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Meråker Line

Length:	Starts:	Ends:	Status:
71 km	Hell Station	Storlien Station	In service

The Meråker Line is a 71-kilometre long railway line between Hell and to the Norway-Sweden border at Storlien. It was opened in 1881 as a narrow-gauged railway.

The Meråker Line at Meråker. Photo: Axel Lindahl/Norsk Folkemuseum

The Meråker Line was approved in Parliament in 1872 where 58 voted for and 52 were against. Johan Sverdrup, a Norwegian politician, was against for strategic reasons in case of a military conflict with Sweden. After the decision was made, there was a heated debate about the route. Should the line run through Levanger and up the valley Verdalen or should it follow the valley Stjørdalen via Meråker? Politicians in Stjørdal wanted a line along the northern side of the river Stjørdalselva, whilst those in Trondheim argued for the southern side. The latter was decided in Parliament on 24 April 1877.

The opening
The 102-kilometre long Meråker Line was built with standard gauge and opened on 17 October 1881 between Trondheim and Storlien. It was officially opened on 22 July next year by king Oscar II of Norway-Sweden. The line was soon important for the timber and lumber transport. In between the years of 1904 and 1905 it had the majority of all freight transport in Norway. From 6 January 2008 the Meråker Line is defined as the 70.69-kilometre long railway line between Hell Station and the Norway-Sweden border according to Bane Nor.

Meråker Line today
The passenger traffic is today operated by Mittnabotåget. From 2006 to 2007 the line was upgraded to handle more freight trains, and the speed limit was increased from 50 to 80 kilometres per hour. The Meråker Line is currently being electrified, a project that will end in 2024.