Sognsvannsbanen
Encyclopedia
The Sognsvann Line is a rapid transit
line on the Oslo Metro of Norway. It branches from the Common Tunnel at Majorstuen
and runs 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) to Sognsvann
. After Ullevål stadion
, the Ring Line branches off. The Sognsvann Line serves the northwestern and northern neighborhoods of Oslo
, mostly within the borough of Nordre Aker
. The line is owned and maintained by Kollektivtransportproduksjon and has nine stations. Lines 3, 4, 5 and 6 serve the line, although the latter three branch off and continue along the Ring Line. This gives an average five-minute headway
on the southern part and an average fifteen-minute headway on the northern part of the line.
The line opened on 10 October 1934 as a light rail
. In 1993, it was upgraded to metro standard as the first light rail west of Oslo, with two stations being closed. The Ring Line opened in 2003. Forskningsparken
has transfer to the Oslo Tramway and serves Rikshospitalet
. Forskningsparken and Blindern
both serve the University of Oslo
, while Ullevål stadion serves Norway's largest football venue. North of there the line mainly serves residential areas. Sognsvann serves the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
and the recreational area Nordmarka
.
in 1904. They called for a branch from Gaustad Station
on the Holmenkoll Line to Geitmyren and onwards to Sagene
. The next proposal for a line was launched in 1917, when Aker Municipality
established the company Akersbanerne
. It started work planning the Østensjø Line as well as the Sognsvann Line. The neighborhoods of Sogn
and Tåsen
were being built, and the municipality wanted to establish a good transport system to make the areas more attractive. Holmenkolbanen stated that they should be prioritized to built the system, since they already had a line in the area, but the municipality wanted to have political control over the development of the area.
In 1920, Holmenkolbanen applied to build a branch from Frøen
via Tåsen to Nydalen
and Grefsen
, along what is today the Ring Line. This proposal included a branch to Sognsvann. The Ministry of Labour granted the concession to Akersbanerne, who started construction in January 1922. However, due to a labor conflict, the work was put on hold in 1924. In 1924, the Røa Line (at the time called the Smestad Line) was taken over by Akersbanerne, but Holmenkolbanen retained the operation. After the first part of the Common Tunnel, from Majorstuen to Nationaltheatret, opened in 1928, Holmenkolbanen was in financial distress, and in 1932 Akersbanerne took over the majority of the shares of Holmenkolbanen. At the same time, the Røa and Sognsvann Lines were merged into Holmenkolbanen.
Work commenced again in 1933 and the line opened on 10 October 1934. At first the line was built with double track
from Frøen to Østhorn
and single track
to Sognsvann. Between 1937 and 1939, the upper section was converted to double track. The construction spurred a massive residential construction along the line giving a good foundation for ridership.
After the municipal merger between Oslo and Aker in 1948, Akersbanerne was merged into Oslo Sporveier
, although Holmenkolbanen remained a partially-owned subsidiary. In 1973, Oslo Sporveier bought the remaining shares, and two years later the operations were transferred to Oslo Sporveier, with Holmenkolbanen remaining a pure real estate company. The municipal take-over resulted in an upgrade to both the track and the rolling stock. New overhead wires and new and heavier track were laid. From 1978, the T1300 trains were taken into use. With the take-over, the lines were numbered, and the Sognsvann Line designated 81, although this was quickly changed to 13.
During the 1980s, the city decided to connect the four suburban lines 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 was upgraded to metro standard by replacing the overhead wire with a third-rail power supply
and installing automatic train protection
. All the stations were rebuilt, with platforms lengthened from fitting two-car to fitting four-car trains, and the platform height
increased. The third rail required all level crossing
s to be removed, resulting in the line being rebuilt several places to allow the road to underpass or overpass. The light rail permitted passengers to cross the lines at the stations, but this was made impossible with metro standard. Because of this, underpasses or overpasses were built at the stations.
Frøen Station was rebuilt so only the trains on the Holmenkollen Line would stop there, while Nordberg Station
was closed. All the stations, except Ullevål stadion, were built in the same architectural style. They are constructed in concrete with steel columns and wooden sheds and fences. All platforms have a shed; Ullevål stadion has a larger weather cover and has a design inspired by football. The upgrade also included the installation of third-rail from Majorstuen to Stortinget
in the Common Tunnel. From 10 January 1993, the Sognsvann Line re-open, and from 4 April, the line started operating through the Common Tunnel and connected to the Lambertseter Line. The new service became operated with T1000 rolling stock.
