Asker Line

Asker Line
An GMB Class 71 leaving the Skaugum Tunnel at Åstad, with the Drammen Line to the left
Overview
Native name	Askerbanen
Type	Railway
Termini	Lysaker Station Asker Station
Stations	2
Operation
Opened	27 August 2005
Owner	Norwegian National Rail Administration
Operator(s)	Norwegian State Railways Airport Express Train CargoNet
Character	Express passenger Freight
Rolling stock	Class 70, Class 71, Class 72, Class 73
Technical
Line length	9.5 kilometres (5.9 mi)
Number of tracks	Double
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Electrification	15 kV  16 2⁄3 Hz AC
Operating speed	160 km/h (99 mph)
Route map Drammen Line from Oslo Skøyen(1872) Rv161 (300 m) Drammen Line to Lysaker Vækerøplanned Lysakerelva(~ 50 m) Lysaker(1872) Drammen Line to Sandvika Bærum Tunnel(5,500 m) 13.19 km Sandvika(1872) Øverlandselva and Sandvikselva(160 m) Ringerike Lineplanned E16 Ringeriksveien(90 m) JongDrammen Line to Asker Tanum Tunnel(3,590 m) Skaugum Tunnel(3,790 m) 23.16 km Asker(1872) Spikkestad Line Drammen Line

Coordinates: 59°51′59.54″N 10°28′48.97″E / 59.8665389°N 10.4802694°E / 59.8665389; 10.4802694

The Asker Line (Norwegian: Askerbanen) is a 9.5-kilometre (5.9 mi) railway line between Asker and Lysaker in Norway. The line runs along the same corridor as the Drammen Line, offering increased capacity, speed and regularity on the rail network west of Oslo. The first part opened in 2005, and in 2011 an extension opened from Sandvika to Lysaker. An extension to Skøyen in Oslo will perhaps be built after 2020. Most of the railway is in tunnel and is dimensioned for 160 km/h (99 mph) running. The entire railway is electrified at 15 kV  16 ²⁄₃ Hz AC. The first section cost 3.7 billion kr, while the second is budgeted at NOK 2.7 billion.

The purpose of the new line is to allow regional and express trains to run directly between Asker Station, Sandvika Station and Lysaker Station, without being slowed and delayed by commuter trains that make frequent stops at intermediate stations. The Asker Line will improve regularity, and capacity will increase from 12 to 26 trains per hour in each direction. Travel time from Asker to Skøyen Station will be reduced from 20 to 13 minutes. The line has received criticism for not being a true high-speed line, and for Lysaker Station not being in compliance with accessibility requirements. Similar parallel, high-speed lines have been or will be built northeast and southeast of Oslo.