes the new station was delayed because of the high projected costs. Instead they appointed another committee to look at other possible solutions. The committee was split in its final decisions, but both fractions concluded that a new railway had to be built between the two stations, and proposed a line past the city hall and in a tunnel underneath Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress or Akershus Castle is a medieval castle that was built to protect Oslo, the capital of Norway. It has also been used as a prison.- Construction :...
. But again the suggestion was watered out by the Storting and the only construction to take place was a new expedition for the Smaalenene Line and Gjøvik Line in addition to some minor changes to the freight section. The new railway line Havnebanen that connected the two stations opened in 1907.
The next major committee was created in 1938, and was to work out plans for what would become a central station. This was the first project to propose a tunnel under the entire city that would branch out from Drammenbanen before Oslo West. The committee proposed two suggestions, one where all traffic was directed to the new central station and one where the suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
an traffic went to Oslo West. It also opened for construction of a line north of the city via Grefsen to Oslo East, but this was not recommended. The proposed tunnel below the city was proposed to be 1,660 metres long. The plans also included a twelve floor tall building for NSB's administration at the station, which at the time was spread around at 14 different places in the city. The committee delivered its proposal on December 7, 1939 to the Norwegian Ministry of Labour
Norwegian Ministry of Labour
The Norwegian Ministry of Labour was a Norwegian ministry which was established on 1 September 1885 and was disestablished on 22 February 1946...
.
Wartime and change of plans
Operation Weserübung
Operation Weserübung was the code name for Germany's assault on Denmark and Norway during the Second World War and the opening operation of the Norwegian Campaign...
in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the German puppet government in Norway
Quisling regime
The Quisling regime, or the Quisling government are common names used to refer to the collaborationist government led by Vidkun Quisling in occupied Norway during the Second World War. The official name of the regime from 1 February 1942 until its dissolution in May 1945 was Nasjonale regjering...
took over control of transport planning in Norway and changed the plans in 1942 with the Tøyen Project. The idea involved dismantling both Oslo V and Oslo Ø and building a new central station at Tøyen
Tøyen
Tøyen is a residential area in the central parts of Oslo, Norway, part of the borough of Gamle Oslo.-Location:It is noted for its high concentration of immigrants. The multicultural atmosphere makes Tøyen very trendy and popular with continually rising cost of housing.There are two different...
. The idea was to concentrate all suburban transport to diesel buses while the trains were to be responsible for long distance transport. Tram
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
and commuter train services were to be abandoned and the area freed was to be converted to freeways, so it would become less important to have the main train stations centrally located in the city. Both the committee and NSB rejected the project. During the war the German forces
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
exploited the railway network and stock, and by the end of the war the entire railway system was worn out.
After the war, in 1946, the Planning Office for the Central Station was created, led by Egil Sundt. This committee announced an architecture contest for a new central station, and the suggestion Green Light by John Engh
John Engh
John Engh was a Norwegian architect, most known for his innovative work in stone and concrete....
won. The planning office started work on planning the station based on the 1938 committee's work, and in addition decided to expand Alnabru Railway Yard in parallel with the railway station. The office presented plans in which it would take 15 years to complete. One of the greatest problems was the placement of the tunnel under the city. NSB wanted a straight line for quick transport while there on the other hand were extremely complex geological
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
conditions in Oslo, including large areas of clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
. The plans had originally included a station at Oslo City Hall
Oslo City Hall
Oslo City Hall houses the city council, city administration, and art studios and galleries. The construction started in 1931, but was paused by the outbreak of World War II, before the official inauguration in 1950. Its characteristic architecture, artworks and the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, held...
, but a more northernly line was chosen that would be 1,802 meters long.
But passing the plans through the Storting proved difficult, even though the plans were presented in 1952. In 1959 the plans were revised and in 1960 a new committee was created. They suggested building a third line between Grefsen and Bestun for freight trains to connect between the eastern and western lines. It also felt that the tunnel should be expanded westwards and terminate somewhere between Skarpsno and Skøyen
Skøyen
Skøyen is a neighborhood of Oslo, Norway. It is located in the western part of the city, in the borough of Ullern.The name "Skøyen" comes from Old Norse Skǫðin, of unknown etymology....
and at the same time close Havnebanen. The new plans were approved by the Storting in 1962.
One station
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...
, while Elisenberg
Elisenberg Station
Elisenberg Station is an unfinished railway station within the Oslo Tunnel on the Drammen Line in Oslo, Norway. The ghost station was partially built during the construction of the tunnel between 1971 and 1980, but has never been taken into use. It is located between Nationaltheatret Station and...
was never built due to lack of funds. Oslo S was taken into use on November 27, 1986 and officially opened by King Olav V
Olav V of Norway
Olav V was the king of Norway from 1957 until his death. A member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg, Olav was born in the United Kingdom as the son of King Haakon VII of Norway and Queen Maud of Norway...
on February 12, 1987. At the same time Oslo V was closed, and is now the seat for the Norwegian Nobel Institute
Norwegian Nobel Institute
The Norwegian Nobel Institute was established in 1904 in Kristiania , Norway.The principal duty of the Nobel Institute is to assist the Norwegian Nobel Committee in the task of selecting the recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize and to organize the annual Nobel event in Oslo.The institute is situated...
.