Following the 1991 decision to build a new Rikshospitalet
at Gaustad, it was decided to extend the Ullevål Hageby Line
of the tramway there, which would pass under the Sognsvann Line. Plans called for a transfer station at Blindern
, but this was later discarded in favor of a new station, Forskningsparken
. It would replace Vestgrensa
, which was considered too far away to be a suitable transfer point. Forskningsparken would also serve the northern part of the Blindern campus. Not until 1998 were the necessary political agreements in place to allow construction to start. The new light rail started services on 1 June 1999, and the rapid transit station opened on 22 August. With the opening, Line 4 of the metro was extended from Blindern, via Forskningsarken, to Ullevål stadion. There were complaints from local residents that the increased traffic on the line was causing too much noise, and neighbors demanded that noise shields be built.
In 1991, Oslo Sporveier presented plans to connect the Sognsvann Line to the Grorud Line with a new Ring Line. The company also considered building the ring as part of the tramway, and have combined operation with both tram and metro on the Sognsvann Line. This was later discarded, despite the higher investment costs with a metro, since the tramway would give higher operating costs and longer travel time. A detailed suggestion was presented by Oslo Sporveier in August 1996. It became clear that Berg
would not be served by the Ring Line. Many neighbors to the Sognsvann Line complained about the proposal, stating that they had hoped that the section from Majorstuen to Berg would have been rebuilt as a tunnel. They also argued that it was irrational that the line was running at-grade in densely populated areas, while it would run in a tunnel through the then mostly unpopulated Nydalen. To compensate, Oslo Sporveier stated that they would build noise screens along the line.
The city council voted in favor of building the Ring Line on 25 June 1997, against the votes of the Progress Party
. Financing was partially ensured in December, when a political agreement was reached for Oslo Package 2
, a financing plan for investments in public transport in Oslo and Akershus between 2002 and 2011. Construction started in June, with the Agency for Road and Transport of the municipality responsible for construction. The first section opened from Ullevål stadion via Nydalen
to Storo
on 20 August 2003. With the opening, and Line 4 was extended from Ullevål stadion to Storo. On 20 August 2006, the final section opened, from Storo via Sinsen
to Carl Berners plass
.
In 2002, the Sognsvann Line was closed during the summer vacations due to improvements of the track and third rail
. In 2008, the line was closed for approximately one week, due to leaves that had covered the tracks. The operation of the line was replaced by buses that served temporary stops in Nordbergveien and Sognsveien. In 2010, a truck was stuck under the train bridge between Holstein
and Kringsjå
over Carl Kjeldsens vei. The bridge was damaged, and allowed for only one-way-traffic for two weeks. Half the trains had to stop at Berg
in the meantime.
The line branches off from the Common Tunnel after Majorstuen, and heads northwards through the borough of Nordre Aker
. The first two stations, Blindern and Forskningsparken, serve the Blindern campus of the University of Oslo. At Forskningsparken, there is transfer to the Ullevål Hageby Line of the Oslo Tramway, which allows connection with the two largest hospitals in the country: Rikshospitalet and Ullevål University Hospital
. Ullevål stadion
serves Norway's largest sports venue, Ullevål Stadion, the home ground of Norwegian Premier League
side Vålerenga and the national football team.
North of Ullevål stadion, just before reaching Berg, the Ring Line with services 4, 5 and 6 branches off. The ring line serves three stations, Nydalen
, Storo
and Sinsen
before reaching the Grorud Line. From Berg to Tåsen
, the line runs parallel to the motorway Ring 3
. North of Berg, the Sognsvann Line mainly serves residential areas, including student dormitories at Sogn and Kringsjå
. The Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
and the National Archival Services of Norway
is served by Sognsvann Station. The station also serves the recreational area Nordmarka
and the lake Sognsvann
.
on contract with Ruter
.
Transfer to the Kolsås, Røa and Holmenkollen Lines is possible at Majorstuen. Transfer to Oslo Central Station, which serves all mainline trains in Eastern Norway, is available at Jernbanetorget
. Most west-bound mainline trains can also be reached at Nationaltheatret
. The Oslo Tramway can be reached from Majorstuen and Forskningsparken, as well as in the city center from Jernbanetorget, Stortinget
and Nationaltheatret
.
Rapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
line on the Oslo Metro of Norway. It branches from the Common Tunnel at Majorstuen
Majorstuen (station)
Majorstuen is a subway station on the Oslo Metro and a light rail station on the Briskeby Line of the Oslo Tramway. It is located in the Majorstuen neighborhood in the Frogner borough....
and runs 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) to Sognsvann
Sognsvann (station)
Sognsvann station is the last stop on Sognsvann Line, the western side of line 3 on the Oslo T-bane. The station is located south of the lake Sognsvann. Next to the station on the west side is the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, while on the east side are the Norwegian National Archives.The...
. After Ullevål stadion
Ullevål stadion (station)
Ullevål stadion is a rapid transit station on the Sognsvann Line of the Oslo Metro. It is the last station served by lines 3, 4 and 5. North of the station, the Ring Line branches off from the Sognsvann Line...
, the Ring Line branches off. The Sognsvann Line serves the northwestern and northern neighborhoods 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...
, mostly within the borough of Nordre Aker
Nordre Aker
Nordre Aker is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway.-History:This area became part of the city of Oslo in 1948. Before that it was a part of Aker municipality in Akershus county.-Demographics and housing:...
. The line is owned and maintained by Kollektivtransportproduksjon and has nine stations. Lines 3, 4, 5 and 6 serve the line, although the latter three branch off and continue along the Ring Line. This gives an average five-minute headway
Headway
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...
on the southern part and an average fifteen-minute headway on the northern part of the line.
The line opened on 10 October 1934 as 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...
. In 1993, it was upgraded to metro standard as the first light rail west of Oslo, with two stations being closed. The Ring Line opened in 2003. Forskningsparken
Forskningsparken (station)
Forskningsparken is a rapid transit station on the Sognsvann Line of the Oslo Metro. It also serves as a light rail station for the Ullevål Hageby Line of the Oslo Tramway. It is located at the north of the Blindern campus of the University of Oslo in the Nordre Aker borough of Oslo, Norway...
has transfer to the Oslo Tramway and serves Rikshospitalet
Rikshospitalet
Rikshospitalet is located in Oslo, Norway. From January 1, 2009, the hospital is part of Oslo University Hospital....
. Forskningsparken and Blindern
Blindern (station)
Blindern is a rapid transit station on the Sognsvann Line of the Oslo Metro. It is located in the Vestre Aker borough of Oslo, Norway. Served by lines 3, 4 and 5, the station is located adjacent to the main campus of the University of Oslo, Blindern. Until 1999, the station served as terminus of...
both serve the University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
, while Ullevål stadion serves Norway's largest football venue. North of there the line mainly serves residential areas. Sognsvann serves the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
The Norwegian School of Sport Sciences is a public university located at Sognsvann in Oslo, Norway. It has the national responsibility for education and research related within sport sciences. It provides education at Bachelor, Master and Doctorate level....
and the recreational area Nordmarka
Nordmarka
Nordmarka is the mostly forested region which makes up the northern part of Oslo, Norway. The area called "Nordmarka" also extends into the municipalities of Hole, Ringerike, Lunner, Jevnaker and Nittedal. It is the largest part of the Marka borough. The forests are popular sites for hiking and...
.
History
The first plans for a light rail along the route of the Sognsvann Line were launched by HolmenkolbanenHolmenkolbanen
A/S Holmenkolbanen was a company that owned and operated part of the Oslo Tramway and Oslo Metro in Norway from 1898 until 1975 when services were taken over by the majority owner Oslo Sporveier. Holmenkolbanen opened the Holmenkoll Line in 1898, and expanded it to become the first Nordic...
in 1904. They called for a branch from Gaustad Station
Gaustad (station)
Gaustad is a Oslo Metro station on Holmenkollen Line between Vinderen and Ris, at an altitude of . The outer highway ring of Oslo crosses the railway at Gaustad. Gaustad is the subway station closest to Rikshospitalet, although the tram system has a stop even closer...
on the Holmenkoll Line to Geitmyren and onwards to Sagene
Sagene
Sagene is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway. The area became part of the city of Oslo in 1859.The name Sagene itself is the plural of the Norwegian word for "saw", reflecting all the old industrial mechanical saws powered by the river Akerselvain this area in the 19th and early 20th...
