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Nationaltheatret (station)
Encyclopedia
Nationaltheatret is an underground metro station
and tram stop
serving Vika
and the city center of Oslo
, Norway
. It is located on the Common Tunnel of the Oslo Metro and on the Briskeby Line
of the Oslo Tramway. Also located at the same place is Nationaltheatret Station
of the Drammen Line. The station is served by all six lines of the metro, and lines 13 and 19 of the tramway. In addition, several bus services call at the station. It is named for the National Theatre located nearby.
The tram stop in the area opened in 1894. Nationaltheatret was the first underground station in the Nordic Countries
; construction of a 1.6 kilometre (0.994196378639691 mi) tunnel from Majorstuen
to the city center started in 1912, but was not finished until 1928. Until the 1987 opening of Stortinget
, Nationaltheatret was the city terminus for the four western light rail lines: the Holmenkollen Line, the Røa Line, the Sognsvann Line (from 1934) and the Kjelsås Line
(from 1942). The mainline railway station opened in 1980, and in 1993, the light rail station was upgraded to allow metro trains to run through it.
and Victoria Terrasse
, facing Ruseløkkveien; there is an entrance from Johanne Dybwads plass, which is the site of the National Theatre. From the east, there is an entrance from Henrik Ibsens gate. There is a large, open vestibule
near the surface at the entrance to Ruseløkkveien. It has high-mounted windows facing south, giving natural lighting. The area features escalators and elevators to the platforms, manned ticket sale, lockers, kiosks and cafés. The station is also equipped with ticket machine
s and features baggage trolleys, washrooms, automated teller machine
s and a Western Union
bank. Parking is available 300 metres (984.3 ft) away at Vika, where car rental
is also provided. Bicycle parking and taxi stands are located at street level.
, which is reduced to every 30 minutes in the late evening and early on Sundays. Thus the station is served by up to 24 trains per hour per direction. Lines 13 and 19 of the Oslo Tramway run along the line, with line 13 serving the Skøyen Line
, the Lilleaker Line and the Grünerløkka–Torshov Line, and line 19 serving the Brikeby Line and the Ekeberg Line
. It is served by several Ruter bus lines, including 30 Bygdøy–Nydalen
, 31 Snarøya–Grorud
, 32 Ladegården – Voksen skog, 70 Vestbanen–Skullerud
, and 82 and 83 to Tårnåsen.
The railway station located below the metro station serves trains operating west of Oslo Central Station. All eight lines of the Oslo Commuter Rail stop at Nationaltheatret. However, not all services of all line operate west of Oslo S. The Airport Express Train operates direct, high-speed
services to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
every 20 minutes, with the journey taking 28 minutes. The Norwegian State Railways' (NSB) intercity services along the Sørland Line and Bergen Line call at Nationaltheatret, as does NSB's regional service along the Vestfold Line Eastwards, these continue past Oslo S and serve the southern part of the Dovre Line until Lillehammer
.
The tramway past Nationaltheatret was opened on 2 March 1894, when Kristiania Elektriske Sporvei
opened the Briskeby ine from Oslo East Station via Briskeby
to Majorstuen
. In 1898, the Holmenkollen Line was opened, a light rail
running from Majorstuen to Holmenkollen
. The terminus at Majorstuen was a major hassle for passengers; most people were bound for the city center, and these had to change to the street trams at Majorstuen. For Holmenkolbanen, there were two ways to solve the issue. Either sign trafficking rights with Kristiania Elektriske Sporvei
to use their tracks on the Briskeby Line
to reach the city center. Alternatively, a tunnel could be built to an underground station in the city center. Applications for a tunnel were sent to the municipality in 1901. However, disagreements as to whether the tunnel was to be considered a railway or tramway halted progress. The city considered the line a tramway while the company considered the tunnel a railway.
