Vika Line | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Overview | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Native name | Vikatrikken | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Status | Operating | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Owner | Sporveien | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Locale | Oslo, Norway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Termini | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Stations | Aker Brygge, Kontraskjerat, Ruseløkka | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Service | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Type | Tramway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
System | Oslo Tramway | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Services | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operator(s) | Sporveien Trikken | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Rolling stock | SL79 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
History | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Opened | 21 August 1995 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Technical | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Line length | 1.6 km (0.99 mi) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Number of tracks | Double | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Electrification | 750 V DC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Operating speed | 50 km/h (31 mph) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The Vika Line (Norwegian : Vikatrikken) 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. The line is owned by the municipal company Kollektivtransportproduksjon, and operated by its subsidiary Oslo Sporvognsdrift.
The line was opened on 21 August 1995 to serve the newly redeveloped areas with a high concentration of jobs. From 1875 to 1961, the Vika area has also been served by the Vestbanen Line. The line serves the large working areas at Aker Brygge, that has many corporate head offices, as well as the Oslo City Hall and The City Hall Square. The line provides connection to the city's water bus services to Nesodden and Bygdøy.
The first line at Vika was built by Kristiania Sporveisselskab, and opened as a horsecar route from Oslo West Station to Stortorvet on 10 October 1875. It was electrified in 1899, and extended to Skillebekk in 1909, as what became the Skøyen Line. [1] The Vestbanen Line was closed in 1961, one year after the city council decided to gradually close the city's tramway. [2]
During the 1980s, the former shipyard of Akers Mekaniske Verksted at Vika went through an urban redevelopment. Several large companies started building corporate head offices at the area known as Aker Brygge, that also featured shopping and residential areas. The Vika area had by the mid-1990s 5,000 residents and 30,000 jobs. [3] With the construction of the Festning Tunnel, it would also become possible to make The City Hall Square, the square in front of Oslo City Hall, car-free. [4]
Plans were launched in a report in 1989, that summarized the possibilities for different public transport expansions throughout Oslo. [5] In October, an agreement was reached where the 48 million kr to build the line would be split evenly between the municipality, the state and the private real estate developers: Aker Eiendom, Olav Thon Eiendomsselskap and Berdal Strømme. [3] By 1990, municipal-owned Oslo Sporveier, the then owner and operator of the tramway, stated that the project would be profitable, and contribute NOK 4.9 million per year to the company. This meant that the municipality could recover the investment within three years. [6]
In 1992, the city council gave funding for the project. [7] One of the suggestions for the private financing of the project, was for the companies to create a kommandittselskap , and purchase two trams from the city for NOK 8 million each. [8] The Vika Line was also seen as part of a possible light rail version of the Ring Line—a circular line that was to connect northern Oslo between east and west without passing through the city center. Had the light rail solution not been discarded in favor of making the ring part of the Oslo T-bane, the Vika trams would, after reaching Majorstuen, have continued onwards towards Rikshospitalet, that opened in 1999, and Nydalen. [9]
The city council made the final decision to build the line on 18 May 1994, supported by the Labour Party, Socialist Left Party, Centre Party and the Red Electoral Alliance. The right-winged opposition parties opposed the suggestion, arguing that financing was not yet finalized, and that they wanted to have The City Hall Square completely free of all traffic, not just automobiles. [10] City Commissioner of Transport and the Environment, Raymond Johansen from the Socialist Left Party, argued that building the line would creating a more people-friendly city center, and allow the different parts of the city center to be better connected with public transport. [11]
Construction started on 18 August 1994, when Raymond Johansen lay down the first track. By then, inflation had adjusted the construction cost to NOK 53.5 million. [12] The line opened on 21 August 1995. [13] When the line opened, it was served by two lines: no. 10 Jar–Sinsen–Disen and no. 15 Majorstuen–Frogner–Sagene. [12] The line was the first new street tram line to be built in Oslo since the Sinsen Line opened in 1939. [12] Estimates before opening showed that the line should have 900,000 riders the first year. [14] By June 1996, the two lines had a daily ridership increase of 2,300, a 19% increase. [15]
With the redevelopment of the Bjørvika and Vippetangen areas, located east of The City Hall Square, three other segments of tramway have been proposed to be built along the fjord edge, and could connect to the Vika Line in the future. [16]
The Vika Line is served by line 12 of the Oslo Tramway. Services are each ten minutes, with reduced frequency in evening and on weekends. All lines are operated with SL79 articulated trams by Oslo Sporvognsdrift, on contract with Ruter. [17] The trams and tracks are owned by the municipal company Kollektivtransportproduksjon. The line is 1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi) long. [13]
The line follows the streets Rosenkrantz gate, The City Hall Square and Cort Adelers gate. [7] It has unique stations: Christiania torv, Rådhusplassen, Aker brygge and Vikatorvet. The new stations on the route are Kontraskjerat, Aker Brygge and Ruseløkka. It intercepts the Skøyen Line at Wessels plass to the east, where the trams continue to the city center. In the west, the line intercepts with the Skøyen- and Frogner Line at Solli. [18] Only along The City Hall Square and Cort Adlers gate at Vikatorvet does the new line follow the route of the former Vestbanen Line.