. The next proposal for a line was launched in 1917, when Aker Municipality
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...
established the company Akersbanerne
Akersbanerne
A/S Akersbanerne was a municipal owned company that operated tramways in the former Municipality of Aker in current Oslo, Norway. The company was established in 1917, and opened the suburban Østensjø Line tramway in 1926; it took over the majority ownership of Holmenkolbanen in 1933, that owned the...
. It started work planning the Østensjø Line as well as the Sognsvann Line. The neighborhoods of Sogn
Sogn, Oslo
Sogn was a district of the city of Oslo, Norway up to January 1, 2004, when it became part of the Nordre Aker district....
and Tåsen
Tåsen
Tåsen is a neigboorhood of Oslo, Norway, aprox. four north of the city centre. The name origins from the norse name Tásvin. The station Tåsen serves the area.-References:*...
were being built, and the municipality wanted to establish a good transport system to make the areas more attractive. Holmenkolbanen stated that they should be prioritized to built the system, since they already had a line in the area, but the municipality wanted to have political control over the development of the area.
In 1920, Holmenkolbanen applied to build a branch from Frøen
Frøen (station)
Frøen is a station on the Oslo Metro in the Vestre Aker borough, it is the first station on the Holmenkollen Line after Majorstuen. The name refers to Frøen Gård, a stately estate located near the present location of the t-bane station, of which now only the manor house remains...
via Tåsen to Nydalen
Nydalen
Nydalen is a neighbourhood in the Nordre Aker borough in northern Oslo, Norway.- History :Since the late 19th century Nydalen has been a largely industrial area...
and Grefsen
Grefsen
right|thumbnail|300px|Grefsen ChurchGrefsen is a neighbourhood of the city of Oslo, Norway.Together with Kjelsås, Grefsen was part of the borough Grefsen-Kjelsås until January 1, 2004, when they became part of the new borough of Nordre Aker....
, along what is today the Ring Line. This proposal included a branch to Sognsvann. The Ministry of Labour granted the concession to Akersbanerne, who started construction in January 1922. However, due to a labor conflict, the work was put on hold in 1924. In 1924, the Røa Line (at the time called the Smestad Line) was taken over by Akersbanerne, but Holmenkolbanen retained the operation. After the first part of the Common Tunnel, from Majorstuen to Nationaltheatret, opened in 1928, Holmenkolbanen was in financial distress, and in 1932 Akersbanerne took over the majority of the shares of Holmenkolbanen. At the same time, the Røa and Sognsvann Lines were merged into Holmenkolbanen.
Work commenced again in 1933 and the line opened on 10 October 1934. At first the line was built with 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 :...
from Frøen to Østhorn
Østhorn (station)
Østhorn is a station on the Sognsvann Line of the Oslo Metro in Norway. It is located from Stortinget station between Tåsen and Holstein stations. As one of the original stations on the line, Østhorn was opened on 10 October 1934...
and 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....
to Sognsvann. Between 1937 and 1939, the upper section was converted to double track. The construction spurred a massive residential construction along the line giving a good foundation for ridership.
After the municipal merger between Oslo and Aker in 1948, Akersbanerne was merged into 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...
, although Holmenkolbanen remained a partially-owned subsidiary. In 1973, Oslo Sporveier bought the remaining shares, and two years later the operations were transferred to Oslo Sporveier, with Holmenkolbanen remaining a pure real estate company. The municipal take-over resulted in an upgrade to both the track and the rolling stock. New overhead wires and new and heavier track were laid. From 1978, the T1300 trains were taken into use. With the take-over, the lines were numbered, and the Sognsvann Line designated 81, although this was quickly changed to 13.
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...
. All the stations were rebuilt, with platforms lengthened from fitting two-car to fitting four-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. The third rail required all level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
s to be removed, resulting in the line being rebuilt several places to allow the road to underpass or overpass. The light rail permitted passengers to cross the lines at the stations, but this was made impossible with metro standard. Because of this, underpasses or overpasses were built at the stations.
Frøen Station was rebuilt so only the trains on the Holmenkollen Line would stop there, while Nordberg Station
Nordberg (station)
Nordberg was a station on the Sognsvann Line of the Oslo Metro in Oslo, Norway. It was opened on 10 October 1934, and was located between Østhorn and Holstein stations, in a level crossing with the steep road Borgestadveien. The station saw several accidents, and was closed on 5 May 1992 when the...
was closed. All the stations, except Ullevål stadion, were built in the same architectural style. They are constructed in concrete with steel columns and wooden sheds and fences. All platforms have a shed; Ullevål stadion has a larger weather cover and has a design inspired by football. The upgrade also included the installation of third-rail from Majorstuen to 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,...
in the Common Tunnel. From 10 January 1993, the Sognsvann Line re-open, and from 4 April, the line started operating through the Common Tunnel and connected to the Lambertseter Line. The new service became operated with T1000 rolling stock.
