history oslo metro history oslo oslo norway starts opened lines city centre built electric street ran west city centre years electric city council established built lines sold years later taken municipality oslo company gradually expanded city network reached peak length light rail line opened ran west city later light rail lines west opened line ran city centre east city line opened followed opened line light rail lines built private companies bought oslo metro opened consisting line upgraded light rail line year opened year connected line opened city council decided close lines closed decision revoked completed western lines upgraded connected metro allowing metro trains run city centre metro ring line completed street attempt introduce operations oslo time called engineer architect paul applied concession application rejected city council felt streets narrow second application april time permission granted august established company metre long cars delivered united_states manufacturer arriving august official opening took place october city company changed spelling system initially standard gauge single tracked lines passing loops allow pass originated line running east old oslo called oslo ran west station station ran west depot located addition short connecting line closed october lines connected station ran services corresponded train arrivals departures lines fixed minute decreasing minutes june winter company attempted use instead wagons took delivery seventeen units suitable wagons company instead chose salt rail tracks profits immediately additional seven cars delivered following year new line built start line new depot extended december line gate april following year lines merged services oslo company concentrated investments rebuilding system double track company took delivery additional cars length cars delivery cars designed converted electric trailers metres long remained service registered passengers electrification system expensive operate electric later electric founded establish electric service initiative came engineers consul immediately attempted buy company purchase failed march opened ran westwards station station city centre supply time branch line opened line heading west shuttle service provided branch line april service offered station branch line extended gate december station june known street line built opened extended depot located introduced numbered services numbered numbered numbered bought cars trailers cars later rebuilt trailers main manufacturers delivering continual stream stock company sufficient rolling stock vehicles delivered decided convert lines electric traction electric ran september conversion completed january time electrification later converted trailers decommissioned trailers taken service sixteen sold rebuilding meter gauge original cars preserved extended west station stages december june extended east november ran east city centre opened ran parallel north june street line opened stages extension line september october finally november electrification ordered new remained service million passengers trips municipal companies profitable city council decided start service municipal owned operator norway line opened november connection onwards station tracks january connection line built city centre avoid running tracks second line opened march located line named southern section later city centre track depot located line opened august city centre southwards track needed connect line city centre cars trailers bought electric components delivered stock remained service company failed profits sold consolidation operating seven routes oslo extended november opened extension september agreed link networks connecting line opened station line extension finished november expansion caused need rolling stock took delivery metres long somewhat longer new lines allowed companies operate lines introduced common numbering scheme services lines serviced numbered routes system remains use today number additional connections built networks companies started certain lines bought additional commonly referred class annual million light rail line opened city suburban light rail line ran kilometres station stations station like later light rail lines electric grade separated right way proper stations instead stops unlike suburban lines built later extended city street tracks instead passengers change station started metre wide suburban stock replaced original class class stock kilometre long line opened station branch line station south extended kilometres northwards new stations station single track freight demolished started construction kilometre long tunnel station station intermediate station rock beneath city extension planned suburban lines access central business district oslo high construction costs difficult geological conditions prevented extension opening caused company financial difficulties resulting line sold owned started building took years complete kilometre long line ran north station station new stations extended kilometres station new stations renamed line incorporated following year construction started single tracked line opened june running kilometres southwards station stations station company agreement use chose line volts started operating adjacent bus lines oslo september kilometre long opened stations branch station station operated shuttle service outside rush hour peak hours direct service provided main line double tracked station station station station line extended station september extension remained single track success light rail lines tempted extend west suburban line opened station station station section west station located municipality new branch section station station opened connecting line station line upgraded stock replaced wider suburban station kilometres station merger city oslo municipality surrounded oslo sides lines founded june coordinate construction new light rail line new suburbs company planned build lines ends street extend grade separated rights way construction started opened eastwards december january years street operated later oslo ran kilometre route line opened spanning kilometres reach agreement owned direct services city centre provided line second world war oslo experienced higher sabotage actions second world war april days oslo going bombed service stopped half hour day later december explosion ammunition supply caused total stop service small explosion accident took place december december hit gate palace park passengers conductor killed low supply petrol bus traffic replaced electric war experienced increase million passengers year million lines billion peak billion passengers addition regular passenger services started transport goods city wagons leadership transferred german printed tickets signs nazi