Narrow-Gauge Railways in Norway

Narrow-Gauge Railways in Norway

In Norway, a number of main lines were in the 19th century built with narrow gauge, 3 ft 6 in (1,067 mm), to save cost in a sparsely populated mountainous country. This included Norway's first own long-distance line, the Røros Line, connecting Oslo and Trondheim, 1877. Some secondary railways also had this gauge. These railways have been rebuilt to standard gauge or closed down. Some private railways had 750 mm (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in) and one had 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in). A few railways partly still are operated as museum railways, specifically the Thamshavn Line, Urskog–Høland Line and the Setesdal Line. The Trondheim Tramway is also narrow gauge.

Norway List of Narrow-Gauge Lines

Line Length Opened Gauge Converted Notes

• Ålgård Line 12 km (7.5 mi) 1921 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) 1944 Branch of the Sørlandet Line
• Brevik Line 10 km (6.2 mi) 1895 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) 1921 Branch of the Vestfold Line
• Drammen Line 52 km (32 mi) 1872 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) 1922
• Flekkefjord Line 17 km (11 mi) 1904 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) 1941 Closed in 1989
• Grimstad Line 22 km (14 mi) 1907 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) 1936 Closed in 1961
• Hokksund–Kongsberg 87 km (54 mi) 1871 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) 1909 Since renamed to the Sørlandet Line
• Holmestrand–Vittingfoss Line 30 km (19 mi) 1902 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) — Closed in 1938
• Horten Line 7 km (4.3 mi) 1881 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) 1949 Branch of the Vestfold Line
• Jæren Line 74 km (46 mi) 1878 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) 1944 Since 1944 part of the Sørlandet Line
• Krøderen Line 26 km (16 mi) 1872 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) 1909 Closed in 1985, now a heritage railway
• Lier Line 21 km (13 mi) 1904 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) — Closed in 1937
• Lillesand–Flaksvand Line 17 km (11 mi) 1896 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) — Closed in 1953
• Nesttun–Os Line 24 km (15 mi) 1894 750 mm (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in) — Closed in 1935
• Randsfjorden Line 87 km (54 mi) 1866 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) 1909
• Røros Line 383 km (238 mi) 1862 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) 1941 Converted in stages
• Setesdal Line 78 km (48 mi) 1895 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) — Closed in 1962. Opened as a heritage railway in (first section) in 1966. Now runs on the preserved scenic 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) stretch Grovane-Røyknes
• Sulitjelma Line 36 km (22 mi) 1892 750 mm (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in) 1915 Built with 750 mm (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in) gauge, converted to 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) gauge, closed in 1972
• Thamshavn Line 25 km (16 mi) 1908 1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) — Electric. Closed in 1974, now a heritage railway
• Tønsberg–Eidsfoss Line 84 km (52 mi) 1901 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) — Closed in 1938
• Trondhjem–Støren Line 51 km (32 mi) 1864 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) 1921 Since 1877 part of the Røros Line and since 1921 part of the Dovre Line
• Urskog–Høland Line 57 km (35 mi) 1896 750 mm (2 ft 5+1⁄2 in) — Closed in 1960. Opened in 1966 as a heritage railway
• Vestfold Line 148 km (92 mi) 1881 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) 1949
• Old Voss Line 106 km (66 mi) 1883 1,067 mm (3 ft 6 in) 1909. Since 1909 Voss Line is part of the Bergen Line