At The City Hall Square, there is transfer to the ferry quay for Oslo Fergene, that operates route 91 on contract with Ruter to Bygdøy. [19] At Aker Brygge, there is transfer with Nesodden–Bundefjord Dampskipsselskap, that operates Ruter route 601 ferries to Nesodden. [20] Transfer to line 13 of the tramway, that serves the Skøyen- and Lilleaker Line is possible at Solli; transfer to line 19, that serves the Briskeby Line, is possible at Wessels plass and Kirkegata. All other tram routes can be reached at Stortorvet. Transfer to the rapid transit (T-bane) and railway are available at Kirkeristen, where they connect to Jernbanetorget, Oslo Central Station and Oslo Bus Terminal. [18]
Aker Brygge is a large working area, and features the head offices of several of Norway's largest companies, including DnB NOR, Storebrand and Aker. [21] It also has 70 stores and 40 restaurants. [22] Also located in the area is the former Western Railway Station, that today's hosts the Nobel Peace Center. [23] At The City Hall Square is the Oslo City Hall, and the square borders to the recreational and historical area of Akershus Fortress. [24]
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 the Parliament of Norway Building (Stortinget). The station is served by all of the five lines of the metro. At the street level, the station serves tram routes 11, 12, 13, 17, 18 and 19. Lines 11, 12 and 13 serves Øvre Slottsgate on the Vika Line while Lines 17, 18 and 19 stops at Tinghuset in the Ullevål Hageby Line. Also close to the station, there is a stop named Prof. Aschehougs gate that stops line FB5 to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen. Stortinget is 'kilometer marker zero' for the metro network and is owned by Sporveien T-banen.
The Sognsvann Line is a rapid transit line on the Oslo Metro of Norway. It branches from the Common Tunnel at Majorstuen and runs 6.0 kilometers (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. The western end of line 5 serves the entire line. Line 4 and the eastern end of line 5 serve the southern part of the line up to Ullevål stadion before branching off and continuing 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 Ring Line is the newest rapid transit loop line of the Oslo Metro of Oslo, Norway. It connects to the Sognsvann Line in the west and the Grorud Line in the east; along with these two lines and the Common Tunnel, the Ring Line creates a loop serving both the city centre and Nordre Aker borough. The 5.0 kilometres (3.1 mi)-long line has three stations: Nydalen, Storo and Sinsen. Four-fifths of the line runs within two tunnels, with the 1.0-kilometer (0.62 mi) section between Storo and Sinsen, including both stations, being the only at-grade part. The line connects to the Grorud Line north of Carl Berners plass and with the Sognsvann Line north of Ullevål stadion.
Grønland is a rapid transit station on the Oslo Metro in the Common Tunnel serving all six lines. It is located in the business and residential area Grønland, between the stations Jernbanetorget to the west and Tøyen to the east. The station was opened on 22 May 1966 with the opening of the subway, and underwent refurbishments 1988–92. Peer Qvam was the original architect.
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. The decision to build the station was made in 1998, and it opened in 1999, replacing the former station Vestgrensa, and allowed interchange between the metro and the tramway. The Ullevål Hageby Line was at the same time extended to serve the new Rikshospitalet. Forskningsparken is served by lines 4 and 5 of the metro, each operating every 15 minutes and providing services along both the Sognsvann Line and the Ring Line. Lines 17 and 18 of the tramway serve Forskningsparken, operating to Rikshospitalet and the city center.
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 and 33. Located at Helsfyr in Oslo, Norway, the area has a mixture of apartment buildings and small businesses. The station is the first metro station on the Grorud Line after it branches off from the shared Common Tunnel. North of the station, the Ring Line branches off from the Grorud Line. The station is served by line 5 of the metro and Line 17 of the tramway, with four hourly departures during regular hours. The tram operates every 10 minutes during regular hours.
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 2003. Metro lines 4 and 5 run to the station. The tram station serves lines 11, 12 and 18. The station is within walking distance of Grefsen Station on the Gjøvik Line. The station also functions as a bus hub, being located along Ring 3. Storo is a mixed commercial and residential area, and a shopping center is located just north of the subway station.
