Last update for this page: 09 May 2007.
National Railway System: Norges Statsbaner (NSB). Infrastructure is owned and managed by a public authority, Jernbaneverket.
The train service between Oslo and Gardermoen Airport is operated by a subsidiary company, NSB Gardermobanen AS. The Linx company, jointly owned by SJ and NSB and which operated services between Norway and Sweden, was liquidated and ceased operations on 8 January 2005. Through services Stockholm - Oslo (daily in summer, weekends only in winter) are again operated by SJ. Oslo - Göteborg is operated by NSB in cooperation with Svenska Tågkompaniet (TKAB), and NSB has acquired a 34% share in TKAB. The ‘Nabotåget’ trains between Trondheim and Östersund are operated by BK Tåg Sverige AB on behalf of Z-trafik AB, the transport authority of the Jämtland region.
Language: Norwegian. There are two forms of Norwegian, Bokmål and Nynorsk. Bokmål predominates, with Nynorsk used mainly in western fjord and central mountain areas.
Currency: Norwegian Krone
UIC code: NSB: 76
Timetable: NSB does not publish a single comprehensive timetable. A series of leaflets, available free of charge at stations, give details of services on different lines. Comprehensive public transport information is provided by "Rutebok for Norge", published by Norsk Reiseinformasjon AS, Karl Johansgt 2, 0154 Oslo +47 233 0190, fax +47 242 5033. Apart from brief introductory paragraphs in English, German and French this is entirely in Norwegian, but is straightforward to use. The NSB timetable leaflets include route diagrams and maps are included in the "Rutebok for Norge". On-line PDF versions of all NSB's timetable leaflets (InterCity and suburban, all areas) are available at www.nsb.no/internet/diverse/rutetider/.
Gauge: Standard
Electrification: 15kV 16.7 Hz.
Rule of the road: Left, but almost all lines in Norway are single track.
Other Railways: None, but iron ore trains to Narvik are operated by Malmtrafik AS (and Swedish company Malmtrafik AB) which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Swedish mining company LKAB. Passenger trains between Narvik and Sweden were operated by Swedish private company, Tågkompaniet, but were transferred to Connex on 15 June 2003. Trains on the Flåm branch are operated by NSB, but commercial responsibility for the service rests with Flåm Utvikling, a company owned by local councils.
Tourist lines:
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Krøderbanen: Vikersund - Krøderen |
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Rjukanbanen: Mæl - Rjukan (trains operate only for parties; rail cycling is possible on other days) |
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Setesdalsbanen: Grovane - Beihølen (1067mm gauge) |
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Thamshavnbanen: Løkken - Fannrem (electric) |
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Urskog-Hølandsbanen: Sørumsand - Fossum (750mm gauge) |
There is a large listing of Scandinavian narrow gauge tourist lines at www.ozemail.com.au/~srsoc/nordng.htm
Metro: Oslo
Trams: Oslo, Trondheim
Recent and future changes:
NSB encountered considerable technical problems with new rolling stock in the past. Owing to stock shortage and other difficulties the Nelaug - Arendal passenger service was withdrawn on 20 October 2000 but resumed on 24 June 2001. Services between Lerkendal and Leangen ceased on 24 June 2001 but have not been reinstated.
Extensive re-alignments and new lines have been built to improve journey times. The line from Oslo to Sarpsborg via Moss has been rebuilt over much of its length. However, passenger traffic south of Rakkestad (on the other line to Sarpsborg) was withdrawn on 15 June 2003.
Work on the Bergen line has included construction of a long tunnel below the summit at Finse.
A new railway (the Gardermobanen) has been built from Oslo to Eidsvoll via the Romeriksporten tunnel, Lillestrøm and Gardermoen Airport. Passenger traffic between Dal and Eidsvoll (on the Hovedbanen, the old main line) was withdrawn on 13 June 2004 although the line remains open for freight traffic.
Special notes: Seat reservations are essential on most long-distance trains and reserved seats are not indicated as such.
Many carriages in Oslo suburban trains are reserved for season ticket holders between the hours of 04:00 and 20:00 Mondays to Fridays. These are indicated by prominent yellow signs on the carriage doors.
On some services First and Second Class accommodation has been redesignated Økonomiklasse (Economy) and Kontorklasse (Business), but on many trains only Second or Economy Class is provided. First or Kontorklasse accommodation is generally not indicated by a yellow stripe on the outside of vehicles. Couchettes are not provided on internal overnight trains, but sleeping cars have up to three berths per compartment.
Premium fares are charged on the "Airport Express" service between Oslo and Gardermoen Airport, and InterRail and similar tickets are not valid. Ordinary NSB trains run between Oslo and the Airport hourly.
Swedish (SJ) locomotives, carriages and electric multiple-units are used quite extensively on services entirely within Norway and on most trains between Norway and Sweden. NSB carriages do not work outside Norway and Sweden, because they are larger than UIC standard loading gauge.
Additional vowels come at the end of the Norwegian alphabet, with Æ, Ø and Å following Z in that order. Accordingly, Åsen comes last in the index of Norwegian railway stations and Mære is further down the list than Mysen.
Maps: There is no published map of the Norwegian railway system apart from that in M.G. Ball's "European Railway Atlas", but there are numerous maps of particular lines and complex areas in "Norwegian Railways from Stephenson to high speed" by Roy Owen.
Last complete update 6 June 1999; minor update 12 Septemebr 1999; narrow gauge tourist lines link added (10 January 2000); "timetable maps" added (11 January 2000); general update (18 February 2001); Other Railways updated (21 May 2001); on-line timetable details added (15 December 2003); general update (24 March 2006); reference to Eurodomino removed (9 May 2007).
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