Ruter
Encyclopedia
Ruter As is the public transport
authority for Oslo
and Akershus
, Norway
. The company, organized as a limited company
is responsible for managing, but not operating, public transport in the two counties, including bus
, the Oslo Metro, the Oslo Tramway and ferries
. It also holds agreements with Norges Statsbaner for price regulation on commuter trains operating within these two counties.
(40%), and organized as a limited company
.
Operation is performed by other companies. Bus routes are subject to public service obligation
, and operators include UniBuss
, Nettbuss
, Norgesbuss
, Schau's Buss
, Schøyens Bilcentraler
and Veolia Transport Norway
. The T-bane is operated by Oslo T-banedrift
while the tramway is operated by Oslotrikken
, both subsidiaries of the Oslo municipality owned Kollektivtransportproduksjon. Ferries are operated by Tide Sjø
, Bygdøfergene Skibs
and Oslo-Fergene.
, while the tramway is operated by Oslotrikken
. Kollektivtransportproduksjon also owns UniBuss
, that has won many of the public service obligation bids for operation in Oslo and Akershus. UniBuss also operates the coach service Lavprisekspressen
.
basis, and there is a NOK 750 fine for traveling without a valid ticket. Payment is based on a zone fare schematic, and Oslo remains a single zone with free transfer. A single-zone ticket costs NOK 27 if bought in advance, and NOK 40 if bought on a bus or tram. Day passes cost NOK 70 while a month pass costs NOK 590. Children and seniors pay half price. Prices increase if multiple zones are traveled. The Flexus
ticket system is in 2011 almost completely introduced.
system that serves all boroughs of Oslo, and also cuts deep into Bærum
. It is operated by Oslo T-banedrift
, a subsidiary of Kollektivtransportproduksjon. The network consists of six lines that all run through the city center, with a total length of 84.2 kilometres (52.3 mi). It has a daily ridership of 200,000 with 101 stations of which 16 are underground or indoors.
The first rapid transit line was the Holmenkoll Line, opened in 1898, with the branch Røa Line opening in 1912. It became the first Nordic underground railway in 1928 when the underground line to Nationaltheatret
was opened. The Sognsvann Line opened in 1934 and the Kolsås Line in 1942. The opening of the upgraded metro network on the east side of town occurred in 1966, after the conversion of the 1957 Østensjø Line, followed by the new Lambertseter Line, the Grorud Line and the Furuset Line; in 1993 trains ran under the city between the two networks in the Common Tunnel, followed by the 2006 opening of the Ring Line. Between 2006 and 2010 the system is replacing the older T1000 stock with MX3000 stock.
, a subsidiary of the municipal owned Kollektivtransportproduksjon, who maintain the track and 72 tram vehicles. The system operates on standard gauge
and uses 750 volt
direct current
. Depot, workshops and headquarters are at Grefsen
(at the terminus of lines 13 and 17).
electric multiple units. The infrastructure is owned by the Norwegian National Rail Administration. All services serve the three railway stations of Oslo Central Station (Oslo S), Nationaltheatret
and Skøyen
, with all eight services operating east of Oslo S and four operating west of Skøyen. The system has services that extend along the Gjøvik, Trunk, Gardermoen, Kongsvinger, Østfold, Eastern Østfold, Drammen, Spikkestad and Sørland Lines. All but one line extend into neighboring counties.
Lines 400 and 500 (along the Østfold, Trunk and Drammen Lines) serve the suburban areas of Oslo, and have 30 or 15-minute headways. The other six lines cover towns further away, and normally have 30 or 60-minute headways. Line 450 serves Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
. The services are financed by the Ministry of Transport and Communications
, but Ruter pays NSB additional subsidies to provide travelers with Ruter's fares, which are lower than NSB's regular fares. The service on the Gjøvik Line was made subject to public service obligation
, and will be operatedby NSB Gjøvikbanen until 2015.
