Lieråsen Tunnel

Lieråsen Tunnel

The tunnel entrance seen from Lier Station
Overview
Line	Drammen Line
Location	Asker, Røyken and Lier, Norway
System	Norwegian Railways
Start	Asker Station
End	Lier Station
Operation
Opened	3 June 1973 (3 June 1973)
Owner	Norwegian National Rail Administration
Technical
Line length	10,723 m (6.663 mi)
No. of tracks	Double
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in)
Electrified	15 kV  16 2⁄3 Hz AC
Operating speed	130 km/h (81 mph)

Coordinates: 59°48′N 010°22′E / 59.800°N 10.367°E / 59.800; 10.367

Lieråsen Tunnel is a single-tubed railway tunnel of the Drammen Line situated in Asker, Røyken and Lier in Norway. At a length of 10.723 kilometers (6.663 mi), the double track tunnel is located immediately between Asker Station and Lier Station. It is used for a mix of short- and long-haul passenger trains and freight trains.

Construction of the tunnel commenced in 1962, along with a new section of track between the tunnel and Brakerøya Station. Inadequate geological surveys ahead of construction resulted in the tunnel being built in the middle of an altered and crushed zone, delaying construction and eventually shifting the route 300 meters (980 ft) to the southwest. The tunnel opened on 3 June 1973. In addition to providing double track, it shortened the Drammen Line by 12.4 kilometers (7.7 mi). Part of the old section of the Drammen Line became the Spikkestad Line, while the rest of line was closed. Lieråsen was the longest railway tunnel in the country until the Romerike Tunnel opened in 1999.

The Lieråsen Tunnel is 10.723 kilometers (6.663 mi) long and carries the double tracked, standard gauge Drammen Line between Asker Station and Lier Station. Running through the mountain of Lieråsen, it passes through the municipalities of Lier, Røyken and Asker. The line is electrified at 15 kV  16 ²⁄₃ Hz AC. At Eriksrud, 10.48 kilometers (6.51 mi) from Asker Station, there is a switch allowing trains to change track.