In order to establish a new main line between Oslo and Stavanger, the Sørlandet Line was extended from Lunde to Kragerø and opened on 1 December 1927. The new route was opened for regular traffic next day. When the Sørlandet Line was further extended to Arendal in 1935, the Kragerø Line became a branch line, which branched off at Neslandsvatn Station.
Branch Line
After the opening in 1927, the Kragerø Line had five stations and eleven tunnels. The ridership was significantly reduced after the Kragerø Line became a branch line in 1935. On 1 January 1989 the passenger service terminated. Three kilometres of track was demolished from Kragerø and replaced by road. The route between Neslandsvatn and Merkebekk was used as a spur by timber trains until the 1990s. The Norwegian National Rail Administration removed the tracks on this part in 2015. One kilometre of the path between Neslandsvatn and Eskilt was reconstructed as a rail trail in 2019. This trail was extended to Merkebekk and opened in 2022.
New Connection
A new railway connection to Kragerø will be established if the Grenland Line is opened between Porsgrunn and Skorstøl. This connection line will shorten the length of the Sørlandet Line, and new stations are planned at Brokelandsheia and Tangen, close to Kragerø.
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