—located on the other side of the fjord of Oslo—with Aker Brygge
and Lysaker. This service was traditionally served by municipal owned Nesodden–Bundefjord Dampskipsselskap
, but from 2009 the PSO contract was won by Tide Sjø
. The other ferry services are operated by Oslo-Fergene, that run from Vippetangen
to the Oslo Islands.
is served by both the Flytoget
(the Airport Express Train) and several airport coaches, all that are outside Ruter's jurisdiction, despite the airport being in Akershus.
and Stor-Oslo Lokaltrafikk
, that were the public transport authority for Oslo and Akershus, respectively.
owned by the Akershus County Municipality, the City of Oslo and the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications
, with a third each. The company planned, marketed and organized the public transport in Akershus, but did not operate any buses or ferries—instead it issued contracts to operating companies based on public service obligation.
The company was created in 1973 in part to help coordinate the public transport around Oslo. The metropolitan area of Oslo stretches beyond the city limits into the county of Akershus. This had created problems coordinating public transport between the counties. All buses operated on contract for SL were uniformly painted green and SL took care of marketing and customer relations for the bus companies. The companies that operate for SL at the time of the merger was Nettbuss
, Norgesbuss
, Schau's Buss
, Schøyens Bilcentraler
, Veolia Transport Norway
and UniBuss
. In addition ferries were operated by Nesodden–Bundefjord Dampskipsselskap
and Sandvika Fjordturer
.
building a tramway in 1875. By 1894, it was joined by Kristiania Elektriske Sporvei
. The two private companies were supplemented by the municipal Kristiania Kommunale Sporveie
1899, but since they were operating the least desirable routes, the city chose to sell the unprofitable company in 1905. In 1924 the concessions of the two private tramway companies expired, and the municipality created Oslo Sporveier to take over all tramway operations in the capital.
The company started with bus transport in 1927, including from 1940 to 1968 trolleybus
es. Since 1966 rapid transit and from 1985 water bus
es have also been operated by the company. The company gradually took over all suburban tramways in Oslo and Bærum, and eventually also operated all bus routes in Oslo. Oslo Sporveier painted their buses red to differentiate them from those operating in Akershus. The first PSO contracts were issued in 1991, and in 1997 it was reorganized as a corporation with operating subsidiaries.
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
authority for Oslo
Oslo
Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
and Akershus
Akershus
- Geography :The county is conventionally divided into the traditional districts Follo and Romerike, which fill the vast part of the county, as well as the small exclave west of Oslo that consists of Asker and Bærum...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The company, organized as a limited company
Aksjeselskap
Aksjeselskap is the Norwegian term for a stock-based company. It is usually abbreviated AS or A/S, especially when used in company names. An AS is always a limited company, i.e. the owners cannot be held liable for any debt beyond the stock capital...
is responsible for managing, but not operating, public transport in the two counties, including bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
, the Oslo Metro, the Oslo Tramway and ferries
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
. It also holds agreements with Norges Statsbaner for price regulation on commuter trains operating within these two counties.
Operation
Ruter is responsible for administrating, funding and marketing public transport in Oslo and Akershus. It is owned by the City of Oslo (60%) and Akershus County MunicipalityAkershus county municipality
Akershus County Municipality is the regional governing administration of Akershus, Norway. The main responsibilities of the county municipality includes the running of 35 upper secondary schools...
(40%), and organized as a limited company
Aksjeselskap
Aksjeselskap is the Norwegian term for a stock-based company. It is usually abbreviated AS or A/S, especially when used in company names. An AS is always a limited company, i.e. the owners cannot be held liable for any debt beyond the stock capital...
.
Operation is performed by other companies. Bus routes are subject to public service obligation
Public Service Obligation
In transport, public service obligation or PSO is an arrangement in which a governing body or other authority offers an auction for subsidies, permit the winning company a monopoly to operate a specified service of public transport for a specified period of time for the given subsidy...
, and operators include UniBuss
UniBuss
Unibuss, formerly known as Nexus Trafikk, is a Norwegian bus company that operates from Oslo, Norway. It is a subsidiary of the municipal Kollektivtransportproduksjon and was created in 2003 so the company could compete for the public service obligation contracts that Oslo was to operate the bus...
