The Briskeby Line is a section of the Oslo Tramway which runs 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...

, through the neighborhoods of Briskeby and Uranienborg, before arriving at 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...

. The section is served by line 19 (Majorstuen-Briskeby-Nationaltheateret-Jernbanetorget-Ljabru).

In passenger numbers, the Briskeby Line is the smallest line of the entire tram network, with 1,500 daily embarkations along the Briskeby stretch according to a 2004 report.

History

The line was opened by Kristiania Elektriske Sporvei

Kristiania Elektriske Sporvei

A/S Kristiania Elektriske Sporvei or KES, nicknamed the Blue Tram , is a defunct operator of parts of the Oslo Tramway, Norway. It opened the first electric tramway in Scandinavia in 1894, and remained in service until 1924 when it was merged into the municipal owned Oslo Sporveier.-History:Tram...

 (Blåtrikken or the "Blue Tram"). This was the first electric tram line in Scandinavia

Scandinavia

Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...

. The first speeding ticket ever issued in Norway was given to a tram driver on this line the same year, who had exceeded the speed limit of 18 km/h.

In 1910, when the different tram lines received numbers, the Briskeby line was assigned number 1.

The Briskeby Line was among the lines Oslo Sporveier

Oslo Sporveier

Kollektivtransportproduksjon AS is a municipal owned public transport operator of Oslo, Norway, the name meaning simply "public transportation producer". It operates the trackage and maintains the stock of the Oslo Metro and Oslo Tramway, as well as owning eight operating subsidiaries...

 proposed eliminating and replacing with a bus service in 2002 to save money. The prospect of losing the tram sparked a petition to keep the tram. An extra funding of NOK

Norwegian krone

The krone is the currency of Norway and its dependent territories. The plural form is kroner . It is subdivided into 100 øre. The ISO 4217 code is NOK, although the common local abbreviation is kr. The name translates into English as "crown"...

 25 million from the city saved the line.

Conditions and future proposals

The tracks of the Briskeby line were in 2006 reported to be in critically bad condition, due to inadequate maintenance and funding. This called the continued existence of the line into question.

One option under serious consideration is moving the last section of the line a few blocks west, from the current Inkognitogaten to Skovveien. Cited advantages of such a move is the possibility of connecting the Briskeby Line to the Vika Line

Vika Line

The Vika Line is a light rail section of the Oslo Tramway in Oslo, Norway. It runs between Wessels plass, through the neighborhood of Vika and Aker Brygge, before arriving at Solli. The section is served by SL79 trams on line 12...

, increased speed, and a shorter walking distance for more passengers. The current track in Inkognitogaten also features the tightest curve (16,7 m radius) of the whole tram network, which prevent the use of the larger SL95

SL95

SL95 is a series of 32 low-floor, articulated trams operated on the Oslo Tramway. The series is built by Ansaldo/Firema of Italy and delivered between 1999 and 2004. Capacity for the eight-axle, three-section vehicles is 212 passengers, of which 88 can be seated. The name derives from being ordered...

 trams and limit the future purchase of new tram vehicles.

Moving the line into Skovveien has drawn opposition from some residents and businesses. Opponents of the move cite increased noise, and the removal of parking

Parking

Parking is the act of stopping a vehicle and leaving it unoccupied for more than a brief time. Parking on one or both sides of a road is commonly permitted, though often with restrictions...

space if the road is to accommodate tram tracks.