Rikshospitalet
Rikshospitalet is located in Oslo, Norway. From January 1, 2009, the hospital is part of Oslo University Hospital....
at Gaustad, it was decided to extend the Ullevål Hageby Line
Ullevål Hageby Line
The Ullevål Hageby Line is a light rail section of the Oslo Tramway. It runs from Stortorvet in the city center of Oslo, Norway to Rikshospitalet. It passes through the areas of St. Hanshaugen, Ullevål Hageby and Blindern before reaching Gaustad...
of the tramway there, which would pass under the Sognsvann Line. Plans called for a transfer station at Blindern
Blindern (station)
Blindern is a rapid transit station on the Sognsvann Line of the Oslo Metro. It is located in the Vestre Aker borough of Oslo, Norway. Served by lines 3, 4 and 5, the station is located adjacent to the main campus of the University of Oslo, Blindern. Until 1999, the station served as terminus of...
, but this was later discarded in favor of a new station, Forskningsparken
Forskningsparken (station)
Forskningsparken is a rapid transit station on the Sognsvann Line of the Oslo Metro. It also serves as a light rail station for the Ullevål Hageby Line of the Oslo Tramway. It is located at the north of the Blindern campus of the University of Oslo in the Nordre Aker borough of Oslo, Norway...
. It would replace Vestgrensa
Vestgrensa (station)
Vestgrensa was a light rail station on the Sognsvann Line of the Oslo Metro in Norway. It opened on 10 October 1934, and was located between Blindern and Ullevål stadion stations. The station was rebuilt when the Sognsvann Line was upgraded from light rail to metro standard in the early 1990s...
, which was considered too far away to be a suitable transfer point. Forskningsparken would also serve the northern part of the Blindern campus. Not until 1998 were the necessary political agreements in place to allow construction to start. The new light rail started services on 1 June 1999, and the rapid transit station opened on 22 August. With the opening, Line 4 of the metro was extended from Blindern, via Forskningsarken, to Ullevål stadion. There were complaints from local residents that the increased traffic on the line was causing too much noise, and neighbors demanded that noise shields be built.
In 1991, Oslo Sporveier presented plans to connect the Sognsvann Line to the Grorud Line with a new Ring Line. The company also considered building the ring as part of the tramway, and have combined operation with both tram and metro on the Sognsvann Line. This was later discarded, despite the higher investment costs with a metro, since the tramway would give higher operating costs and longer travel time. A detailed suggestion was presented by Oslo Sporveier in August 1996. It became clear that Berg
Berg (station)
Berg is a station on the Sognsvann Line of the Oslo Metro in Norway. It is located between Ullevål stadion and Tåsen stations and is the first station after the Ring Line leaves the Sognsvann Line. The station is located from Stortinget station. Berg is amongst the original stations on the line,...
would not be served by the Ring Line. Many neighbors to the Sognsvann Line complained about the proposal, stating that they had hoped that the section from Majorstuen to Berg would have been rebuilt as a tunnel. They also argued that it was irrational that the line was running at-grade in densely populated areas, while it would run in a tunnel through the then mostly unpopulated Nydalen. To compensate, Oslo Sporveier stated that they would build noise screens along the line.
Progress Party (Norway)
The Progress Party is a political party in Norway which identifies as conservative liberal and libertarian. The media has described it as conservative and right-wing populist...
. Financing was partially ensured in December, when a political agreement was reached for Oslo Package 2
Oslo Package 2
The Oslo Package 2 or O2 is a political agreement for financing investments in public transport in Oslo and Akershus, Norway. The program runs from 2001 to 2011, and includes many large and small investments in railways, the Oslo Tramway, the Oslo Metro and infrastructure for buses. Total budget is...
