Norway nearly doubles rail maintenance spending for 2025 and plans new rail tunnel in Oslo

Norway will be spending 6,6 billion Norwegian crowns (563,6 million euros) on the operation and maintenance of the railway network in 2025. The number marks a growth of 2,9 billion Norwegian crowns compared to the previous budget.

Infrastructure manager Bane NOR stresses that the national budget prioritises maintenance and renewal over new investments, which is in line with the company’s preferences.

“We are satisfied that the government wants to prioritise maintenance and renewal of the railway. There is a large maintenance backlog that affects operations, in addition to the fact that we more often experience extreme weather that leads to landslides and floods”, Bane NOR’s CEO Thor Gjermund Eriksen stated. “More money for upgrading and renewing the railway will help to improve punctuality in the long term”, he adds.

A new tunnel in Oslo

Bane NOR highlights spending on preparatory works for the restoration of the Arna – Standhelle line, which can count on 300 million Norwegian crowns (25,6 million euros). “Over a long period of time, the Arna-Stanghelle railway line has been exposed to landslides, and several landslides have caused great damage and stopped train traffic for long periods”, Bane NOR stated. The 300 million crowns are supposed to facilitate more efficient traffic, including for freight.

Moreover, there is a proposal to plan a tunnel through Norway’s capital city Oslo. Rail infrastructure in the area is congested, says Bane NOR, and is in need of an upgrade. “Over time, we have experienced an increase in passenger and freight traffic on the railway. This has led to an overload on the railway network which leads to errors and delays”, the company’s CEO explains. “A new national tunnel will help to remove the bottleneck through Oslo and ensure more efficient train traffic, in addition to the effect of other investments in the entire railway network.”