The Gjøvik Line ( no, Gjøvikbanen) is a
Norwegian railway
Rail transport (also known as train transport) is a means of transport that transfers passengers and goods on wheeled vehicles running on rails, which are incorporated in Track (rail transport), tracks. In contrast to road transport, where the ...
line between
Oslo
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of ...
and
Gjøvik
is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Toten. The administrative centre of the municipality is town of Gjøvik. Some of the villages in Gjøvik include Biri, Bybrua, and Hunndalen.
The ...
. It was originally named the North Line (''Nordbanen'') and ran between
Grefsen and
Røykenvik. The line was completed to
Gjøvik
is a municipality in Innlandet county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Toten. The administrative centre of the municipality is town of Gjøvik. Some of the villages in Gjøvik include Biri, Bybrua, and Hunndalen.
The ...
in 1902. The Gjøvik Line was one of the first lines of the
Norwegian railway system which was to be contracted on
public service obligation, but it was the state owned
Norges Statsbaner
Vygruppen, branded as Vy, is a government-owned railway company which operates most passenger train services and many bus services in Norway. The company is owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Transport. Its sub-brands include Vy Buss coach se ...
which won, operating it through its subsidiary
Vy Gjøvikbanen.
The line
The lines is the smallest and least trafficked railway line from Oslo, and the only single track line in the capital. Like most other Norwegian railway lines, the entire 124 km long line is
electrified
Electrification is the process of powering by electricity and, in many contexts, the introduction of such power by changing over from an earlier power source.
The broad meaning of the term, such as in the history of technology, economic histor ...
at .
It serves some of the northern neighborhoods of Oslo, and has a few stations in the woods of
Nordmarka
Nordmarka is the mostly forested region which makes up the northern part of Oslo, Norway. Nordmarka is the largest and most central part of Oslomarka. The area called Nordmarka also extends into the municipalities of Hole, Ringerike, Lunner, J ...
. Further north the line serves the municipality of
Nittedal
Nittedal is a municipality and city in Akershus in Viken county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Romerike. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Rotnes.
The parish of ''Nitedal'' was established as a ...
. At
Roa, the
Roa–Hønefoss Line
The Roa–Hønefoss Line ( no, Roa–Hønefossbanen, formerly ) is a long, single track railway line between Roa and Hønefoss in Norway. At Roa Station, the line connects to the Gjøvik Line, while at Hønefoss Station, it connects to the ...
branches off to
Hønefoss
__NOTOC__
Hønefoss is a List of cities in Norway, town and the administrative center of the municipalities of Norway, municipality of Ringerike (municipality), Ringerike in Buskerud county, Norway. Hønefoss is an industrial center of inner Østl ...
, where it continues as the
Bergen Line
The Bergen Line or the Bergen Railway ( no, Bergensbanen or nn, Bergensbana), is a long scenic standard gauge railway line between Bergen and Hønefoss, Norway. The name is often applied for the entire route from Bergen via Drammen to Oslo, ...
. Formerly, most trains between Oslo and
Bergen
Bergen (), historically Bjørgvin, is a city and municipality in Vestland county on the west coast of Norway. , its population is roughly 285,900. Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. The municipality covers and is on the peninsula o ...
used this route, but nowadays most passenger trains run on the route through
Drammen
Drammen () is a city and municipality in Viken, Norway. The port and river city of Drammen is centrally located in the south-eastern and most populated part of Norway. Drammen municipality also includes smaller towns and villages such as Konner ...
, which is slightly longer but which runs through more densely populated areas. Freight trains use the line over Roa, and sometimes passenger trains also use this line as a reserve line if the route from Hønefoss to Oslo via Drammen is temporarily closed. Further north, the Gjøvik Line runs through the district of
Toten
Toten is a traditional district in Innlandet county in the eastern part of Norway. It consists of the municipalities Østre Toten and Vestre Toten.
The combined population of Toten is approximately 27,000. The largest town is Raufoss with ...
before ending at Gjøvik.
The Gjøvik Line formerly had three branch lines, the
Røykenvik Line, the
Valdres Line and the
Skreia Line. All these lines are now closed.
Most of the service on the Gjøvik Line is provided by
electric multiple units. The passenger routes are served by the newly (2006) redesigned Type 69D multiple units named
Type 69G, rebuilt in Denmark by
Danske Statsbaner
DSB, an abbreviation of ''Danske Statsbaner'' (, ''Danish State Railways''), is the largest Danish train operating company, and the largest in Scandinavia. While DSB is responsible for passenger train operation on most of the Danish railways, go ...
(DSB).
External links
The Norwegian National Rail Administration's list of stations on the Gjøvik Line
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gjovik Line
Railway lines in Innlandet
Railway lines in Oslo
Railway lines in Viken
Railway lines opened in 1902
Electric railways in Norway
1902 establishments in Norway