Norway’s long-suffering train system had another bad month of delays and cancellations in October, much of it blamed on inadequate capacity and infrastructure around the Oslo area. Oslo’s popular metro system (T-bane), meanwhile, is back on track after months of maintenance work and expansion.
Newspaper Aftenposten reports that commuter train service through Oslo only met its punctuality goals on one single day last month. October traffic was otherwise characterized by chronic delays blamed on maintenance work on Hovedbanen (the main line through Oslo) that also disrupted cargo train operations through the long tunnel known as Romeriksporten.
The goal for BaneNor, responsible for railroad infrastructure, is to have 90 percent of all passenger service running on time. Local- and regional trains should reach the ends of their lines less than four minutes behind schedule, while long-distance trains shouldn’t be more than six minutes late. During the commuter rush in Oslo, 85 percent of all trains should also arrive less than four minutes behind schedule. Since Oslo is at the heart of all train service in the country, local delays also affect long-distance.
Oslo’s metro service, meanwhile, emerged relatively unscathed after months of major renovations and expansion of the important hub at Majorstuen. It reopened on Monday with all trains running through it again, also to Østerås and Kolsås west of the capital. The large Stortinget station under the Parliament building downtown, however, closed on Tuesday for additional renovations. It’s due to reopen on December 2.
NewsinEnglish.no staff
