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Nordic Velocity: High-Speed Rail in Norway

An in-depth examination of Norway's high-speed rail development, from operational lines to ambitious future proposals and the unique challenges of its rugged geography.

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Introduction to HSR in Norway

A Unique Nordic Context

High-speed rail (HSR) in Norway presents a fascinating case study, shaped by the nation's distinctive geography and demographic patterns. Unlike many continental European countries, Norway is characterized by a sparse population distributed across a vast, mountainous, and fjord-laden landscape. This poses inherent challenges for developing a high-density rail network, yet Norwegians exhibit a remarkably high propensity for long-distance travel, with three of Europe's eleven busiest air routes operating domestically.

Navigating Geographic Realities

The rugged Norwegian terrain, with its numerous fjords and mountain ranges, has historically necessitated circuitous routes for both road and rail infrastructure. This has traditionally made air travel the dominant mode for inter-city journeys. However, the relatively low average speeds on Norway's existing long-distance road network, even with ongoing upgrades like the Oslo-Hamar motorway, create an opportunity for rail to offer a competitive alternative, particularly with the introduction of higher speeds.

Economic Considerations for Construction

Despite the challenging topography, construction costs for rail infrastructure in Norway can be surprisingly competitive compared to continental Europe. This is primarily due to the prevalence of bedrock, which allows for more direct track laying and often permits tunnels to be constructed without extensive sealing. Furthermore, expropriation costs are generally lower, as many proposed corridors traverse unpopulated areas, mitigating some of the financial hurdles typically associated with large-scale infrastructure projects.

Current Operational Lines

As of recent updates, Norway's high-speed rail network, defined by operational speeds of 200 km/h or more, is primarily concentrated around the Oslo region and along the Vestfold Line. The table below details the key sections currently in operation.

High-Speed Sections in Service

Line Section Stations Length (km) Top Speed (km/h) Opened
Gardermoen Line Lillestrรธm-Eidsvoll Lillestrรธm ยท Oslo Airport ยท Eidsvoll Verk ยท Eidsvoll 64 210 8 October 1998
Vestfold Line Skotte-Tรธnsberg Skotte ยท Jarlsberg Tunnel ยท Tรธnsberg 200 7 November 2011
Holm-Nykirke Holm ยท Holmestrand ยท Nykirke 12 250 28 November 2016
Larvik-Porsgrunn Larvik ยท Porsgrunn 31.36 250 2018
Follo Line Oslo-Ski Oslo ยท Ski 22 250 11 December 2022

The Gardermobanen, opened in 1998, was Norway's first dedicated high-speed line, primarily serving the Flytoget airport express service. Subsequent developments on the Vestfold Line and the recent Follo Line have expanded the network, introducing sections capable of 250 km/h, aligning with modern European standards.

Near-Term Development Plans

Strategic Upgrades and Speed Targets

Norway's railway administration, Jernbaneverket, has outlined plans for several new railway sections designed for speeds of 200 km/h, with a strategic shift towards 250 km/h on new projects, influenced by European Union directives for mainline infrastructure. This represents a significant policy evolution aimed at enhancing rail competitiveness.

  • Vestfoldbanen: The section between Drammen and Tรธnsberg is slated for completion around 2024, with further upgrades planned for the remainder of the Drammenโ€“Skien route. A new railway connecting Porsgrunn to the Sรธrlandet Line near Risรธr, largely through tunnels, is also under consideration, though without a firm timeline.
  • Dovre Line (Eidsvollโ€“Hamar): This new track, expected by 2024, will allow for 200 km/h speeds across most of its length. A section between Langset and Kleverud, also permitting 200 km/h, was opened in December 2015.
  • Ringeriksbanen (Osloโ€“Hรธnefoss): This project, predominantly tunnel-based, aims to reduce travel time between Oslo and Hรธnefoss by up to an hour. Its implementation timeline remains undecided, pending political prioritization.
  • Ski-Moss: An existing double-track section between Ski and Moss, constructed around 1995, is already straight enough for 200 km/h. While currently limited to 160 km/h (with an average speed of 105 km/h), it is considered easily upgradable to higher speeds.

A Shifting Policy Landscape

Initially, in 2013, a red-green coalition government, supported by the Progress and Conservative parties, declared that no high-speed railways beyond the regional Oslo network would be built until at least 2030, citing financial concerns. However, this stance significantly shifted by 2018. In response to similar transportation investments abroad, the government approved a new plan allocating NOK 120 billion for rail projects between 2018 and 2023, with claims of an additional 270 km of high-speed lines to be completed by 2029. This marks a notable change in national transport policy, signaling a renewed commitment to HSR development.

