Bergen Light Rail

Historie

Bergen Light Rail is a light rail system in Bergen, Norway. The first stage of the project is a twenty-station stretch between the city center and Lagunen Storsenter, where the first 15 stations comprising a 9.8km stretch opened in 2010, and the second is a 3.6km stretch from Nesttun to Lagunen which opened in June 2013. Construction on a third stretch from Lagunen to Bergen Airport, Flesland is planned to open in 2016. Further plans for the project involve mooted extensions to Åsane and Storavatnet.Plans for rail transit have existed since the 1970s, following the 1965 closing of the Bergen Tramway. A rapid transit design was first discarded, and in the 1990s a light rail line was proposed. The decision to start construction was made in 2005. The first stage was built by the municipality, with financing from the state and the toll road ring, based on the Bergen Program. Ownership, maintenance and further extensions and vehicles are the responsibility of Hordaland County Municipality through its wholly owned subsidiary Bybanen AS. Operation is governed by public service obligation contracts issued by the county public transport authority Skyss. From 2010 to 2017 the line and its 20 Variotrams will be operated by Keolis Norge .