A new application was sent in 1907. It was proposed as a single track
line which would run to the intersection of Karl Johans gate
and Fredriks gate, and estimated to cost 1.5 million Norwegian krone
(NOK). The plans were opposed by some in the city, who stated that the line would take passengers from the street trams, and stimulate migration to the areas along the Holmenkollen Line in Aker
, and thus reduce the tax income for the city. In 1909, the municipal council stated that they were opposed to the tunnel. On 9 June 1911, the city council voted that they would accept the tunnel if the terminus was moved to the intersection of Karl Johans gate and Ruseløkkveien, but this was rejected by the company. Aker Municipal Council voted on 27 May 1909 that they were in favor of the tunnel, and on 9 June 1911 the proposal was passed by the Parliament of Norway. Both municipalities wanted the redemption right, but this given to the state. Holmenkolbanen received a concession
for 60 years from the date of opening.
Construction started in 1912 in the central part of the tunnel. At the time, an agreement had not been reach with the municipality about the location of the terminus. By October 1914, the tunnel works had been completed from Rosenborggaten to the statue of Karl Johan in Slottsparken. The issue of the terminus was still not completed, and work was therefore halted. Holmenkolbanen were planning on building the line through the city center, and therefore wanted the terminus at Fredriks gate, while the municipality wanted it at Ruseløkkveien.
In 1915, a competition for a plan for the city's tramway light rails was launched, although it took two years for the invitation to be issued. In July 1918, the winner was announced, and in September 1919 a committee made a suggestion for how to expand the light rail network. It proposed connecting the Lilleaker Line to Majorstuen, a tunnel through the city center from Majorstuen to Stortorvet
and Vaterland
, and onwards as an elevated line eastwards, along routes that closely resemble the current metro lines and the Ekeberg Line
. From Stortorvet, there was proposed a northern branch which would be built northwards towards Kjelsås
. In addition, a route close to the current Ring Line was proposed.
Following a competition for the design of a new light rail network in the city, which was concluded in 1919, the municipality to again consider the terminus of the tunnel. The executive committee supported terminating the tunnel at Eidsvolls plass
, but this was rejected by the city council on 13 July 1920. Holmenkolbanen convinced the municipality to establish a committee to look into the specific issue. In September 1921, the committee proposed creating a temporary terminus, following Holmenkolbanen's route, in the square behind the National Theatre. This was under the condition that experts concluded that construction would be done without damage to surrounding buildings. The proposal was passed by the city council on 13 October 1921. In June 1922, an expert committee concluded that construction would be satisfactory.
In June 1923, the executive committee voted to allow a temporary terminus at Nationaltheatret, while Holmenkolbanen were obliged to continue the line onwards to Studenterlunden
. The company did not accept the new terms, and the city council could finally pass a proposal the company would accept on 3 April 1924. However, by then traffic had increased on the Holmenkollen Line, and the Røa Line had been connected to Majorstuen, while the Sognsvann Line was under planning. This made Holmenkolbanen change the tunnel to double track
. To finance the construction, the company borrowed NOK 11.5 million. Concession was granted on 15 January 1926, which demanded that the tunnel open by the end of 1928. Past Slottsparken the original track had been built with increased depth to allow a potential extension of the Drammen Line of the Norwegian State Railways to run above the light rail tunnel. By 1926, these plans had been discarded, and the second track was not made as deep.
The station officially opened on 27 June 1928 by King Haakon VII
. It became the first underground railway in the Nordic Countries
, five years before Stockholm and six years before Copenhagen. The tunnel was 1620 metres (5,315 ft) long and trams used three to four minutes to run the length. The station would be used by two companies: Holmenkolbanen and Akersbanerne. Holmenkolbanen operated both the Røa Line and the Holmenkollen Line, but from the Sognsvann Line was connected to the tunnel from 10 October 1934, a financing solution needed to be made.
In 1931, Aker Municipality purchasing the majority of Holmenkolbanen, and merging the Røa Line and Sognsvann Line into the company. In 1939, Bærumsbanen
started the construction of a branch from the Lilleaker Line to Majorstuen. From 15 June 1942, the Kolsås Line, as it was renamed, started running via the tunnel to Natonaltheatret. Bærumsbanen became part of Oslo Sporveier in 1971.
