Vika Line

The first line at Vika was built by Kristiania Sporveisselskab, and opened as a horsecar route from Oslo West Station to Stortorvet on 10 October 1875. It was electrified in 1899, and extended to Skillebekk in 1909, as what became the Skøyen Line.{{cite book |author=Aspenberg, Nils Carl |author-link=Nils Carl Aspenberg |title=Trikker og forstadsbaner i Oslo |publisher=Baneforlaget |location=Oslo |year=1994 |pages=6–7 |isbn=82-91448-03-5}} The Vestbanen Line was closed in 1961, one year after the city council decided to gradually close the city's tramway.Aspenberg, 1994: 25

During the 1980s, the former shipyard of Akers Mekaniske Verksted at Vika went through an urban redevelopment. Several large companies started building corporate head offices at the area known as Aker Brygge, that also featured shopping and residential areas. The Vika area had by the mid-1990s 5,000 residents and 30,000 jobs.{{cite news |work=Aftenposten |date=28 October 1989 |last=Wiik |first=Karsten |title=Aker Bryggetrikk! |page=11 |language=no}} With the construction of the Festning Tunnel, it would also become possible to make The City Hall Square, the square in front of Oslo City Hall, car-free.{{cite news |work=Aftenposten |date=15 April 1988 |last=Fonbæk |first=Dag |title=Trikken til Aker Brygge og Rådhusgt. ? |page=5 |language=no}}

Image:Tram tracks at Rådhusplassen.jpg

Plans were launched in a report in 1989, that summarized the possibilities for different public transport expansions throughout Oslo.{{cite news |work=Aftenposten |date=1 February 1989 |last=Wettere Johnsen |first=Egil |title=Milliardplan for tog, trikk og buss |page=5 |language=no}} In October, an agreement was reached where the {{NOK|48 million}} to build the line would be split evenly between the municipality, the state and the private real estate developers: Aker Eiendom, Olav Thon Eiendomsselskap and Berdal Strømme. By 1990, municipal-owned Oslo Sporveier, the then owner and operator of the tramway, stated that the project would be profitable, and contribute NOK 4.9 million per year to the company. This meant that the municipality could recover the investment within three years.{{cite news |work=Aftenposten |date=18 June 1990 |title=Vikatrikken blir lønnsom |page=12 |language=no}}

In 1992, the city council gave funding for the project.{{cite news |work=Aftenposten |date=30 January 1992 |last=Wiik |first=Karsten |title=Trikk til Aker Brygge om to år |page=5 |language=no}} One of the suggestions for the private financing of the project, was for the companies to create a kommandittselskap, and purchase two trams from the city for NOK 8 million each.{{cite news |work=Aftenposten |date=29 March 1992 |title=KS for Vikatrikk vurderes |page=5 |language=no}} The Vika Line was also seen as part of a possible light rail version of the Ring Line—a circular line that was to connect northern Oslo between east and west without passing through the city center. Had the light rail solution not been discarded in favor of making the ring part of the Oslo T-bane, the Vika trams would, after reaching Majorstuen, have continued onwards towards Rikshospitalet, that opened in 1999, and Nydalen.{{cite news |work=Aftenposten |date=3 June 1992 |last=Mytting |first=Lars |author-link=Lars Mytting |title=Ring rundt Oslo til 61 mill. |page=16 |language=no}}

The city council made the final decision to build the line on 18 May 1994, supported by the Labour Party, Socialist Left Party, Centre Party and the Red Electoral Alliance. The right-winged opposition parties opposed the suggestion, arguing that financing was not yet finalized, and that they wanted to have The City Hall Square completely free of all traffic, not just automobiles.{{cite news |work=Aftenposten |date=19 May 1994 |last=Breian |first=Åshild |title=Vikatrikk mulig om et års tid |page=4 |language=no}} City Commissioner of Transport and the Environment, Raymond Johansen from the Socialist Left Party, argued that building the line would creating a more people-friendly city center, and allow the different parts of the city center to be better connected with public transport.{{cite news |work=Aftenposten |date=5 July 1994 |last=Johansen |first=Raymond |author-link=Raymond Johansen |title=Rådhusplassen Merkelig argumentasjon |page=5 |language=no}}

Construction started on 18 August 1994, when Raymond Johansen lay down the first track. By then, inflation had adjusted the construction cost to NOK 53.5 million.{{cite news |work=Aftenposten Aften |date=18 August 1994 |last=Wiik |first=Karsten |title=Vikatrikken snart på sporet|page=5 |language=no}} The line opened on 21 August 1995.

{{cite news |work=Aftenposten Aften |date=12 July 1995 |last=Vance |first=Bibi Plathe |title=Ny Vika-trikk til Aker Brygge fra 21. august |page=16 |language=no}} When the line opened, it was served by two lines: no. 10 Jar–Sinsen–Disen and no. 15 Majorstuen–Frogner–Sagene.

