Ekeberg Line
| Length: | Starts: | Ends: | Status: |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7 km | Oslo Hospital Halt | Ljabru Halt | In service |
The Ekeberg Line is a light railway line which runs between Oslo Hospital and Ljabru, operated by tram lines 18 and 19. It was opened in 1917 to Sæter and extended to Ljabru in 1979. The line may be extended to Hauketo in the future.
Ekeberg Line. Photo: Ukjent/Nasjonalbiblioteket
Double tracks and extensions
On 16 January the stretch between Sportsplassen and Holtet was rebuilt with double tracks, and further to Kastellet on 12 February the year after. The stretch between Sjømannsskolen and Sportsplassen was rebuilt with double tracks on 30 September 1931 along with the opening of the Simensbråten Line. This was a 1.3-kilometre tramway to Simensbråten which branched off at Jomfrubråten halt. Due to low ridership the branch line was closed on 20 October 1967. On 17 September 1941 the Ekeberg Line was extended to Ljabru.
Changes in ridership
On 1 July 1965 the tramway was transferred to AS Oslo Sporveier. Due to low ridership Oslo Sporveier planed to replace the trams with buses in 1967 when the Østensjø Line should be upgraded to a metro line. The ridership actually increased when the Ekeberg Line was extended to Skøyen on 4 May 1969, but Oslo Sporveier still wanted to close the tramway. Oslo Municipality Council decided that the Ekeberg Line should be connected with the Lilleaker Line instead, and the line therefor had to be rebuilt to a 600-volt tramway in 1973.
Upgrades
On 11 November 1979 the stretch between Sæter and Ljabru was rebuilt with double tracks. When the overhead line was modernised with new masts in the end of 1900s, the operating speed increased. In 2014 the remaining single-tracked part was rebuilt with double tracks as well. The tramline was rerouted via Bjørvika in 2020, and it is proposed to extend the Ekeberg Line to Hauketo.