Norway/Vänern Line

Norway/Vänern Line
NSB Class 73 north of Öxnered
Overview
Locale	Sweden
Technical
Line length	300 km (190 mi)
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Operating speed	200 km/h (120 mph)

Norway/Vänern Line (Swedish: Norge/Vänerbanan) is a Y-shaped railway line in Sweden. The main section runs from Gothenburg Central Station to Kil Station, mostly along the west shore of Vänern. There is a branch from Erikstad to Kornsjø, which continues as the Østfold Line in Norway. The lengths of the line are 112 kilometres (70 mi) from Gothenburg to Erikstad, 180 kilometres (110 mi) from Gothenburg to Kornsjø and 232 kilometres (144 mi) from Gothenburg to Kil. The line is single track, except for the 82 kilometres (51 mi) section from Gothenburg to Öxnered, which is double track.

Traffic

The Vänern Branch from Gothenburg to Kil is trafficked by locomotive-hauled passenger trains on the Gothenburg–Karlstad once per two hours each direction, and by hourly regional trains from Gothenburg to Vänersborg. In addition, freight trains run from Gothenburg to Falun and to places in northern Sweden.

The Norway Branch from Gothenburg to Kornsjø is trafficked by the Norwegian State Railways three times per day and direction, using NSB Class 73 multiple units. They go as normal regional trains inside Norway with several stops. This branch is also trafficked by freight trains.

History

The railways were finished in 1879. A shortcut at Erikstad was built for the Norway branch in 1995. The section from Gothenburg to Öxnered was rebuilt as a new double-track railway in the period 2005-2012. The current name was introduced in 1990. From the construction until then, the name was Bergslagen Line, between Gothenburg, through Kil, to Falun, later Gävle. The line to Norway then started at Mellerud and was called Dalsland Line.