By the 1930s, Oslo had two main railway stations, Oslo East Station and Oslo West Station. Serving as the terminal station of the Drammen Line, Oslo West Station (Oslo V) was located in Vika. The much larger Oslo East Station (Oslo Ø) served most commuter, regional and intercity trains. In 1938, the Station Committee of 1938 was established to look into a possible connection of the Drammen Line to Oslo Ø. Led by Axel Grenholm, the committee recommended building a branch from the Drammen Line as a tunnel under the city center, allowing all trains would terminate at Oslo Ø. The proposal was presented to the Parliament of Norway on 4 November 1961, along with several other matters related to rail transport investments. Construction of the Oslo Tunnel, Oslo Central Station and Nationaltheatret was passed unanimously.
During the 1960s, the Oslo Tunnel was being planned to connect the Drammen Line to Oslo East Station. This would make Oslo West Station
unnecessary, and would allow a central station to be built at the location of the East Station. The tunnel was planned to run in a similar route as would be necessary to connect Jernbanetorget to Nationaltheatret, and a railway station was planned to connect to Nationaltheatret. Simultaneously, Oslo Sporveier worked with possibilities to connect their eastern and western networks, and get both into the city core. During the 1960s, the planning office for the metro proposed to build a connecting tunnel between Nationaltheatret and Jernbanetorget. However, the initial plans involved creating a station close to Nationaltheatret, named for Slottsparken, which would serve as the transfer point between the two systems. This station had a planned dimension to hold 25,000 people.
At the time, the western and eastern networks were incompatible; in addition to different platform heights, the eastern network used six-car trains with a third-rail power supply, while the western network used overhead wires and two-car trains. The initial plans were met with criticism, following media's discovery that the main planners had not consulted several hired specialists, and that alternatives to the preferred route had not been made. As a consequence, several engineers working for the Norwegian State Railways made two alternative suggestion for the route. By 1975, the plans were changed so Nationaltheatret would become the transfer station, by building a balloon loop
for the eastern trains, while the western trains would terminate as before. This solution would allow the two networks to be connected later.
The decision to build Sentrum, located 700 metres (2,296.6 ft) west of Jernbanetorget, was taken by the city council on 22 May 1969; the decision also involved that the transfer station be placed at Slottsparken/Nationaltheatret. Construction started in 1972, and the first leaks were revealed. By the time the station opened on 9 January 1977, the leaks had not been removed. In 1978, the city planner discarded the proposal from Oslo Sporveier to build a new station at Slottsparken, and instead decided that Stortinget would become the interchange between the two systems. This would allow the western network to later be upgraded to metro standard and allow through trains. The proposal was supported by all political parties except the Labour Party
.
The railway station and the Oslo Tunnel was taken into use on 1 June. On 20 February 1983, Stortinget was closed to finally remove all leaks. The station reopened on 7 March 1987, with the new name Stortinget. The Common Tunnel was completed, and the trains from the western network terminated where at the old platforms, where the eastern trains had previously terminated. The eastern trains instead operated through a balloon loop. On 27 May 1989, Oslo V was closed and all traffic started running via Nationaltheatret.
On 7 October 1987, the city decided to connect the four light rails west of the city center with the Oslo Metro. The Sognsvann Line was selected as the first line to be upgraded, so the two systems would become compatible. The line, including the Common Tunnel and Nationaltheatret, were upgraded to metro standard by replacing the overhead wire with a third-rail power supply
and installing automatic train protection
. The platforms were lengthened from fitting two-car to fitting six-car trains, and the platform height
increased. From 4 April, the line started operating through the Common Tunnel and connected to the Lambertseter Line.
From 1998, the Airport Express Train would start operating, and more capacity would be needed, both at Nationaltheatret and through the Oslo Tunnel. In 1995, NSB held an architecture competition to expand the station complex, which was won by LPO Arkitektur og Design and their design "Next To Nothing". Most of the work involved the railway station, which received four platforms, escalators and art. However, it also involved a larger vestibule and easier access between the two stations. The upgrades cost NOK 920 million and was officially opened by King Harald V
on 16 December 1999.
