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Friday, March 29, 2024

Trains halted amidst expansion plans

Train service in and around Oslo was back in operation on Friday after a major disruption ground it to a halt from 5:30pm on Thursday. A major electrical breakdown knocked out the signal system and it wasn’t fixed until the middle of the night.

All trains in and out of Oslo’s central station (Oslo S) were halted, and passengers had to wait in long lines for alternative transport that was slow in coming.

“It’s a large and complicated system,” railroad spokesman Kjell Bakken told media when asked to explain the long delays. The problem was finally fixed and commuters were able to take the train to work on Friday morning, but delays were expected throughout the day.

The state has been making major investments in Norway’s long-neglected railroad, with state railway NSB recently announcing it was buying 15 new passenger trains to serve the greater Oslo  area. State railroad Jernbaneverket has also received funding for major rail improvements and expansion, but the work will take years to complete.

Meanwhile, route expansion plans were announced earlier this month to revive long-distance train routes through Oslo, including better and quicker service between Oslo and Stavanger and Oslo and Stockholm. Daily departures from Oslo to Stavanger will increase in December from four to seven, and from five to eight on the same line to Kristiansand.

Swedish railroad SJ also plans to boost service between Oslo and Stockholm from two to three trains a day, and from three to four to Gothenburg.

newsinenglish.no staff

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