Hirtshals Line (Hirtshalsbanen)

Hirtshals Line (Hirtshalsbanen)

The Hirtshals Railway Line or in Danish: Hirtshalsbanen, is a 17.7 km (11.0 mi) long standard gauge single track railway line between Hjørring and Hirtshals, Denmark. The railway links the fishing and ferry port of Hirtshals with the Danish rail network.

The railway line opened in 1925. It is currently owned and operated by the railway company Nordjyske Jernbaner (NJ) which runs frequent local train services from Hirtshals station to Hjørring station with onward connections from Hjørring to the rest of Denmark.

Hirtshals Line History

In 1915, the Danish Parliament agreed to build a new railway line between Hjørring and Ålbæk on the Skagen Line with a possible branch line from Vellingshøj to Hirtshals. The main line to Ålbæk was never constructed however, but the branch line to Hirtshals was built instead. Construction started in April 1924, and the railway was opened on 18 December the following year.

From the start, the railway line was operated together with the Hjørring-Løkken-Aabybro Line and the Hjørring-Hørby Line in the joint operating company Hjørring Privatbaner (HP).

In 2001, the operating company Hjørring Privatbaner merged with Skagensbanen to form the railway company Nordjyske Jernbaner (NJ). Headquartered in Hjørring, the company is now responsible for running the Hjørring–Hirtshals and Frederikshavn–Skagen Lines.

In 2005 the current Siemens Desiro trains, which have a maximum speed of 120 km/h (75 mph), were introduced.

Hirtshals Line Operations

Hirtshals Line Local Trains

Nordjyske Jernbaner (NJ) runs frequent local train services from Hirtshals station to Hjørring station with onward connections from Hjørring to the rest of Denmark.

Hirtshals Line Express Service

An international passenger service, Nordpilen, between Hirtshals and Hamburg, connecting with the ferries to and from Norway, ceased many years ago.

Hirtshals Line Freight

Apart from local passenger traffic, there are transit freight trains linking Norway to the European continent. The freight cars are transferred on the railway ferry from Hirtshals to Kristiansand.

Hirtshals Line Stations

• Hjørring
• Kvægtorvet
• Teglgårdsvej
• Herregårdsparken
• Vellingshøj
• Vidstrup
• Tornby
• Horne
• Emmersbæk
• Lilleheden
• Hirtshals

Hirtshals Line Previous Stations

• Color Line - between Lilleheden halt and Hirtshals station
• Raundrup - between Horne station and Tornby station
• Sønderby -  between Tornby station and Vidstrup station
• Langholm - between Vellingshøj station and Vidstrup station

Hirtshals Line Overview

Hirtshals Line Native Name: Hirtshalsbanen
Hirtshals Line Owner: Nordjyske Jernbaner
Hirtshals Line Termini:
Hjørring
Hirtshals
Hirtshals Line Stations: 13
Hirtshals Line Service Type: Railway
Hirtshals Line System: Danish railways
Hirtshals Line Operator(s): Nordjyske Jernbaner
Hirtshals Line Rolling Stock: Siemens Desiro
Hirtshals Line Opened: 18 December 1925
Hirtshals Line Line Length: 17.7 km (11.0 mi)
Hirtshals Line Number of Tracks: 1
Hirtshals Line Character: Local railway
Hirtshals Line Track Gauge: 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Hirtshals Line Electrification: No
Hirtshals Line Operating Speed:
100 km/h (62 mph) (Hjørring–Tornby)
75 km/h (47 mph) (Tornby–Hirtshals)

Hirtshalsbanen Route Map

km                                 closed

              Vendsyssel Line
              to Frederikshavn│to Aalborg
0.0        Hjørring
0.5        Kvægtorvet
             NJ railway depot
1.6        Teglgårdsvej
3.2        Herregårdsparken
4.0        Vellingshøj
             Langholm         2003
6.9        Vidstrup
             Sønderby          2019
10.4     Tornby
             Raundrup         2003
13.6      Horne
15.1      Emmersbæk
16.6      Lilleheden
              Color Line         2008
17.8      Hirtshals ferry/water interchange