Metro station
A metro station or subway station is a railway station for a rapid transit system, often known by names such as "metro", "underground" and "subway". It is often underground or elevated. At crossings of metro lines, they are multi-level....
and tram stop
Tram stop
A tram stop is a place designated for a tram to stop so passengers can board or alight it. Tram stops share most characteristics of bus stops, but because trams operate on rails, they often include railway platforms, especially if stepless entries are provided for accessibility...
serving Vika
Vika, Oslo
Vika is a neighborhood in the borough Frogner in Oslo, Norway. It is located between the Oslofjord, Aker Brygge, Pipervika, Slottsparken and Oslo City Hall....
and the city center of Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. It is located on the Common Tunnel of the Oslo Metro and on the Briskeby Line
Briskeby Line
The Briskeby Line is a section of the Oslo Tramway which runs between Jernbanetorget, through the neighborhoods of Briskeby and Uranienborg, before arriving at Majorstuen...
of the Oslo Tramway. Also located at the same place is Nationaltheatret Station
Nationaltheatret station
Nationaltheatret Station is an underground railway station on the Drammen Line serving Vika and the central business district of Oslo, Norway. It is the second-busiest railway station in Norway, behind Oslo Central Station , from which Nationaltheatret is away...
of the Drammen Line. The station is served by all six lines of the metro, and lines 13 and 19 of the tramway. In addition, several bus services call at the station. It is named for the National Theatre located nearby.
The tram stop in the area opened in 1894. Nationaltheatret was the first underground station in the Nordic Countries
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
; construction of a 1.6 kilometre (0.994196378639691 mi) tunnel from 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...
to the city center started in 1912, but was not finished until 1928. Until the 1987 opening of Stortinget
Stortinget (station)
Stortinget is an underground rapid transit station on the Common Line of the Oslo Metro, Norway. It is located in the heart of the city center, next to Stortinget, the Parliament of Norway. The station is served by all six lines of the metro. At the street level, the station serves tram routes 17,...
, Nationaltheatret was the city terminus for the four western light rail lines: the Holmenkollen Line, the Røa Line, the Sognsvann Line (from 1934) and the Kjelsås Line
Kjelsås Line
The Kjelsås Line is a tramway line running from Storo to Kjelsås in the norther part of Oslo, Norway. The line opened by Oslo Sporveier on 25 September 1934 as an extension of the Grünerløkka–Torshov Line that terminated at Storo. It is served by line 11 and 12 of the Oslo Tramway operated by Oslo...
(from 1942). The mainline railway station opened in 1980, and in 1993, the light rail station was upgraded to allow metro trains to run through it.
Facilities
Nationaltheatret is Norway's only underground mainline railway station, located within the Oslo Tunnel on the Drammen Line. At ground level, there are three entrances to the station: on the west side of the station, the main entrance is from beneath 7. juni-plassen7. juni-plassen
7. juni-plassen is a square in Oslo, Norway.It is located at Ruseløkka in Vika, southeast of Slottsparken and the Royal Palace and west of the National Theatre....
and Victoria Terrasse
Victoria Terrasse
Victoria Terrasse is a building complex in central Oslo, Norway.Built in the 1880s, it was taken over the by Norwegian government in 1913 and put to use by the police and various political departments....
, facing Ruseløkkveien; there is an entrance from Johanne Dybwads plass, which is the site of the National Theatre. From the east, there is an entrance from Henrik Ibsens gate. There is a large, open vestibule
Vestibule (architecture)
A vestibule is a lobby, entrance hall, or passage between the entrance and the interior of a building.The same term can apply to structures in modern or ancient roman architecture. In modern architecture vestibule typically refers to a small room or hall between an entrance and the interior of...
near the surface at the entrance to Ruseløkkveien. It has high-mounted windows facing south, giving natural lighting. The area features escalators and elevators to the platforms, manned ticket sale, lockers, kiosks and cafés. The station is also equipped with ticket machine
Ticket machine
A ticket machine, also known as a ticket vending machine , is a vending machine that produces tickets. For instance, ticket machines dispense train tickets at railway stations and tram tickets at some tram stops and in some trams...
s and features baggage trolleys, washrooms, automated teller machine
Automated teller machine
An automated teller machine or automatic teller machine, also known as a Cashpoint , cash machine or sometimes a hole in the wall in British English, is a computerised telecommunications device that provides the clients of a financial institution with access to financial transactions in a public...
s and a Western Union
Western Union
The Western Union Company is a financial services and communications company based in the United States. Its North American headquarters is in Englewood, Colorado. Up until 2006, Western Union was the best-known U.S...
bank. Parking is available 300 metres (984.3 ft) away at Vika, where car rental
Car rental
A car rental or car hire agency is a company that rents automobiles for short periods of time for a fee...
is also provided. Bicycle parking and taxi stands are located at street level.
