NORWAY: Metro operator Sporveien Oslo restructured its network of services with effect from April 3, following the opening for revenue service of the 1·6 km Lørenbanen connection.
Officially inaugurated by the Mayor of Oslo Marianne Borgen, Environment & Transport Commissioner Lan-Marie Berg and Governing Mayor Raymond Johansen, the underground link connects Sinsen on the Ring Line with Økern on the Grorud-Vestli Line, serving one intermediate station at Løren, located 26 m below ground.
Under the new service plan, only Line 2 between Østerås and Ellingsrudåsen remains unaltered. Line 1 continues to link Frognerseteren with Helsfyr, but its peak-hour extension now runs to Bergkrystallen instead of Ellingsrudåsen. The Lørenbanen link is served by Line 4, which has been extended from Storo to Grorud and Vestli. The former Line 6 from Storo to Bekkestua and Kolsås has been discontinued, with the western branch from Majorstuen to Kolsås now covered by a diversion of Line 3 from Mortensrud. The former northern section of Line 3 to Sognsvann becomes part of Line 5 from Vestli, which now makes a complete loop around the Ring Line in each direction.
Construction of the Lørenbanen started in June 2013. The main contractors were Skanska, Hent, Railcom, Torpol, Siemens, HAB and Malthe Winje. Architects Arne Henriksen and MDH Arkitekter buro designed Løren station. The project cost NKr1·33bn including NKr150m for modernisation of the Grorud-Vestli Line.