, a financing plan for investments in public transport in Oslo and Akershus between 2002 and 2011. Construction started in June, with the Agency for Road and Transport of the municipality responsible for construction. The first section opened from Ullevål stadion via 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...
to Storo
Storo (station)
Storo is a rapid transit station on the Ring Line of the Oslo Metro, and a tram station on the Grünerløkka–Torshov Line of the Oslo Tramway. It is located at Storo in the Nordre Aker borough of Oslo, Norway. The tram station opened on 28 November 1902, and the rapid transit station on 20 August...
on 20 August 2003. With the opening, and Line 4 was extended from Ullevål stadion to Storo. On 20 August 2006, the final section opened, from Storo via Sinsen
Sinsen (station)
Sinsen is a rapid transit station on the Ring Line of the Oslo Metro. It is located at Sinsen in the Grünerløkka borough of Oslo, Norway. Next to the station is the tram station Sinsenkrysset, that has been part of the Sinsen Line of the Oslo Tramway since 1939. The station opened on 20 August...
to Carl Berners plass
Carl Berners plass (station)
Carl Berners plass is an underground rapid transit station located on the Grorud Line of the Oslo Metro, and a tram stop on the Sinsen Line of the Oslo Tramway. The square also has a bus stop for lines 20, 21, 31, 33 and 57. Located at Grünerløkka in Oslo, Norway, the area has a mixture of...
.
In 2002, the Sognsvann Line was closed during the summer vacations due to improvements of the track and third rail
Third rail
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost...
. In 2008, the line was closed for approximately one week, due to leaves that had covered the tracks. The operation of the line was replaced by buses that served temporary stops in Nordbergveien and Sognsveien. In 2010, a truck was stuck under the train bridge between Holstein
Holstein (station)
Holstein is a station on the Sognsvann Line of the Oslo Metro in Norway. The station is located between Kringsjå and Østhorn stations. Holstein was opened during the Second World War, in 1941. Formerly Nordberg was the next southbound station, but it was closed in 1992, at the same time as...
and Kringsjå
Kringsjå (station)
Kringsjå is the second last station on Sognsvannsbanen on the Oslo T-bane system. It lies between Holstein and Sognsvann and is 8.4 km from Stortinget. The station was opened on 10 October 1934....
over Carl Kjeldsens vei. The bridge was damaged, and allowed for only one-way-traffic for two weeks. Half the trains had to stop at Berg
Berg (station)
Berg is a station on the Sognsvann Line of the Oslo Metro in Norway. It is located between Ullevål stadion and Tåsen stations and is the first station after the Ring Line leaves the Sognsvann Line. The station is located from Stortinget station. Berg is amongst the original stations on the line,...
in the meantime.
Route
Nordre Aker
Nordre Aker is a borough of the city of Oslo, Norway.-History:This area became part of the city of Oslo in 1948. Before that it was a part of Aker municipality in Akershus county.-Demographics and housing:...
. The first two stations, Blindern and Forskningsparken, serve the Blindern campus of the University of Oslo. At Forskningsparken, there is transfer to the Ullevål Hageby Line of the Oslo Tramway, which allows connection with the two largest hospitals in the country: Rikshospitalet and Ullevål University Hospital
Ullevål University Hospital
Ullevaal, Oslo University Hospital was opened in 1887. From January 1, 2009, the hospital is part of the Oslo University Hospital.Ullevål has more than 8,600 employees. 940 of them are doctors and 2,400 nurses. With a total of 1,200 beds Ullevål, admits some 45,000 patients per year and its...
. Ullevål stadion
Ullevål stadion (station)
Ullevål stadion is a rapid transit station on the Sognsvann Line of the Oslo Metro. It is the last station served by lines 3, 4 and 5. North of the station, the Ring Line branches off from the Sognsvann Line...
serves Norway's largest sports venue, Ullevål Stadion, the home ground of Norwegian Premier League
Norwegian Premier League
Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
side Vålerenga and the national football team.
North of Ullevål stadion, just before reaching Berg, the Ring Line with services 4, 5 and 6 branches off. The ring line serves three stations, 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...
, Storo
Storo (station)
Storo is a rapid transit station on the Ring Line of the Oslo Metro, and a tram station on the Grünerløkka–Torshov Line of the Oslo Tramway. It is located at Storo in the Nordre Aker borough of Oslo, Norway. The tram station opened on 28 November 1902, and the rapid transit station on 20 August...
and Sinsen
Sinsen (station)
Sinsen is a rapid transit station on the Ring Line of the Oslo Metro. It is located at Sinsen in the Grünerløkka borough of Oslo, Norway. Next to the station is the tram station Sinsenkrysset, that has been part of the Sinsen Line of the Oslo Tramway since 1939. The station opened on 20 August...
before reaching the Grorud Line. From Berg to Tåsen
Tåsen (station)
Tåsen is a station on the Sognsvann Line of the Oslo Metro in Oslo, Norway. The station is located between Berg and Østhorn stations and is from Stortinget. As one of the original stations on the line, Tåsen was opened on 10 October 1934. The station was moved north in the 1990s, when the line...