Service
All six lines of the Oslo Metro, numbered 1 through 6, run through Nationaltheatret. Each service has a 15-minute headwayHeadway
Headway is a measurement of the distance/time between vehicles in a transit system. The precise definition varies depending on the application, but it is most commonly measured as the distance from the tip of one vehicle to the tip of the next one behind it, expressed as the time it will take for...
, which is reduced to every 30 minutes in the late evening and early on Sundays. Thus the station is served by up to 24 trains per hour per direction. Lines 13 and 19 of the Oslo Tramway run along the line, with line 13 serving the Skøyen Line
Skøyen Line
The Skøyen Line is a tramway line running from Slottsparken to Skøyen in Oslo, Norway. It is served by line 13 of the Oslo Tramway. It connects the Briskeby Line at Slottsparken to the Lilleaker Line at Skøyen....
, the Lilleaker Line and the Grünerløkka–Torshov Line, and line 19 serving the Brikeby Line and the Ekeberg Line
Ekeberg Line
The Ekeberg Line is a long light rail line of the Oslo Tramway which runs from Gamlebyen to Ljabru in Oslo, Norway. Operated by lines 18 and 19, it serves the area of Nordstarand and the neighborhoods of Ekeberg, Jomfrubråten, Bekkelaget and Ljan. The line is operated by Oslo Sporvognsdrift using...
. It is served by several Ruter bus lines, including 30 Bygdøy–Nydalen
Nydalen (station)
Nydalen is a rapid transit station on the Ring Line of the Oslo Metro. It is located at Nydalen in the Nordre Aker borough of Oslo, Norway. The station opened on 20 August 2003, as part of the first section of the Ring Line to Storo. The station is served by lines 4, 5 and 6 of the metro, as well...
, 31 Snarøya–Grorud
Grorud (station)
Grorud is a rapid transit station on the Oslo Metro. Located between Ammerud and Romsås on Grorud Line, it serves the Grorud borough. The station is located on the south side of a tunnel entrance...
, 32 Ladegården – Voksen skog, 70 Vestbanen–Skullerud
Skullerud (station)
Skullerud is a station on Østensjø Line of the Oslo Metro, located in the Østensjø borough, between Bogerud and Mortensrud. Since its opening 26 November 1967, it was the end station of the line until Østensjøbanen was extended to Mortensrud in 1997...
, and 82 and 83 to Tårnåsen.
The railway station located below the metro station serves trains operating west of Oslo Central Station. All eight lines of the Oslo Commuter Rail stop at Nationaltheatret. However, not all services of all line operate west of Oslo S. The Airport Express Train operates direct, high-speed
High-speed rail
High-speed rail is a type of passenger rail transport that operates significantly faster than the normal speed of rail traffic. Specific definitions by the European Union include for upgraded track and or faster for new track, whilst in the United States, the U.S...
services to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen is the principal airport serving Oslo, Norway. It acts as the main domestic hub and international airport for Norway, and the second-busiest airport in the Nordic countries. A hub for Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian Air Shuttle, and a focus city for Widerøe, it is...
every 20 minutes, with the journey taking 28 minutes. The Norwegian State Railways' (NSB) intercity services along the Sørland Line and Bergen Line call at Nationaltheatret, as does NSB's regional service along the Vestfold Line Eastwards, these continue past Oslo S and serve the southern part of the Dovre Line until Lillehammer
Lillehammer Station
Lillehammer is a railway station located in downtown Lillehammer, Norway, on the Dovre Line. The station was opened in 1894 with the construction of the railway between Hamar Station and Tretten Station. The station got a major overhaul before the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer...
.
