A huge increase in train passengers will lead to a need for more trains and perhaps new local trains.
The theme came up during the conference, Jernbaneforum 2019 in Oslo on Monday.
According to Aftenposten newspaper, the railway in Norway has had formidable passenger success and now has 10 million more travellers on NSB’s trains than just a few years ago.
There is continuous planning to have enough routes and train’s set for need.
“Today, growth from 70 million to up to 160–170 million passengers annually is predicted by 2050.
It provides a demand for over 700 trains. One can discuss whether it is realistic, but we need to come up with a new request in the market now” saidthe head of Norwegian Trains, Øystein Risan, to Aftenposten newspaper.
He noted that the situation is changing rapidly now, and dramatically.
New solutions
In Norway, there are now more and morestretches of road to tender. Then it mayhappen that those who get the contracts will go for train solutions in several places, or other solutions to accommodate more travellers.
In terms of capacity, double-tracked InterCity routes from Oslo to Tønsberg will open in 2025,to Hamar in 2026, to Fredrikstad in 2027, and to Hønefoss at the earliest in 2028.
Go-Ahead looks at local trains
Major passenger increases are also expected elsewhere in the country. Fædrelandsvennen journal wrote that Go-Ahead is interested in investigating the possibility of local trains around Kristiansand.
The company is expected to increase the number of passengers by 288,000 on the Sørlandsbanen and over 500,000 on the Jærbanen by 2025. Now it is possible that they will invest in their own local trains around Kristiansand.
“We want to look at this since we believe there is potential. Therefore, we want feedback locally if this is something that is of interest” said Cathrine Elgin, Norwegian head of Go-Ahead.
On December 20, they take over the operation of the Sørlandsbanen, Arendalsbanen and Jærbanen.
© NTB Scanpix / #Norway Today