, Nettbuss
Nettbuss
Nettbuss AS is the largest bus company in Norway owned by the Norwegian State Railways . It was until 2000 known as NSB Biltrafikk. The company has 14 operating subsidiaries throughout Norway and in Denmark and Sweden....
, Norgesbuss
Norgesbuss
Norgesbuss AS is a Norwegian bus company that operates in Akershus and Oslo. Norgesbuss has 450 buses, 1,100 employees and is owned by Torghatten ASA. The company operates on public service obligation contracts with Ruter, in addition to the Airport Express with the franchise NOR-WAY Bussekspress...
, Schau's Buss
Schau's Buss
Schau's Buss is a bus company that operates routes in Vestby, Oslo on contract with Stor-Oslo Lokaltrafikk. The company was established in 1943 and has about 40 buses and tank trucks....
, Schøyens Bilcentraler
Schøyens Bilcentraler
Nobina Norge is a Norwegian bus company, owned by Nobina, that operates in the counties of Akershus, Hedmark, Hordaland, Oppland, Østfold and Vestfold.-History:...
and Veolia Transport Norway
Veolia Transport Norway
Veolia Transport Norway is the Norwegian subsidiary of Veolia Transport, part of Veolia Corporation and operates through its subsidiaries buses, ferries and trams in the counties of Akershus, Finnmark, Nordland, Rogaland and Sør-Trøndelag, primarily through the purchase of former monopolists. The...
. The T-bane is operated by Oslo T-banedrift
Oslo T-banedrift
Oslo T-banedrift AS is a limited company that is responsible for operating Oslo Metro , the rapid transit in Oslo, Norway. The company is owned by Kollektivtransportproduksjon that again is owned by the city council...
while the tramway is operated by Oslotrikken
Oslotrikken
The Oslo Tramway is a tramway in Oslo, Norway which consists of six lines with 99 stops and has a daily ridership of 110,000. It is operated by Oslo Sporvognsdrift, a subsidiary of the municipal owned Kollektivtransportproduksjon who maintain the track and 72 tram vehicles on contracts with the...
, both subsidiaries of the Oslo municipality owned Kollektivtransportproduksjon. Ferries are operated by Tide Sjø
Tide Sjø
Tide Sjø AS is a Norwegian shipping company owned Tide responsible for the groups ferry transport. Tide operates automobile ferries and fast ferries in Rogaland, Hordaland, Sunnmøre and Trondheimfjord on contract with the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Kolumbus and Skyss...
, Bygdøfergene Skibs
Bygdøfergene
Bygdøfergene Skibs AS operates the summer passenger ferry route between Aker Brygge and Bygdøy in Oslo, Norway. The ferries are integrated into the Oslo public transport system with free transfers to buses and other intra-city transport. The company operates on contract with Ruter....
and Oslo-Fergene.
Kollektivtransportproduksjon
Kollektivtransportproduksjon is an independent company wholly owned by the City of Oslo. It owns and maintains the rapid transit and tramway systems, including the rolling stock. The company was established on 1 July 2006, when the former Oslo Sporveier was split into an operating company and an administration company. The actual operation of the T-bane is performed by the subsidiary Oslo T-banedriftOslo T-banedrift
Oslo T-banedrift AS is a limited company that is responsible for operating Oslo Metro , the rapid transit in Oslo, Norway. The company is owned by Kollektivtransportproduksjon that again is owned by the city council...
, while the tramway is operated by Oslotrikken
Oslotrikken
The Oslo Tramway is a tramway in Oslo, Norway which consists of six lines with 99 stops and has a daily ridership of 110,000. It is operated by Oslo Sporvognsdrift, a subsidiary of the municipal owned Kollektivtransportproduksjon who maintain the track and 72 tram vehicles on contracts with the...
. Kollektivtransportproduksjon also owns UniBuss
UniBuss
Unibuss, formerly known as Nexus Trafikk, is a Norwegian bus company that operates from Oslo, Norway. It is a subsidiary of the municipal Kollektivtransportproduksjon and was created in 2003 so the company could compete for the public service obligation contracts that Oslo was to operate the bus...
