History of The Oslo Tramway and Metro - Second World War

Second World War

The tramways of Oslo experienced a higher ridership and several sabotage actions during the Second World War. During the "April Days of 1940", rumor had it that Oslo was going to be bombed, and the tram service was therefore stopped for half an hour that day. Later, on 19 December 1943, an explosion at the ammunition supply at Filipstad caused a total stop of tramway service from 14:30 a.m. A small explosition accident also took place at Vålerenga Depot in December 1944. On 31 December 1944, a tram was hit by an airbomb at Drammensveien (now Henrik Ibsens gate) next to the Palace Park, where all passengers but the conductor were killed.

Due to a low supply of petrol, bus traffic was replaced by electric tramways during the war. The trams experienced therefore an increase in ridership, from 64 million passengers per year in 1939 to 151 million in 1944. The three lines of Holmenkolbanen had together a ridership of 9.5 billion in 1939, 10.9 billions in 1940, 21 billions in 1943 and at the peak 22.6 billion passengers in 1945. In addition to the regular tram passenger services, Oslo Sporveier started to transport goods across the city in tram wagons.

The leadership of the tramway was transferred to the German occupants, who printed tickets and signs with Nazi emblems on them. If a passenger "demonstrated" by changing his seat when seated next to a German officer, he was expelled at the next station.

Except from a damage to the rail tracks at Frøen caused by a bomb, the Oslo Metro experienced no sabotage actions.