, the line runs parallel to the motorway Ring 3
Ring 3 (Oslo)
Norwegian National Road 150, also known as Ring 3 and formerly Store Ringvei is a beltway limited-access road which circumnavigates Oslo, Norway. It runs from Ryen, through the Sinsen Interchange to Lysaker in Bærum.-History:...
. North of Berg, the Sognsvann Line mainly serves residential areas, including student dormitories at Sogn and Kringsjå
Kringsjå (station)
Kringsjå is the second last station on Sognsvannsbanen on the Oslo T-bane system. It lies between Holstein and Sognsvann and is 8.4 km from Stortinget. The station was opened on 10 October 1934....
. The Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
Norwegian School of Sport Sciences
The Norwegian School of Sport Sciences is a public university located at Sognsvann in Oslo, Norway. It has the national responsibility for education and research related within sport sciences. It provides education at Bachelor, Master and Doctorate level....
and the National Archival Services of Norway
National Archival Services of Norway
The National Archival Services of Norway is a Norwegian government agency that is responsible for keeping state archives, conducts control of public archiving and works to preserve private archives. It is subordinate to the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs and consists of the National...
is served by Sognsvann Station. The station also serves the recreational area Nordmarka
Nordmarka
Nordmarka is the mostly forested region which makes up the northern part of Oslo, Norway. The area called "Nordmarka" also extends into the municipalities of Hole, Ringerike, Lunner, Jevnaker and Nittedal. It is the largest part of the Marka borough. The forests are popular sites for hiking and...
and the lake Sognsvann
Sognsvann
Sognsvann is a 3.3km circumference lake just north of Oslo, Norway.Lying just within the greenbelt around Oslo, the lake is a popular recreational area, used as a camping, picnicking and bathing destination for the residents of Oslo during the summer, as well as a cross-country skiing, skating and...
.
Service
The Sognsvann Line is served by lines 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the Oslo Metro. Line 3 operates the full length of the Sognsvann Line, while lines 4, 5 and 6 branch off after Ullevål stadion and serve the Ring Line. Lines 4 and 6 operate the full ring, but swap numbers between Nydalen and Storo. Because of this, Line 4 only operates from Majorstuen to the Ring, and Line 6 only operates the other direction. Line 5 operates in both directions and terminates at Storo. All four services operate with a fifteen-minute headway, except during late evenings and weekend mornings. This gives the stations Blindern, Forskningsparken and Ullevål stadion an average five-minute headway to the city center and all stations in the Common Tunnel, and an average ten-minute headway to Nydalen and Storo. On the east side of the city, Line 3 connects with the Østensjø Line, Line 4 with the Lambertseter Line and Line 5 with the Grorud Line. Travel time from Stortinget to Sognsvann is 18 minutes. The Oslo Metro is operated by Oslo T-banedriftOslo T-banedrift
Oslo T-banedrift AS is a limited company that is responsible for operating Oslo Metro , the rapid transit in Oslo, Norway. The company is owned by Kollektivtransportproduksjon that again is owned by the city council...
on contract with Ruter
Ruter
Ruter As is the public transport authority for Oslo and Akershus, Norway. The company, organized as a limited company is responsible for managing, but not operating, public transport in the two counties, including bus, the Oslo Metro, the Oslo Tramway and ferries...
.
Transfer to the Kolsås, Røa and Holmenkollen Lines is possible at Majorstuen. Transfer to Oslo Central Station, which serves all mainline trains in Eastern Norway, is available at Jernbanetorget
Jernbanetorget (station)
Jernbanetorget is both a rapid transit station on the Oslo Metro and a light rail station of the Oslo Tramway. The metro station is in the Common Tunnel used by all lines under the city centre. It is located between Stortinget to the west and Grønland to the east. Until the construction of the...
. Most west-bound mainline trains can also be reached at Nationaltheatret
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...
. The Oslo Tramway can be reached from Majorstuen and Forskningsparken, as well as in the city center from Jernbanetorget, 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,...
and Nationaltheatret
Nationaltheatret (station)
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...
.