, that has won many of the public service obligation bids for operation in Oslo and Akershus. UniBuss also operates the coach service Lavprisekspressen
Lavprisekspressen
Lavprisekspressen is a Norwegian coach bus service operating out of Oslo to the cities of Trondheim, Kristiansand and Stavanger. The service is operated by Arctic Express Buss og Reisebyrå AS, a subsidiary of Sporveisbussene. Most routes have two departures per day....
.
Ticketing and fares
Both single, day and monthly tickets are available. Ruter operates on a proof-of-paymentProof-of-payment
Proof-of-payment or POP is an honor-based fare collection approach used on many public transportation systems. Instead of checking each passenger as they enter a fare control zone, proof-of-payment requires that each passenger carry a ticket or pass proving that they have paid the fare. Ticket...
basis, and there is a NOK 750 fine for traveling without a valid ticket. Payment is based on a zone fare schematic, and Oslo remains a single zone with free transfer. A single-zone ticket costs NOK 27 if bought in advance, and NOK 40 if bought on a bus or tram. Day passes cost NOK 70 while a month pass costs NOK 590. Children and seniors pay half price. Prices increase if multiple zones are traveled. The Flexus
Flexus (ticket)
Flexus is an electronic ticket system that was introduced on all public transport in Greater Oslo, in 2009. The system may eventually replace all paper tickets on trips with Ruter and commuter trains around Oslo operated by the Norwegian State Railways...
ticket system is in 2011 almost completely introduced.
Metro
The Oslo Metro is the rapid transitRapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
system that serves all boroughs of Oslo, and also cuts deep into Bærum
Bærum
is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
. It is operated by Oslo T-banedrift
Oslo T-banedrift
Oslo T-banedrift AS is a limited company that is responsible for operating Oslo Metro , the rapid transit in Oslo, Norway. The company is owned by Kollektivtransportproduksjon that again is owned by the city council...
, a subsidiary of Kollektivtransportproduksjon. The network consists of six lines that all run through the city center, with a total length of 84.2 kilometres (52.3 mi). It has a daily ridership of 200,000 with 101 stations of which 16 are underground or indoors.
The first rapid transit line was the Holmenkoll Line, opened in 1898, with the branch Røa Line opening in 1912. It became the first Nordic underground railway in 1928 when the underground line to Nationaltheatret
Nationaltheatret (station)
Nationaltheatret is an underground metro station and tram stop serving Vika and the city center of Oslo, Norway. It is located on the Common Tunnel of the Oslo Metro and on the Briskeby Line of the Oslo Tramway. Also located at the same place is Nationaltheatret Station of the Drammen Line. The...
was opened. The Sognsvann Line opened in 1934 and the Kolsås Line in 1942. The opening of the upgraded metro network on the east side of town occurred in 1966, after the conversion of the 1957 Østensjø Line, followed by the new Lambertseter Line, the Grorud Line and the Furuset Line; in 1993 trains ran under the city between the two networks in the Common Tunnel, followed by the 2006 opening of the Ring Line. Between 2006 and 2010 the system is replacing the older T1000 stock with MX3000 stock.
Tramway
The tramway consists of six lines running 131.4 kilometres (81.6 mi), with 99 stops and a daily ridership of 100,000—accounting for 20% of total public transport in Oslo. It is operated by OslotrikkenOslotrikken
The Oslo Tramway is a tramway in Oslo, Norway which consists of six lines with 99 stops and has a daily ridership of 110,000. It is operated by Oslo Sporvognsdrift, a subsidiary of the municipal owned Kollektivtransportproduksjon who maintain the track and 72 tram vehicles on contracts with the...
, a subsidiary of the municipal owned Kollektivtransportproduksjon, who maintain the track and 72 tram vehicles. The system operates on standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
and uses 750 volt
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
direct current
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
. Depot, workshops and headquarters are at Grefsen
Grefsen
right|thumbnail|300px|Grefsen ChurchGrefsen is a neighbourhood of the city of Oslo, Norway.Together with Kjelsås, Grefsen was part of the borough Grefsen-Kjelsås until January 1, 2004, when they became part of the new borough of Nordre Aker....