History
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...
opened the Briskeby ine from Oslo East Station via Briskeby
Briskeby
Briskeby is an electro-pop band from Norway. Bjørn Bergene, Claus Heiberg Larsen and Bård Helgeland are from Larvik, while Lise Karlsnes is from Tønsberg.-Band name:The band's name is derived from the neighbourhood where their rehearsal room was located....
to 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...
. In 1898, the Holmenkollen Line was opened, a light rail
Light rail
Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...
running from Majorstuen to Holmenkollen
Holmenkollen
Holmenkollen is a neighborhood in the Vestre Aker borough of Oslo, Norway. In addition to being a residential area, the area has been a ski recreation area since the late 19th century, with its famous, eponymous, ski jump arena hosting competitions since 1892...
. The terminus at Majorstuen was a major hassle for passengers; most people were bound for the city center, and these had to change to the street trams at Majorstuen. For Holmenkolbanen, there were two ways to solve the issue. Either sign trafficking rights with 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...
to use their tracks on the Briskeby Line
Briskeby Line
The Briskeby Line is a section of the Oslo Tramway which runs between Jernbanetorget, through the neighborhoods of Briskeby and Uranienborg, before arriving at Majorstuen...
to reach the city center. Alternatively, a tunnel could be built to an underground station in the city center. Applications for a tunnel were sent to the municipality in 1901. However, disagreements as to whether the tunnel was to be considered a railway or tramway halted progress. The city considered the line a tramway while the company considered the tunnel a railway.
A new application was sent in 1907. It was proposed as a single track
Single track (rail)
A single track railway is where trains in both directions share the same track. Single track is normally used on lesser used rail lines, often branch lines, where the traffic density is not high enough to justify the cost of building double tracks....
line which would run to the intersection of Karl Johans gate
Karl Johans gate
Karl Johans gate is the main street of the city of Oslo, Norway. The street was named in honor of King Karl Johan, who was King of Sweden and of Norway....
and Fredriks gate, and estimated to cost 1.5 million Norwegian krone
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"...
(NOK). The plans were opposed by some in the city, who stated that the line would take passengers from the street trams, and stimulate migration to the areas along the Holmenkollen Line in Aker
Aker, Norway
Aker is a former municipality in Akershus, which lends its name to a municipality and a county in Norway. The name originally belonged to a farm which was located near the current Old Aker Church...
, and thus reduce the tax income for the city. In 1909, the municipal council stated that they were opposed to the tunnel. On 9 June 1911, the city council voted that they would accept the tunnel if the terminus was moved to the intersection of Karl Johans gate and Ruseløkkveien, but this was rejected by the company. Aker Municipal Council voted on 27 May 1909 that they were in favor of the tunnel, and on 9 June 1911 the proposal was passed by the Parliament of Norway. Both municipalities wanted the redemption right, but this given to the state. Holmenkolbanen received a concession
Concession (contract)
A concession is a business operated under a contract or license associated with a degree of exclusivity in business within a certain geographical area. For example, sports arenas or public parks may have concession stands. Many department stores contain numerous concessions operated by other...
for 60 years from the date of opening.
In 1915, a competition for a plan for the city's tramway light rails was launched, although it took two years for the invitation to be issued. In July 1918, the winner was announced, and in September 1919 a committee made a suggestion for how to expand the light rail network. It proposed connecting the Lilleaker Line to Majorstuen, a tunnel through the city center from Majorstuen to Stortorvet
Stortorvet (station)
Stortorvet is a station on the Oslo Tramway in Oslo, Norway. The station is located on the square Stortorvet in the city centre.It is served by the lines 11, 17 and 18. In 2009, it was decided to improve the square, the station and the tram tracks in the street.-References:...
and Vaterland
Vaterland, Norway
Vaterland is a neighborhood in Oslo, Norway. It is located north of the tracks at Oslo Central Station, between Jernbanetorget, Storgata and Akerselva river. The area features Oslo Central Station and Oslo Bus Terminal, the shopping centers Oslo City and Byporten, Galleri Oslo, Radisson Blu Plaza...
, and onwards as an elevated line eastwards, along routes that closely resemble the current metro lines and the Ekeberg Line
Ekeberg Line
The Ekeberg Line is a long light rail line of the Oslo Tramway which runs from Gamlebyen to Ljabru in Oslo, Norway. Operated by lines 18 and 19, it serves the area of Nordstarand and the neighborhoods of Ekeberg, Jomfrubråten, Bekkelaget and Ljan. The line is operated by Oslo Sporvognsdrift using...