Long-Term Strategic Vision

The VWI Stuttgart Analysis

Jernbaneverket commissioned an analysis from the VWI Stuttgart (Institute of Transportation Research at the University of Stuttgart, Germany) to explore the feasibility of new high-speed routes. The study identified the Oslo-Gothenburg (Sweden) and Oslo-Trondheim (via the ร˜sterdalen valley) corridors as the most promising. While the Oslo-Bergen corridor was projected to yield the highest passenger numbers, its construction costs were deemed substantially higher due to the challenging terrain.

The VWI report's assumptions for these long-term lines included:

  • Single-track railways with grades up to 4%.
  • Dedicated to high-speed passenger trains with a maximum cruise speed of 250 km/h.
  • Double-track sections closer to major cities to accommodate regional trains.

The study suggested a daily passenger count of 5,000 per line would be necessary for rail to compete effectively with air travel. This figure is considerably lower than the passenger volumes typically seen on German or French high-speed lines, raising questions about the economic viability of double-track construction for these routes.

Single-Track Challenges and Criticisms

The reliance on single-track high-speed lines, as suggested by VWI, presents operational complexities. Achieving travel times under three hours for routes like Oslo-Bergen or Oslo-Trondheim on single tracks would be challenging, as meeting trains would be highly susceptible to delays. Currently, no single-track high-speed railway operates above 200 km/h globally, with Sweden's Botniabanan, built for 250 km/h, operating below this threshold.

The VWI analysis faced significant criticism, particularly from lobbyist organizations advocating for routes to Bergen and ร…lesund, who argued that the study lacked recognized expertise in the field, contained inaccurate facts, and made gross miscalculations regarding potential passenger numbers and construction costs. The recommendation for the ร˜sterdalen valley route, with its sparse population and limited stops, was a particular point of contention.

Rambรธll's Findings and Policy Reversal

A subsequent study on the Oslo-Trondheim route by Rambรธll, commissioned by Jernbaneverket, corroborated the VWI's finding that the ร˜sterdalen valley route would be the shortest, flattest, and fastest, with a design speed up to 330 km/h. This study emphasized that the ร˜sterdalen option would require significantly less tunneling, thereby reducing overall costs, construction time, and environmental impact compared to alternatives like Gudbrandsdalen or Rondane.

Despite earlier political skepticism, the Norwegian government's stance on high-speed rail underwent a significant shift by 2018. Reacting to increased transportation investments in neighboring countries, the government decided to allocate substantial funding towards rail projects, indicating a renewed political will to advance high-speed rail development beyond the immediate Oslo region.

Independent Network Proposals

Norsk Bane's Comprehensive Network

Norsk Bane is a prominent independent initiative advocating for an extensive high-speed railway network across Southern Norway. Supported by local organizations and municipalities, their vision encompasses connecting major cities such as Bergen, Kristiansand, Stavanger, Trondheim, and ร…lesund, with Oslo serving as a central hub. The proposal also includes lines through the Vestfold region and routes both west and east of Lake Mjรธsa. This ambitious project, however, requires substantial political endorsement to move forward.

Norsk Bane has been a vocal critic of the VWI investigation, primarily for its perceived failure to prioritize rail links to Hordaland and Mรธre og Romsdal. Their own projections, which assume an average speed of 250 km/h (between stops) for a 250 km/h cruise speed, with a 2:30 travel time for the 490 km Oslo-Trondheim route including seven stops, have also drawn criticism for being overly optimistic and technically unfeasible even on a double-track railway.

Regional Rings and International Links

Another notable initiative, "Den sรธrnorske hรธyhastighetsringen" (The South Norwegian High-Speed Ring), emerged around 2005. This political proposal envisioned a high-speed railway ring connecting Oslo, Bergen, Stavanger, and Kristiansand, alongside the densely populated Vestfold region, largely utilizing existing corridors. This concept, backed by local advocacy groups, aimed to enhance regional connectivity.

Internationally, the "Oslo-Sthlm 2.55" lobby organization, spearheaded by the Swedish counties of Vรคrmland and ร–rebro, has proposed a high-speed railway linking Oslo and Stockholm. Given that current train journeys exceed five hours, leading to air travel dominating with 1.4 million passengers in 2019, the objective is to reduce travel time to under three hours. This would involve a new railway between Arvika (Sweden) and Lillestrรธm or Ski (Norway) to save an hour, with further time reductions achieved through new or widened tracks towards Stockholm. As of 2020, this proposal has garnered some interest from the Norwegian Government, though official pilot studies by the Norwegian or Swedish railway administrations are yet to commence.

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References

References

  1.  Airport train bound for Drammen - Aftenposten.no
  2.  Vraker lyntog-planer (in Norwegian)
A full list of references for this article are available at the High-speed rail in Norway Wikipedia page

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