passenger demonstrated changing seat seated german officer expelled stop damage rail tracks caused bomb oslo metro experienced sabotage actions city granted concessions private companies city companies companies run highly profitable merged taken city council gave new company municipality owned cent january city changed oslo company changing light rail lines operated taken operated city council want lines operations transferred private company line oslo immediately started expanding network opened branch line august extended north line opened september ran line northwards station municipality gained ownership oslo new company decided increase permitted car width metres allowing wider suburban run city streets 1930s oslo decided needed rolling stock create class units delivered built aluminium chassis quick light distinct streamlined shape making ends look like tail extended northwards point city extensive network built large debts building underground section including large amounts compensation house owners buildings damaged construction finance debt owned transferred november taking majority shares remained listed january took operation ownership line remained oslo started operating lines october bought took operation lines january municipalities oslo merged owned companies merged taking following year oslo took bought shares time took operation suburban lines partial closing oslo million passengers january line line closed followed february reopened following new route january sale cars cheap diesel decision build metro city council decided close networks tracks kept run naturally retired major investments lines rolling stock year closed lines remaining routes closed june closed lines closed site turning loop needed moved allow construction instead closing line oslo chose build new loop scheduled close new line needed built allow passage construction replace heavy protests residents oslo chose build loop city centre metro city established september plans launched city council decided build metro network branches eastern oslo run run southwards areas chosen new suburbs oslo needed good public transport system place quickly system feature improvements light rail lines rail power supply cab signaling automatic train protection stations long car trains level crossings replaced bridges specifications christened metro standard converted metro standard new lines built line opened light rail line station connected line station april originally overhead wires low platforms served remain line served area located lines extended station metro took delivery trains cars delivered eastern network metro opened opened station station city centre located day line reopened upgraded metro standard october kilometre station long ran northeast northern opened station line connected system line extended station runs southern opened station extended station year extended station kilometres reached station kilometres western light rail lines took delivery train cars additional converted existing cars cars differed run rail overhead wires connected metro western lines gradually like metro retained overhead wires different signaling system shorter platforms western lines terminated underground station west city centre metro terminated underground station east city centre termini located kilometres apart station located heart city centre kilometres east opened extension metro tunnel water leaks exceeding drainage capacity forced station closed reopened western light rail tunnel extended station renamed incompatible signalling power equipment possible trains run tunnel western upgraded metro standard followed years later trains line needed rail shoes operate outer parts line tunnel switched overhead wire station station respectively car trains delivered meet need rolling stock additional orders class originally planned replace older stock trains proved unreliable order section closed disagreements counties oslo pay purchase services oslo year replacement buses line reopened closed upgrade metro standard disagreements counties means upgrade separately sides municipal boundary oslo opening upgraded reached station oslo ring line opened station station line create loop connect north city centre july construction caused tunnel collapse system busiest forcing line december creating havoc replacement buses ring completed onwards line system started taking delivery new trains replaced old stock trains retired reopened metro standard closed renovation year revival city council changed decision close main reason oil crisis cheaper run hydroelectric powered diesel powered buses investment seventeen years new stock bought oslo opted buy seven units sweden addition articulated delivered followed oslo merged 1990s number expansions network disused line depot opened revenue traffic line constructed access new waterfront neighbourhood southwestern city centre extended new new lines low floor delivered replacing units voltage increased volts june non articulated retired announced close reduce costs line actually closed replaced buses occurred november local protests compromise city council line reopened november july reorganized operation transferred oslo operations operation metro oslo oslo metro operations reorganization july companies kept oslo brand responsible purchasing marketing public transport system ownership maintenance tracks stations transferred public transport production parent operating companies retained actual running metro trains brand discontinued january created merger greater oslo local traffic responsible public transport preservation founded preserve vehicles museum run member non profit organization founded reaction aftermath closing bergen single preserved volunteers realized similar lack preservation happen oslo museum rail vehicles buses seven vehicles including museum buses display heritage including station construction future plans political agreement major projects spend public funding transport oslo agreement consists billion norwegian nok shared investments road infrastructure public transport infrastructure operating subsidies financing comes state counties toll roads agreement states major investments planned year period addition previous agreement funding smaller projects upgrade line metro standard started estimated finish new station planned planned connected ring line line allowing trains run directly ring station extension proposed stations centre new terminus travel time minutes city urban redevelopment project converting areas centre oslo include gradual building moved run south new line built similar redevelopment project involves plans building line extension line previously planned people solution unsuccessful planning focuses building instead extension planned
History of the Oslo Tramway and Metro