. From Stortorvet, there was proposed a northern branch which would be built northwards towards Kjelsås
Kjelsås
Kjelsås is a one of the northern suburbs of Oslo situated in Nordre Aker, the northern borough of Oslo, Norway.- History :Together with Grefsen, Kjelsås was part of the borough Grefsen-Kjelsås until January 1 2004, when they both became part of the new borough of Nordre Aker...
. In addition, a route close to the current Ring Line was proposed.
Following a competition for the design of a new light rail network in the city, which was concluded in 1919, the municipality to again consider the terminus of the tunnel. The executive committee supported terminating the tunnel at Eidsvolls plass
Eidsvolls plass
Eidsvolls plass is a square and park in Oslo, Norway, located west of the Parliament of Norway Building, south of Karl Johans gate and east of Studenterlunden and the National Theatre...
, but this was rejected by the city council on 13 July 1920. Holmenkolbanen convinced the municipality to establish a committee to look into the specific issue. In September 1921, the committee proposed creating a temporary terminus, following Holmenkolbanen's route, in the square behind the National Theatre. This was under the condition that experts concluded that construction would be done without damage to surrounding buildings. The proposal was passed by the city council on 13 October 1921. In June 1922, an expert committee concluded that construction would be satisfactory.
In June 1923, the executive committee voted to allow a temporary terminus at Nationaltheatret, while Holmenkolbanen were obliged to continue the line onwards to Studenterlunden
Studenterlunden
Studenterlunden is a park in the city center of Oslo, Norway. It is surrounded by Karl Johans gate, Stortingsgata, Universitetsgata and Frederiks gate. Within the park lays the National Theatre. It also contains one of the entrances to Nationaltheatret Station of the Oslo Metro and Nationaltheatret...
. The company did not accept the new terms, and the city council could finally pass a proposal the company would accept on 3 April 1924. However, by then traffic had increased on the Holmenkollen Line, and the Røa Line had been connected to Majorstuen, while the Sognsvann Line was under planning. This made Holmenkolbanen change the tunnel to double track
Double track
A double track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single track railway where trains in both directions share the same track.- Overview :...
. To finance the construction, the company borrowed NOK 11.5 million. Concession was granted on 15 January 1926, which demanded that the tunnel open by the end of 1928. Past Slottsparken the original track had been built with increased depth to allow a potential extension of the Drammen Line of the Norwegian State Railways to run above the light rail tunnel. By 1926, these plans had been discarded, and the second track was not made as deep.
The station officially opened on 27 June 1928 by King Haakon VII
Haakon VII of Norway
Haakon VII , known as Prince Carl of Denmark until 1905, was the first king of Norway after the 1905 dissolution of the personal union with Sweden. He was a member of the House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glücksburg...
. It became the first underground railway in the Nordic Countries
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
, five years before Stockholm and six years before Copenhagen. The tunnel was 1620 metres (5,315 ft) long and trams used three to four minutes to run the length. The station would be used by two companies: Holmenkolbanen and Akersbanerne. Holmenkolbanen operated both the Røa Line and the Holmenkollen Line, but from the Sognsvann Line was connected to the tunnel from 10 October 1934, a financing solution needed to be made.
In 1931, Aker Municipality purchasing the majority of Holmenkolbanen, and merging the Røa Line and Sognsvann Line into the company. In 1939, Bærumsbanen
Bærumsbanen
A/S Bærumsbanen was a tram company that operated the Lillaker-, Kolsås and Østensjø Line of the Oslo Tramway, Norway, from 1924 to 1971 when the company became part of Oslo Sporveier.-History:...
started the construction of a branch from the Lilleaker Line to Majorstuen. From 15 June 1942, the Kolsås Line, as it was renamed, started running via the tunnel to Natonaltheatret. Bærumsbanen became part of Oslo Sporveier in 1971.
