Askerbanen

Askerbanen

Coordinates: 59°51′59.54″N 10°28′48.97″E / 59.8665389°N 10.4802694°E / 59.8665389; 10.4802694

Asker Line

NSB Class 70 unit to Vestfold and the Airport Express Train at Asker.
Overview
Type Railway
Termini Lysaker Station
Asker Station
Stations 2
Operation
Opened 27 August 2005
Owner Norwegian National Rail Administration
Operator(s) Norwegian State Railways
Flytoget
CargoNet
Character Express passenger
Freight
Rolling stock Class 70, Class 71, Class 72, Class 73
Technical
Line length 9.5 kilometres (5.9 mi)
No. of tracks Double
Track gauge 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Electrification 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC
Operating speed 160 km/h (99 mph)
Route map
Legend
Drammen Line from Oslo
Skøyen(1872) Rv161 (300 m)
Drammen Line to Lysaker
Vækerøplanned
Lysakerelva(~ 50 m)
Lysaker(1872)
Drammen Line to Sandvika
Bærum Tunnel(5,500 m)
13.19 km Sandvika(1872)
Øverlandselva and Sandvikselva(160 m)
Ringerike Lineplanned
E16 Ringeriksveien(90 m)
JongDrammen Line to Asker
Tanum Tunnel(3,590 m)
Skaugum Tunnel(3,790 m)
23.16 km Asker(1872)
Spikkestad Line
Drammen Line

The Asker Line (Norwegian: Askerbanen) is a 9.5-kilometre (5.9 mi) railway line between Asker and Lysaker in Norway. The line runs along the same corridor as the Drammen Line, offering increased capacity, speed and regularity on the rail network west of Oslo. The first part opened in 2005, and in 2011 an extension opened from Sandvika to Lysaker. An extension to Skøyen in Oslo will perhaps be built after 2020. Most of the railway is in tunnel and is dimensioned for 160 km/h (99 mph) running. The entire railway is electrified at 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC. The first section cost NOK 3.7 billion, while the second is budgeted at NOK 2.7 billion.

The purpose of the new line is to allow regional and express trains to run directly between Asker Station, Sandvika Station and Lysaker Station, without being slowed and delayed by commuter trains that make frequent stops at intermediate stations. The Asker Line will improve regularity, and capacity will increase from 12 to 26 trains per hour in each direction. Travel time from Asker to Skøyen Station will be reduced from 20 to 13 minutes. The line has received criticism for not being a true high-speed line, and for Lysaker Station not being in compliance with accessibility requirements. Similar parallel, high-speed lines have been or will be built northeast and southeast of Oslo.

The line is built, owned and maintained by the Norwegian National Rail Administration. At Sandvika, the line connects to the Drammen Line, which runs to Oslo Central Station in the east. At Asker, the line connects to the Spikkestad and Drammen Lines; the latter connects to the Sørland- and Vestfold Line at Drammen. The line is served by Norwegian State Railways with regional trains to Vestfold, Buskerud and Telemark, and the express trains along the Sørland Line and the Bergen Line; in addition, the Airport Express Train operates from Asker to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen. During night, freight trains also use the line.

Read more about Askerbanen:  Background, Operation