The Ekeberg Line () is a long light rail line of the Oslo Tramway which runs from Oslo Hospital to Ljabru in Oslo, Norway. Operated by lines 13 and 19, it serves the area of Nordstrand and the neighborhoods of Ekeberg, Jomfrubråten, Bekkelaget and Ljan. The line is operated by Oslo Sporvognsdrift using SL79 and SL95 trams on contract with Ruter. The line itself is owned by Sporveien. At Oslo Hospital, the line connects to the Bjørvika Line, which runs to the city center.
Proposals for a line in the area were first launched 1897, but not until 1914 were the necessary permits granted. The line was built and operated by Ekebergbanen. The line opened in 1917, and connected to the Gamleby Line to reach Stortorvet in the city center. The line differed from the street trams in that it ran in its own right of way and used 1,200 volt supply, unlike the 600 volts used in the streets. In the early 1930s, the line was rebuilt to double track and a branch, the Simensbråten Line, was built. The Ekeberg Line was extended to its current terminus in 1941. In 1948, the company was taken over by the municipal Oslo Sporveier and operations were integrated in 1965. The line was nearly closed in 1967 and 1973, but during the 1970s, the line received new rolling stock and a renovation. The Bjørvika Line replaced the Gamlebyen Line as the connection to the city center in 2020.
Future plans include an extension to Hauketo Station on the Østfold Line.
Route
The Ekeberg Line is a long continuation of the Gamleby Line, from which it connects at Oslo Hospital, located near sea level and from Stortorvet, the traditional terminus in the city center. The entire line is built as a light rail with its own right-of-way. The line is electrified at 750 volts with overhead wires. It runs up Ekeberg on the east side of Kongsveien, passing Sjømannsskolen at above mean sea level (AMSL) and from Oslo Hospital. The next station is Jomfrubråten, which is located from Oslo Hospital and at AMSL. This is where the Simensbråten Line previously branched off. Past Jomfrubråten, the Simenbråten Line, while it existed, ran under the Ekeberg Line.
The next station is Sportsplassen, located further south, at AMSL, followed by Holtet, which is from Oslo Hospital and at AMSL. Holtet is the location of the depot and a balloon loop. At Holtet, the line crosses Kongsveien and continues along the west side of Ekebergveien. The next station is Sørli, which is located from Oslo Hospital and at AMSL, followed by Kastellet located from Oslo Hospital and at AMSL. The line continues past Bråten, located from Oslo Hospital and at AMSL and past Sæter, located from Oslo Hospital and at AMSL. Between Sæter and Ljabru is a bridge over Nordstrandsveien which is single tracked. Ljabru is the terminus and is located from Oslo Hospital and at AMSL.
Service
The Ekeberg Line is served by lines 13 and 19 of the Oslo Tramway. Line 13 connects via the city center to the Lilleaker Line while Line 19 runs onwards along the Homansbyen Line. Travel time from Ljabru to Holtet is 7 minutes, to Oslo Hospital is 14 minutes and to Jernbanetoget is 20 minutes. Both of the lines run every 10 minutes during the day, every 20 minutes during the evenings and part of the weekends and every 30 minutes during early mornings on weekends. This gives a peak service of every 5 minutes along the Ekeberg Line. The service is provided using high-floor SL79 and low-floor SL95 trams. Line 13 run alternate departures along the full route to Bekkestua where the lack of a balloon loop mandates the use of SL95 trams, and shortened services to Lilleaker where the SL79 can be turned. Both SL79 and SL95 are used in Line 19; the most common is SL79.
History
Construction
The Nordstrand area of Aker was first served by steam ships from the 1860s, which connected the lower areas to Oslo. In 1879, the Østfold Line (then the Smaalen Line) opened in 1879, giving these areas a regular service unaffected by the weather. In 1897, a public meeting was held regarding transport in the upper parts of Nordstand, the Ekeberg area. On 15 March 1899, Solicitor Einar Borgen, Engineer A. J. Jackwitz and Robert Iversen sent an application to build an electric railway from Oslo to Ljan. They were later supplemented with Contractor S. Sørensen. The application was considered in Aker Municipal Council on 14 March 1901, and placed on hold. It was again considered a year later, this time it was placed on hold because the politicians wanted to see how the new Railway Act would affect the plans.