(at the terminus of lines 13 and 17).
Commuter rail
The commuter rail has eight services which all operate from Oslo. The system is operated by Norges Statsbaner (NSB), who use Class 69 and Class 72NSB Class 72
NSB Class 72 is a class of 36 electric multiple units built by AnsaldoBreda for the Norwegian State Railways. Delivered between 2002 and 2005, the four-car units operate on the Oslo Commuter Rail and the Jæren Commuter Rail. The trains have a capacity of 310 passengers and the motors allow a...
electric multiple units. The infrastructure is owned by the Norwegian National Rail Administration. All services serve the three railway stations of Oslo Central Station (Oslo S), Nationaltheatret
Nationaltheatret station
Nationaltheatret Station is an underground railway station on the Drammen Line serving Vika and the central business district of Oslo, Norway. It is the second-busiest railway station in Norway, behind Oslo Central Station , from which Nationaltheatret is away...
and Skøyen
Skøyen Station
Skøyen is a railway station located in Oslo, Norway and is part of Drammen Line. The station serves commuter trains, some regional trains and the Flytoget airport express train service. Skøyen station is owned and operated by the Norwegian National Rail Administration.Though some continue on, the...
, with all eight services operating east of Oslo S and four operating west of Skøyen. The system has services that extend along the Gjøvik, Trunk, Gardermoen, Kongsvinger, Østfold, Eastern Østfold, Drammen, Spikkestad and Sørland Lines. All but one line extend into neighboring counties.
Lines 400 and 500 (along the Østfold, Trunk and Drammen Lines) serve the suburban areas of Oslo, and have 30 or 15-minute headways. The other six lines cover towns further away, and normally have 30 or 60-minute headways. Line 450 serves Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen is the principal airport serving Oslo, Norway. It acts as the main domestic hub and international airport for Norway, and the second-busiest airport in the Nordic countries. A hub for Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian Air Shuttle, and a focus city for Widerøe, it is...
. The services are financed by the Ministry of Transport and Communications
Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Transportation and Communications is a Norwegian ministry established in 1946, and is responsible for transportation and communication infrastructure in Norway. It is led by Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa...
, but Ruter pays NSB additional subsidies to provide travelers with Ruter's fares, which are lower than NSB's regular fares. The service on the Gjøvik Line was made subject to public service obligation
Public Service Obligation
In transport, public service obligation or PSO is an arrangement in which a governing body or other authority offers an auction for subsidies, permit the winning company a monopoly to operate a specified service of public transport for a specified period of time for the given subsidy...
, and will be operatedby NSB Gjøvikbanen until 2015.
Bus
Bus transport is the dominant form of public transport in Akershus, while it merely supplements rail transport in Oslo.Ferry
The main ferry route connects the peninsula of NesoddenNesodden
Nesodden is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Follo. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Nesoddtangen. The parish of Næsodden was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
—located on the other side of the fjord of Oslo—with Aker Brygge
Aker Brygge
Aker Brygge is an area in Oslo, Norway. It is a popular meeting place for shopping, dining, and entertainment. Oslo residents, tourists from all over the world, business people on the move, as well as musicians, artists, actors, A-, B- and C-celebrities find Aker Brygge their favourite place to...
and Lysaker. This service was traditionally served by municipal owned Nesodden–Bundefjord Dampskipsselskap
Nesodden–Bundefjord Dampskipsselskap
Nesodden–Bundefjord Dampskipsselskap, Nesoddbåtene or NBDS is a Norwegian shipping company that operates the passenger ferry in Oslofjord. The company has six ships, of which two are high-speed, and has 50 employees. The company has 2.7 million passengers annually. The primary function is to...
, but from 2009 the PSO contract was won by Tide Sjø
Tide Sjø
Tide Sjø AS is a Norwegian shipping company owned Tide responsible for the groups ferry transport. Tide operates automobile ferries and fast ferries in Rogaland, Hordaland, Sunnmøre and Trondheimfjord on contract with the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Kolumbus and Skyss...