The line was the first new street tram line to be built in Oslo since the Sinsen Line opened in 1939. Estimates before opening showed that the line should have 900,000 riders the first year.{{cite news |work=Aftenposten Aften |date=18 August 1995 |last=Wiik |first=Karsten |title=Vika-trikken klar for første tur mandag |page=13 |language=no}} By June 1996, the two lines had a daily ridership increase of 2,300, a 19% increase.{{cite news |work=Aftenposten Aften |date=14 June 1996 |title=Flere reiser med Vikatrikken |page=13 |language=no}}

With the redevelopment of the Bjørvika and Vippetangen areas, located east of The City Hall Square, three other segments of tramway have been proposed to be built along the fjord edge, and could connect to the Vika Line in the future.{{cite web |url=http://www.prosjekt-fjordbyen.oslo.kommune.no/getfile.php/fjordbykontoret%20%28FJORDBYEN%29/Internett%20%28FJORDBYEN%29/Dokumenter/rapport/Tilgjengelighet%20og%20transport%20i%20Fjordbyen.pdf |title=Tilgjengelighet i Fjordbyen Del 3 Prinsipper for transportsystemet |author=Oslo Waterfront Planning Office |date=16 November 2006 |pages=87}}

Image:Trikkestopp rådhusbrygga.jpg with an SL79 tram.]]

The Vika Line is served by line 12 of the Oslo Tramway. Services are each ten minutes, with reduced frequency in evening and on weekends. All lines are operated with SL79 articulated trams by Oslo Sporvognsdrift, on contract with Ruter.{{cite web|url=http://www.trafikanten.no/trafikkinfo/tabeller/os/080330_Sporvogn.pdf |format=pdf |author=Ruter |author-link=Ruter |title=Sporvogn |date=30 March 2008 |language=no |access-date=19 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080920182919/http://trafikanten.no/trafikkinfo/tabeller/os/080330_Sporvogn.pdf |archive-date=September 20, 2008 }} The trams and tracks are owned by the municipal company Kollektivtransportproduksjon. The line is {{convert|1.6|km|mi}} long.

The line follows the streets Rosenkrantz gate, The City Hall Square and Cort Adelers gate. It has unique stations: Christiania torv, Rådhusplassen, Aker brygge and Vikatorvet. The new stations on the route are Kontraskjerat, Aker Brygge and Ruseløkka. It intercepts the Skøyen Line at Wessels plass to the east, where the trams continue to the city center. In the west, the line intercepts with the Skøyen- and Frogner Line at Solli.{{cite web |url=http://ruter.no/Global/PDF_filer/linjekart/Trikken2007-12webOS.pdf |author=Oslo Sporveier |author-link=Oslo Sporveier |title=Linjekart |access-date=18 March 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326165847/http://ruter.no/Global/PDF_filer/linjekart/Trikken2007-12webOS.pdf |archive-date=26 March 2009 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }} Only along The City Hall Square and Cort Adlers gate at Vikatorvet does the new line follow the route of the former Vestbanen Line.

At The City Hall Square, there is transfer to the ferry quay for Oslo Fergene, that operates route 91 on contract with Ruter to Bygdøy.{{cite web|url=http://www.trafikanten.no/trafikkinfo/tabeller/os/080315_Oslobatene.pdf |format=pdf |author=Ruter |author-link=Ruter |title=Oslobåtene |date=8 March 2008 |language=no |access-date=19 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326165856/http://www.trafikanten.no/trafikkinfo/tabeller/os/080315_Oslobatene.pdf |archive-date=March 26, 2009 }} At Aker Brygge, there is transfer with Nesodden–Bundefjord Dampskipsselskap, that operates Ruter route 601 ferries to Nesodden.{{cite web|url=http://www.trafikanten.no/trafikkinfo/tabeller/ruter/nesodden.pdf |format=pdf |author=Ruter |author-link=Ruter |title=Nesodden |date=30 March 2008 |language=no |access-date=19 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090326165846/http://www.trafikanten.no/trafikkinfo/tabeller/ruter/nesodden.pdf |archive-date=March 26, 2009 }} Transfer to line 13 of the tramway, that serves the Skøyen- and Lilleaker Line is possible at Solli; transfer to line 19, that serves the Briskeby Line, is possible at Wessels plass and Kirkegata. All other tram routes can be reached at Stortorvet. Transfer to the rapid transit (T-bane) and railway are available at Kirkeristen, where they connect to Jernbanetorget, Oslo Central Station and Oslo Bus Terminal.

Aker Brygge is a large working area, and features the head offices of several of Norway's largest companies, including DnB NOR, Storebrand and Aker.{{cite web |url=http://www.akerbrygge.no/bydelen/historie.html |format=pdf |author=Aker Brygge |author-link=Aker Brygge |title=Historie |language=no |access-date=19 March 2009}} It also has 70 stores and 40 restaurants.{{cite web |url=http://www.akerbrygge.no/index.html |format=pdf |author=Aker Brygge |author-link=Aker Brygge |title=70 butikker - 40 serveringssteder |language=no |access-date=19 March 2009}} Also located in the area is the former Western Railway Station, that today's hosts the Nobel Peace Center.{{cite web |url=http://www.nobelpeacecenter.org/?aid=9074325 |author=Nobel Peace Center |author-link=Nobel Peace Center |title=History |access-date=19 March 2009}} At The City Hall Square is the Oslo City Hall, and the square borders to the recreational and historical area of Akershus Fortress.{{cite web |url=http://www.byarkivet.oslo.kommune.no/OBA/tobias/tobiasartikler/t1986.htm |title=Rådhusplassen |last=Røde |first=Gro |publisher=Oslo City Archive |year=1998 |language=no |access-date=19 March 2009}}

{{reflist}}

{{commons category|Vikalinjen}}

{{Oslo Tramway}}

{{Railways in Norway}}

Category:Oslo Tramway lines

Category:Fjord City

Category:Railway lines opened in 1995

Category:1995 establishments in Norway