Asker Line

59°51′59.54″N 10°28′48.97″E / 59.8665389°N 10.4802694°E / 59.8665389; 10.4802694

Asker Line
An GMB Class 71 leaving the Skaugum Tunnel at Åstad, with the Drammen Line to the left
Overview
Native name	Askerbanen
Owner	Bane NOR
Termini	Lysaker Station Asker Station
Stations	2
Service
Type	Railway
Operator(s)	Airport Express Train Go-Ahead Norge Vy Vy Tog CargoNet
Rolling stock	Class 70, Class 71, Class 72, Class 73
History
Opened	27 August 2005
Technical
Line length	9.5 kilometres (5.9 mi)
Number of tracks	Double
Character	Express passenger Freight
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in)
Electrification	15 kV  16.7 Hz AC
Operating speed	160 km/h (99 mph)
Route map Legend km length in m Drammen Line to Oslo Central Skøyen above Rv161 300 Drammen Line Vækerø (planned) Lysakerelva 50 Lysaker Drammen Line Bærum Tunnel 5,500 13.19 Sandvika Øverlandselva & Sandvikselva 160 Ringerike Line (planned) E16 Ringeriksveien 90 Jong Drammen Line Tanum Tunnel 3,590 Skaugum Tunnel 3,790 23.16 Asker Spikkestad Line Drammen Line to Drammen km length in m

The Asker Line (Norwegian: Askerbanen) is a 9.5-kilometre (5.9 mi) railway line between Asker and Lysaker in Norway. The line runs along the same corridor as the Drammen Line, offering increased capacity, speed and regularity on the rail network west of Oslo. The first part opened in 2005, and in 2011 an extension opened from Sandvika to Lysaker. Original plans called for an extension to Skøyen, but from 2020, new planning is under way for an extension all the way to Oslo Central Station. Most of the railway is in tunnel and is dimensioned for 160 km/h (99 mph) running. The entire railway is electrified at 15 kV  16.7 Hz AC. The first section cost 3.7 billion kr, while the second is budgeted at NOK 2.7 billion.

The purpose of the new line is to allow regional and express trains to run directly between Asker Station, Sandvika Station and Lysaker Station, without being slowed and delayed by commuter trains that make frequent stops at intermediate stations. The Asker Line will improve regularity, and capacity will increase from 12 to 26 trains per hour in each direction. Travel time from Asker to Skøyen Station will be reduced from 20 to 13 minutes. The line has received criticism for not being a true high-speed line, and for Lysaker Station not being in compliance with accessibility requirements. Similar parallel, high-speed lines have been or will be built northeast and southeast of Oslo.

The line is built, owned and maintained by Bane NOR (previously the Norwegian National Rail Administration). At Sandvika, the line connects to the Drammen Line, which runs to Oslo Central Station in the east. At Asker, the line connects to the Spikkestad and Drammen Lines; the latter connects to the Sørland- and Vestfold Line at Drammen. The line is served by Vy with regional trains to Vestfold, Buskerud and Telemark, and the express trains along the Sørland Line and the Bergen Line; in addition, the Airport Express Train operates from Asker to Oslo Airport, Gardermoen. During night, freight trains also use the line.