. The other ferry services are operated by Oslo-Fergene, that run from Vippetangen
Vippetangen
Vippetangen is the southern point of the peninsula Akersneset in central Oslo, Norway, located southeast of Akershus Fortress. It is surrounded by the Oslo Fjord and has served as an important section of the port in Oslo...
to the Oslo Islands.
Non-Ruter public transport
Several public transport services in Oslo and Akershus are outside the jurisdiction of Ruter, mainly because they are self-financing or because they represent intercity transport. NSB operates both intercity and regional trains to several parts of the country, though these normally have restrictions on transport within Oslo and Akershus. Norway Bussekspress and several other coach companies operate intercity coach services to Oslo, but these are also hindered from providing transport within Oslo and Akershus. Oslo Airport, GardermoenOslo Airport, Gardermoen
Oslo Airport, Gardermoen is the principal airport serving Oslo, Norway. It acts as the main domestic hub and international airport for Norway, and the second-busiest airport in the Nordic countries. A hub for Scandinavian Airlines and Norwegian Air Shuttle, and a focus city for Widerøe, it is...
is served by both the Flytoget
Flytoget
is a Norwegian high-speed airport rail link connecting Oslo Airport, Gardermoen to Oslo Central Station in nineteen minutes. Run by Flytoget AS , it operates on the high-speed Gardermoen Line using sixteen GMB Class 71 electric trains. Normal service frequency is once every ten minutes, with half...
(the Airport Express Train) and several airport coaches, all that are outside Ruter's jurisdiction, despite the airport being in Akershus.
History
Ruter was created on 1 January 2008 as a merger between Oslo SporveierOslo Public Transport Administration
AS Oslo Sporveier or the Oslo Public Transport Administration is a municipally owned limited company that is responsible for planning, marketing and organising the public transport in Oslo, Norway...
and Stor-Oslo Lokaltrafikk
Stor-Oslo Lokaltrafikk
Stor-Oslo Lokaltrafikk AS or SL was the public transport administration for bus and ferry transport in Akershus, Norway from 1973 to 2007. SL was organised as a limited company owned by the Akershus county municipality, the City of Oslo, and the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications,...
, that were the public transport authority for Oslo and Akershus, respectively.
Akershus
Stor-Oslo Lokaltrafikk or SL was the public transport authority for bus and ferry transport in Akershus from 1973 to 2007. SL was organized as a limited companyAksjeselskap
Aksjeselskap is the Norwegian term for a stock-based company. It is usually abbreviated AS or A/S, especially when used in company names. An AS is always a limited company, i.e. the owners cannot be held liable for any debt beyond the stock capital...
owned by the Akershus County Municipality, the City of Oslo and the Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications
Norwegian Ministry of Transport and Communications
The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Transportation and Communications is a Norwegian ministry established in 1946, and is responsible for transportation and communication infrastructure in Norway. It is led by Magnhild Meltveit Kleppa...
, with a third each. The company planned, marketed and organized the public transport in Akershus, but did not operate any buses or ferries—instead it issued contracts to operating companies based on public service obligation.
The company was created in 1973 in part to help coordinate the public transport around Oslo. The metropolitan area of Oslo stretches beyond the city limits into the county of Akershus. This had created problems coordinating public transport between the counties. All buses operated on contract for SL were uniformly painted green and SL took care of marketing and customer relations for the bus companies. The companies that operate for SL at the time of the merger was Nettbuss
Nettbuss
Nettbuss AS is the largest bus company in Norway owned by the Norwegian State Railways . It was until 2000 known as NSB Biltrafikk. The company has 14 operating subsidiaries throughout Norway and in Denmark and Sweden....
, Norgesbuss
Norgesbuss
Norgesbuss AS is a Norwegian bus company that operates in Akershus and Oslo. Norgesbuss has 450 buses, 1,100 employees and is owned by Torghatten ASA. The company operates on public service obligation contracts with Ruter, in addition to the Airport Express with the franchise NOR-WAY Bussekspress...
, Schau's Buss
Schau's Buss
Schau's Buss is a bus company that operates routes in Vestby, Oslo on contract with Stor-Oslo Lokaltrafikk. The company was established in 1943 and has about 40 buses and tank trucks....
