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TRAVEL: Number of daily trains between Oslo and Gothenburg to double

The number of daily train departures between the Norwegian capital of Oslo and the Swedish city of Gothenburg will double this winter, rail company Vy announced Thursday.

Published: 15 September 2023 11:55 CEST

Pictured is a Vy train in Asker in Norway.

Rail company Vy has announced that it is increasing the number of daily services between Oslo and Gothenburg. Pictured is a Vy train in Asker in Norway. Photo by Jeremi Joseph on Unsplash

From December 10th, there will be twice as many daily rail journeys from Gothenburg and Oslo, the Norwegian state-owned rail company Vy has announced.

“We have great faith in this section, which is an important transport link between Norway and Sweden. Not least, it is a starting point for many train journeys further on in Europe,” Erik Røhne, executive director for Vy, said.

“With this increase, the offer between Oslo and Gothenburg will be significantly improved,” he added.

There will be seven departures from Oslo to Gothenburg on weekdays and six weekend departures.

The departures from Oslo will leave the central station at 6:11am, 8:14am, 10:14am, 12:14pm, 2:14pm, 3:47pm and 6:10pm.

On Saturdays and Sundays, services will depart at 8:14am, 10:14am, 12:14pm, 2:14pm, 4:16pm, and 6:10pm. The train between Oslo and Gothenburg takes three and a half hours.

Vy has eight daily services from Gothenburg to Oslo planned on weekdays, seven on Saturdays and six on Sundays.

The departures on Monday to Friday will depart Gothenburg Central Station at 6:08am, 8:10am, 10:15am, 12:15pm, 2:15pm, 4:08pm, 6:08pm and 8:10pm.

On Saturdays, the scheduled services head for Oslo at 8:10am, 10:15am, 12:15pm, 2:15pm, 4:08pm, 6:08pm and 8:10pm. The Sunday services will leave at the same times, but there will not be a 8:10pm departure.

Vy releases tickets 90 days before the departure date, meaning tickets for the first services as part of the expanded schedule are already on sale.

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Potential bankruptcy threatens bus services in Oslo

Unibuss, which is wholly owned by Oslo Municipality, is in danger of going bust due to large losses, unpaid bills, and fines from public transport firm Ruter for issues with its electric bus fleet this winter.

Oslo City Council will hold an emergency meeting headed up by transport councilor Marit Vea on Wednesday, where she will be grilled on how the council will avert a collapse in the city’s public transport network should Unibuss go bankrupt.

Unibuss is comprised of four smaller companies that operate bus routes in Oslo on behalf of Ruter. The company has just over 370 buses in operation and covers around 60 to 70 percent of the routes in Oslo and the neighboring municipality of Bærum.

Oslo’s fleet of electric busses struggled especially with snow and cold temperatures this winter, which caused frequent chaos across the capital’s public transport network.

Snow, ice, range and charging issues for the busses lead to vehicle shortages which caused mass delays and cancellations several times over the winter.

Ruter, which is also part owned by Oslo municipality, believes that the financial problems facing Unibuss mean the company could be forced to file for bankruptcy or undergo a major restructuring, according to a memo obtained by publication Teknisk Ukeblad.

It has previously told public broadcaster that it was working on a plan in case Unibuss goes bankrupt.

“There is no doubt that the first days of such a scenario will be very demanding for the residents of Oslo and parts of Akershus,” Ruter’s communications director Elisabeth Skarsbø Moen told public broadcaster NRK.

“First and foremost, we are working to find a solution together with Unibuss that does not affect Ruter’s customers,” she said.

“But as those responsible for public transport, we have both a plan and an emergency organization ready to also handle a bankruptcy,” Skarsbø Moen added.

Should Unibuss go bankrupt, its buses would become part of the bankruptcy estate and if such an event were to occur while passengers were in transit, all passengers would need to disembark at the next stop so the buses can be transported to the depot.

Ruter said it had an eye on the market to try and see what could be available in terms of extra buses and equipment.

It said that its priority would be to ensure that school transport, and that healthcare workers could get to work, in the event of a sudden lack of buses.

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