Sinsen is a rapid transit station on the Ring Line of the Oslo Metro. It is located at Sinsen in the Sagene 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 2006, as part of the first section of the Ring Line. The station is served by line 4 and 5 of the metro, as well as several local bus services. Sinsen is a mixed residential and commercial area.
AS Oslo Sporveier is a defunct municipal owned company responsible for public transport in Oslo, Norway. It was created in 1924 to take over the city's two private tram companies. In 1927 its started with bus transport, including from 1940 to 1968 trolleybuses. Since 1966 rapid transit and from 1985 water buses have also been operated by the company. It was split into two separate companies in 2006; Kollektivtransportproduksjon took over the operation while Oslo Public Transport Administration was responsible for buying the services, fare regulation and marketing. The latter merged into Ruter in 2008, when the Oslo Sporveier brand was discontinued.
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 Holstein was re-built with longer platforms and new ticket machines. The name Holstein is believed to origin from Schleswig-Holstein in Germany.
Ruter AS is the public transport authority for Oslo and Akershus counties in Norway. Formally a limited company – 60% of its shares are owned by the Oslo county municipality and 40% by that of Akershus – it is responsible for the administration, funding, and marketing of public transport in the two counties, including buses, the Oslo Metro, Oslo Trams, and ferry services. Ruter also holds agreements with Norwegian State Railways concerning the regulation of fares on local and regional train services operated within the two counties.
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. It serves major institutions such as Oslo University College, Bislett Stadion, Ullevål University Hospital, the University of Oslo and Rikshospitalet. The line is served by route 17 and 18 by Oslo Sporvognsdrift using SL95 trams, while the tracks are owned by Kollektivtransportproduksjon.
The Briskeby Line is a line of the Oslo Tramway in Norway. It runs westwards from Jernbanetorget in the city center, passing through the neighborhoods of Briskeby and Uranienborg before reaching its terminus at Majorstuen. The section from Jernbanetorget to Inkognitogata is shared with the Skøyen Line; on this section it connects with the important transport hub Nationatheatret. This part is variously served by route 11, 12 and 13. From the Inkognitogata stop, the line moves through the residential areas around the Royal Palace, in the streets named Riddervolds gate, Briskebyveien, Holtegata and Bogstadveien. The part of the line in Bogstadveien from Majorstuen to Rosenborg is also served by route 19, which operates the Homansbyen Line.
The Sinsen Line is part of the Oslo Tramway on the east side of the city. Most of the line is served by line 17, although the northernmost tip (Grefsen–Torshov) is served by line 18 which otherwise runs on the Grünerløkka–Torshov Line. Both services use SL95 articulated trams.
The history of the Oslo Tramway and Oslo Metro in Oslo, Norway, starts in 1875, when Kristiania Sporveisselskab (KSS) opened two horsecar lines through the city centre. In 1894, Kristiania Elektriske Sporvei (KES) built the first electric street tramways, which ran west from the city centre. Within six years, all tramways were electric. The city council established Kristiania Kommunale Sporveie (KKS) in 1899, which built three lines before it was sold to KSS six years later. Both KSS and KES were taken over by the municipality in 1924, becoming Oslo Sporveier. The company gradually expanded the city tram network, which reached its peak length in 1939.
Rådhusplassen is a square located between Oslo City Hall and the Oslofjord in Vika, Oslo, Norway. Previously used as a road and part of European route E18, it has since 1994 served as a recreational area. North of the square stands the city hall, to the south the fjord, to the east Akershus Fortress and to the east the former Western Railway Station.
The Fjord City is an urban renewal project for the waterfront part of the centre of Oslo, Norway. The first redevelopment was at Aker Brygge during the 1980s. Bjørvika and Tjuvholmen followed up during the 2000s, while the remaining parts of the Port of Oslo will be developed in the 2010s. The port will be relocated to Sørhavna. The planning is performed by the Oslo Waterfront Planning Office. Major investments in the area include a new Central Railway Station, an already completed Oslo Opera House, and the commercial buildings in the Barcode Project. Several large cultural institutions will be moved to Bjørvika, including moving the Oseberg Ship, Oslo Public Library, and the Munch Museum. The main barrier between the city and the fjord will disappear when European Route E18 is relocated to the Bjørvika Tunnel.
Aker Brygge is a tram stop on the Oslo Tramway.
Kontraskjæret is a tram stop on the Vika Line. The station opened in 1995 as the name Rådhusplassen; From 2015, the station has closed due to maintenance works on the Vika Line and opened again with the name Kontraskjæret. The station is close to Rådhusbrygge 1