, Schøyens Bilcentraler
Schøyens Bilcentraler
Nobina Norge is a Norwegian bus company, owned by Nobina, that operates in the counties of Akershus, Hedmark, Hordaland, Oppland, Østfold and Vestfold.-History:...
, Veolia Transport Norway
Veolia Transport Norway
Veolia Transport Norway is the Norwegian subsidiary of Veolia Transport, part of Veolia Corporation and operates through its subsidiaries buses, ferries and trams in the counties of Akershus, Finnmark, Nordland, Rogaland and Sør-Trøndelag, primarily through the purchase of former monopolists. The...
and UniBuss
UniBuss
Unibuss, formerly known as Nexus Trafikk, is a Norwegian bus company that operates from Oslo, Norway. It is a subsidiary of the municipal Kollektivtransportproduksjon and was created in 2003 so the company could compete for the public service obligation contracts that Oslo was to operate the bus...
. In addition ferries were operated by Nesodden–Bundefjord Dampskipsselskap
Nesodden–Bundefjord Dampskipsselskap
Nesodden–Bundefjord Dampskipsselskap, Nesoddbåtene or NBDS is a Norwegian shipping company that operates the passenger ferry in Oslofjord. The company has six ships, of which two are high-speed, and has 50 employees. The company has 2.7 million passengers annually. The primary function is to...
and Sandvika Fjordturer
Sandvika Fjordturer
Sandvika Fjordturer is a passenger ferry operator in Oslofjord in Akershus, Norway. The company operates from Kadettangen outside of Sandvika to the islands of Borøya, Brønnøya, Ostøya and Langåra on contract with Ruter, serving route 711. The company operates the ferries M/S Rigmor and M/S Rigfar,...
.
Oslo
Oslo got its first public transport with Kristiania SporveisselskabKristiania Sporveisselskab
AS Kristiania Sporveisselskab or KSS, nicknamed the Green Tram , was the first tram operator in Oslo, Norway. Founded in 1874, it started operation of horsecar services the following year and electric tram services in 1899...
building a tramway in 1875. By 1894, it was joined by Kristiania Elektriske Sporvei
Kristiania Elektriske Sporvei
A/S Kristiania Elektriske Sporvei or KES, nicknamed the Blue Tram , is a defunct operator of parts of the Oslo Tramway, Norway. It opened the first electric tramway in Scandinavia in 1894, and remained in service until 1924 when it was merged into the municipal owned Oslo Sporveier.-History:Tram...
. The two private companies were supplemented by the municipal Kristiania Kommunale Sporveie
Kristiania Kommunale Sporveie
Kristiania Kommunale Sporveie or KKS was a municipal owned company that operated parts of the Oslo Tramway from 1899 to 1905. It had 20 tramcars that served the three branch lines Rodeløkka Line, Vippetangen Line and Sagene Ring...
1899, but since they were operating the least desirable routes, the city chose to sell the unprofitable company in 1905. In 1924 the concessions of the two private tramway companies expired, and the municipality created Oslo Sporveier to take over all tramway operations in the capital.
The company started with bus transport in 1927, including from 1940 to 1968 trolleybus
Oslo trolleybus
The Oslo trolleybus system was a trolleybus network operated by Oslo Sporveier in Oslo, Norway between December 15, 1940, and February 15, 1968. The system measured at the most 26.1 km on four lines.-History:...
es. Since 1966 rapid transit and from 1985 water bus
Oslo Fergene
Oslo Fergene is a passenger ferry operator in Oslo, Norway. The company has contracts with Ruter to operate ferries from Vippetangen to the islands of Hovedøya, Bleihøya, Gressholmen, Lindøya, Nakholmen and Langøyene on routes 91–94....
es have also been operated by the company. The company gradually took over all suburban tramways in Oslo and Bærum, and eventually also operated all bus routes in Oslo. Oslo Sporveier painted their buses red to differentiate them from those operating in Akershus. The first PSO contracts were issued in 1991, and in 1997 it was reorganized as a corporation with operating subsidiaries.