 A freight train about to enter the Finse Tunnel | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Line | Bergen Line |
| Location | Finse, Norway |
| System | Norwegian railway network |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 16 May 1993 |
| Owner | Bane NOR |
| Operator | Vy Tog CargoNet |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 10,300 m (6.4 mi) |
| No. of tracks | Single |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) |
| Electrified | 15 kV 16.7 Hz AC |
| Highest elevation | 1,237 m (4,058 ft) |
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The Finse Tunnel (Norwegian: Finsetunnelen) is a 10,300-metre-long (6.4 mi; 11,300 yd) railway tunnel west of the village of Finse in Eidfjord Municipality in Vestland county, Norway. The tunnel is part of the Bergen Line between the cities of Oslo and Bergen. It is the longest tunnel on the line, and the third longest railway tunnel in the kingdom.[1] Inside the tunnel, at 1,237 metres (4,058 ft) elevation, is the highest point on the Norwegian railway network.[1][2]
The tunnel was constructed to increase the regularity of the line past the Finse peak which was often blocked by snow. Planning started during the 1980s to remove this section that was regularly snowed down, and at the same time reduce the length and increase the speed of the railway. Construction started in 1990, and it was opened by King Harald V on 16 May 1993. Following the construction of the tunnel, 32 kilometres (20 mi) of railway around this area was also rebuilt to achieve higher train speeds, a shorter overall distance, and to maximize the natural protection from the weather. This was built in five stages, opening between 1995 and 1998.
- ^ a b Norwegian National Rail Administration (2008). "Railway Statistics 2007".[permanent dead link]
- ^ Finse Tunnel is the highest point in the Bergen Line, in "Finse". Bergens Tidende. Archived from the original on 2008-04-30. Retrieved 2008-06-03. which is the highest railway in Northern Europe "Norway in a Nutshell - Norway's most popular round trip tour". Norgate Online. 12 March 2008. Archived from the original on 22 June 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-03.