By the 1930s, Oslo had two main railway stations, Oslo East Station and Oslo West Station. Serving as the terminal station of the Drammen Line, Oslo West Station (Oslo V) was located in Vika. The much larger Oslo East Station (Oslo Ø) served most commuter, regional and intercity trains. In 1938, the Station Committee of 1938 was established to look into a possible connection of the Drammen Line to Oslo Ø. Led by Axel Grenholm, the committee recommended building a branch from the Drammen Line as a tunnel under the city center, allowing all trains would terminate at Oslo Ø. The proposal was presented to the Parliament of Norway on 4 November 1961, along with several other matters related to rail transport investments. Construction of the Oslo Tunnel, Oslo Central Station and Nationaltheatret was passed unanimously.
During the 1960s, the Oslo Tunnel was being planned to connect the Drammen Line to Oslo East Station. This would make Oslo West Station
Oslo Vestbanestasjon
Oslo West Station or Oslo V, is a former railway station located in Vika in Oslo, Norway. It was the terminus of the Drammen Line between 1872 and 1980, until the Oslo Tunnel opened. The station remained in use until 1989, when all traffic was moved to the new Oslo Central Station...
unnecessary, and would allow a central station to be built at the location of the East Station. The tunnel was planned to run in a similar route as would be necessary to connect Jernbanetorget to Nationaltheatret, and a railway station was planned to connect to Nationaltheatret. Simultaneously, Oslo Sporveier worked with possibilities to connect their eastern and western networks, and get both into the city core. During the 1960s, the planning office for the metro proposed to build a connecting tunnel between Nationaltheatret and Jernbanetorget. However, the initial plans involved creating a station close to Nationaltheatret, named for Slottsparken, which would serve as the transfer point between the two systems. This station had a planned dimension to hold 25,000 people.
At the time, the western and eastern networks were incompatible; in addition to different platform heights, the eastern network used six-car trains with a third-rail power supply, while the western network used overhead wires and two-car trains. The initial plans were met with criticism, following media's discovery that the main planners had not consulted several hired specialists, and that alternatives to the preferred route had not been made. As a consequence, several engineers working for the Norwegian State Railways made two alternative suggestion for the route. By 1975, the plans were changed so Nationaltheatret would become the transfer station, by building a balloon loop
Balloon loop
A balloon loop or turning loop allows a rail vehicle or train to reverse direction without having to shunt or even stop. Balloon loops can be useful for passenger trains and unit freight trains, such as coal trains....
for the eastern trains, while the western trains would terminate as before. This solution would allow the two networks to be connected later.
Norwegian Labour Party
The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....
.
The railway station and the Oslo Tunnel was taken into use on 1 June. On 20 February 1983, Stortinget was closed to finally remove all leaks. The station reopened on 7 March 1987, with the new name Stortinget. The Common Tunnel was completed, and the trains from the western network terminated where at the old platforms, where the eastern trains had previously terminated. The eastern trains instead operated through a balloon loop. On 27 May 1989, Oslo V was closed and all traffic started running via Nationaltheatret.
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
and installing automatic train protection
Automatic Train Protection
Automatic Train Protection in Great Britain refers to either of two implementations of a train protection system installed in some trains in order to help prevent collisions through a driver's failure to observe a signal or speed restriction...
. The platforms were lengthened from fitting two-car to fitting six-car trains, and the platform height
Railway platform height
On a railway the platform height refers to the height of a platform above the rail. The value varies between railway systems. A related term is "train floor height" which is the height of the floor of the rail vehicle. There are a wide number of standards for platform heights and train floor heights...
increased. From 4 April, the line started operating through the Common Tunnel and connected to the Lambertseter Line.
From 1998, the Airport Express Train would start operating, and more capacity would be needed, both at Nationaltheatret and through the Oslo Tunnel. In 1995, NSB held an architecture competition to expand the station complex, which was won by LPO Arkitektur og Design and their design "Next To Nothing". Most of the work involved the railway station, which received four platforms, escalators and art. However, it also involved a larger vestibule and easier access between the two stations. The upgrades cost NOK 920 million and was officially opened by King Harald V
Harald V of Norway
Harald V is the king of Norway. He succeeded to the throne of Norway upon the death of his father Olav V on 17 January 1991...
on 16 December 1999.