Native name Gjøvikbanen System Norwegian railways Operator(s) NSB Anbud Line length 124,000 m Stations 31 | Type Railway Opened 1902 Character Passenger trains Rolling stock NSB Class 69 | |
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Owner Norwegian National Rail Administration Terminis Gjøvik Station, Oslo Central Station | ||
The Gjøvik Line (Norwegian: Gjøvikbanen) is a Norwegian railway line between Oslo and Gjøvik. It was originally named the North Line (Nordbanen) and ran between Grefsen and Røykenvik. The line was completed to Gjøvik 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 which won it through its subsidiary NSB Anbud.
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 at 15 kV 16 2⁄3 Hz AC.
It serves some of the northern neighborhoods of Oslo, and has a few stations in the woods of Nordmarka. Further north the line serves the municipality of Nittedal. At Roa, the Roa–Hønefoss Line branches off to Hønefoss, where it continues as the Bergen Line. Formerly, most trains between Oslo and Bergen used this route, but nowadays most passenger trains run on the route through Drammen, which is slightly longer but which runs through more densely populated areas. Freight trains however often use the line over Roa. Further north, the Gjøvik Line runs through the district of Toten 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).