Service
Flytoget
is a Norwegian high-speed airport rail link connecting Oslo Airport, Gardermoen to Oslo Central Station in nineteen minutes. Run by Flytoget AS , it operates on the high-speed Gardermoen Line using sixteen GMB Class 71 electric trains. Normal service frequency is once every ten minutes, with half...
(Airport Express Train) service.
- Express trains are offered to BergenBergenBergen is the second largest city in Norway with a population of as of , . Bergen is the administrative centre of Hordaland county. Greater Bergen or Bergen Metropolitan Area as defined by Statistics Norway, has a population of as of , ....
, KristiansandKristiansand-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
, StavangerStavangerStavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
and TrondheimTrondheimTrondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
in addition to StockholmStockholmStockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
in Sweden. Service is provided domestically by NSB using BM73NSB Class 73NSB Class 73 is a class of 22 electric multiple units built by Adtranz for the Norwegian State Railways. The four-car trains were modifications of Class 71, which was again based on the Swedish X2. The A-series consists of 16 intercity trains; they were delivered in 1999 and 2000 and are used on...
units and to Sweden by SJSJ ABSJ is a government-owned passenger train operator in Sweden. SJ was created in 2000, out of the public transport division of Statens Järnvägar, when the former government agency was divided into six separate government-owned limited companies.-Overview:SJ's operations fall broadly into subsidised...
using X2 units. Day trains are operated three times a day domestically and once to Stockholm. Night trainsNSB Night TrainNSB Night Train is a night sleeping car service provided by the Norwegian State Railways on four routes; Oslo - Bergen , Oslo - Stavanger , Oslo - Trondheim and Trondheim - Bodø .The service is provided using El 18 locomotives with WLAB2 and B7 cars on the electrified lines in Southern Norway,...
are also operated to all four cities mentioned before. - Regional trains are operated to SkienSkien' is a city and municipality in Telemark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Grenland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Skien. Skien is also the administrative centre of Telemark county....
, LillehammerLillehammeris a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
, GjøvikGjøvikis a town and a municipality in Oppland county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Gjøvik.In 1861, the village of Gjøvik in the municipality of Vardal was granted town status and was separated from Vardal to form a separate municipality...
, HaldenHaldenis a both a town and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The seat of the municipality, Halden is a border town located at the Tista river delta on the Iddefjord, the southernmost border crossing between Norway and Sweden.-History:...
, KarlstadKarlstadKarlstad is a city, the seat of Karlstad Municipality, the capital of Värmland County, and the largest city in the province Värmland in Sweden. The city had 61,685 inhabitants in 2010 out of a municipal total that during the first quarter 2010 was 84,885 inhabitants...
and GothenburgGothenburgGothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
. Service is provided by NSB with BM70 units (Skien - Lillehammer), BM73bNSB Class 73NSB Class 73 is a class of 22 electric multiple units built by Adtranz for the Norwegian State Railways. The four-car trains were modifications of Class 71, which was again based on the Swedish X2. The A-series consists of 16 intercity trains; they were delivered in 1999 and 2000 and are used on...
units (Halden - Gothenburg) and by NSB Anbud with BM69g units to Gjøvik. The Swedish PTA Värmlandstrafik operated by Merresor, using X53 "Regina" units on the Oslo - Karlstad service. - Airport Express Train operates a ten-minute frequency to Oslo Airport, GardermoenOslo Airport, GardermoenOslo 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...
using BM71 units. This is the only high speed trainHigh-speed railHigh-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...
service in Norway and is operated by FlytogetFlytogetis a Norwegian high-speed airport rail link connecting Oslo Airport, Gardermoen to Oslo Central Station in nineteen minutes. Run by Flytoget AS , it operates on the high-speed Gardermoen Line using sixteen GMB Class 71 electric trains. Normal service frequency is once every ten minutes, with half...
. - Local trains are operated by NSB and NSB Gjøviksbanen using BM69 and BM72NSB Class 72NSB 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...
units.
Connections
Oslo S plus Jernbanetorget is Norway's largest transport hub, served by busesSporveisbussene
AS Sporveisbussene is a bus company that operates about 75% of the routes in Oslo, Norway. The company was created in 1997 when the then Oslo Sporveier was reorganised. It is now a subsidiary of Kollektivtransportproduksjon, a municipal company responsible for operating public transport in Oslo...
, trams and subway.
- Connection to all six subway lines can be done through Jernbanetorget subway stationJernbanetorget (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...
- Trams and some city buses stop outside the station at Jernbanetorget
- Long-distance bus termini are located 200 metres away at Oslo Bus TerminalOslo Bus TerminalOslo Bus Terminal is the main bus station serving Oslo, Norway. Owned by Vaterland AS it is located beside Oslo Central Station and serves local buses to Akershus as well as domestic and international coaches.-Service:...
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| 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...
| colspan="3" |Drammenbanen
| Terminus
|- style="text-align: center;"
| rowspan="4" | Terminus
| colspan="3" |Gardermobanen
| Lillestrøm
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...
|- style="text-align: center;"
| colspan="3" |Gjøvikbanen
| Tøyen
|- style="text-align: center;"
| colspan="3" |Hovedbanen
| Bryn
Bryn Station
Bryn railway station is a stop east of downtown Oslo, Norway on the old Hovedbanen railway line. It was opened in 1858, four years after the line was opened. It is the first station to the east from Oslo S, the next station is Alna. It is 3.89 km from Oslo S, and at an altitude of 78.3 m...
|- style="text-align: center;"
| colspan="3" |Østfoldbanen
| Nordstrand