The only private train provider in Norway, Airport Express Train (Flytoget) has ordered brand new trains. The Spanish train fabric CAF (Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarrilles) is the lucky provider with their popular Oaris model, and they have got an order of 8 new trains from Norway. The new trains will be more comfortable, have more space for luggage, have the latest technology and offer a faster experience (around 250 kilometers instead of 210 kilometers an hour today.) The Airport Express train hopes to recieve the new trains within 2018, and use them in addition to the current Bombardier trains. The Aiport Express train was founded when the new airport of Oslo, Gardermoen, was opened in October 1998. Nobody had predicted that the Airport Express Train should be that huge success as it has become! The distance from the city centre was quite longer than earlier, when the aiport was located at Fornebu. The airport bus companies were quite offensive in the beginning, offering bus departures more often than the trains, but the market wanted faster transfer, and did not care of the price. The bus takes approximately 45 minutes to Oslo Central Station, This resulted the bus companies had to reduce their available departures and increase their prices. The bus is convenient if you have a hotel nearby the higway like Helsfyr, just before Oslo city centre, as you don’t need any other connection.
Takes you to Oslo the fastest way, but expensive
No other transport method to Oslo airport can compete in the transport time of 19 minutes only. The Airport Express Train costs 180 kroner (21,32 Euros) one way to Oslo Central Station, and 260 kroner (30,81 Euros) to Drammen which is the the last station. This is one of the most expensive airport transfers compared to other capitals of the world. The travel speed is 210 kilometres, and it is not very impressive compared to other countries, japanese railways systems, although it is much faster than the local trains in Norway.
A train revolution for Norway
The Airport Express train was quite a revolution for Norway, as we only had one public train provider, the NSB (Norwegian State Railway) and there was no competition. There was built a new tunnel, Romeriksporten, that made the travel time much faster between Gardermoen and the city centre of Oslo, only 19 minutes with departures every 10 minutes, where every 2nd train was a direct train, the others are stopping at some few extra stations which make the travel time to Oslo Central Station 2 minutes longer, and it continues to other stations around Oslo and all the way to Drammen.
New ticket system
The Airport Express train lets you just swipe your credit card when you enter/leave the train, and you can get a receipt by registering online, which makes it convenient for the business travellers as well as everyone else with a tight schedule before the next flight.
The Airport Express train was especially made for the business travellers, but it has been surprisingly popular among all kind of people, including families and leisure travellers. It’s known to be more punctual, easier and comfortable than the other options.
The local train is half the price
The Airport Express train is a more comfortable way than taking the local train. The local train, NSB costs 90 kroner (10,66 Euros) one way, and also includes local metro/tram transfer within Oslo Zone 1. There are 3 hourly departures to/from the airport with the local train, and it takes app 25 minutes.
The SAS Flybussen (owned by the Scandinavian Airlines, SAS) costs 175 kroner (20,73 Euros) from Oslo Airport to Oslo Bus Terminal, almost the same as the Airport Express Train and takes almost the double time (45 minutes). Flybussekspressen charges online price 185 NOK to Økern, which is shorter than Oslo Central Station, or 205 NOK on the bus, makes it even more expensive than any other option!
Fastest train in the world – in Japan!
A high speed train (magnetic levitation train to be more precisely) in Tsuru, close to Tokyo – Malaya sets new top speed record with 603 kilometers according to CNN! Car trips in Japan can take nearly 5 hours, between Tokyo and Nagoya. But in the future, a maglev train could finish the journey in only 40 minutes. Norway is like a turtle compared to Japanese railway, and it seems like we have a lot to learn, as one of the richest countries of the world.
Want to find the most convenient travel planner for your next Oslo trip?
Here are all the links you need for getting from Oslo Airport Gardermoen, the main airport to Oslo city:
Flytoget Airport Express Train
Please notice, if you travel with a low fare airline like Ryanair or Wizzair, you will probably arrive another airport, located a bit far away from the capital.
Check out Ryggeekspressen for Rygge Moss Airport og Torpekspressen for Torp Sandefjord Airport. You can also take the NSB national train to these airports, and they have a free shuttle bus from the closest railway station to the low fare airports. The transit time to Oslo is approximately 60 minutes to Rygge and 120 minutes to Torp. We find the airport express buses not comfortable at all. The seats are quite small, and they are not always leaving on time, before all the seats are filled up. This is very annoying if you need to be in the city centre as soon as possible and the connecting transport is stop going late at night…
Source photo: Flytoget AS
