Royal visit to the subway
Published 02.12.2025
Travels further into the future
Since the first horse-drawn tram rolled out on the streets of Kristiania in 1875, public transportation has been a part of the daily life of millions of people. Today, over 1.15 million people use public transport every single day – people from all walks of life and parts of the region.
The metro has welded east and west Oslo together, and laid the foundation for a more united capital. Now, the metro's 60-year-old signaling system is being renewed. With the Fornebu Line, a completely new district is connected to the metro network. The Fornebu Line will provide residents with a direct and environmentally friendly connection between Fornebu and Oslo city center, and ties Oslo and Akershus even closer together.
Royal company on board
In celebration of public transport's 150th anniversary, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon dedicated several hours on Tuesday, December 2, to focus on public transportation. He got acquainted with the staff at the Ryen Subway Workshop, took the subway to Majorstuen, and marked the final breakthrough in the tunnel to the Fornebu Line.
Accompanying the journey were Oslo's Mayor Anne Lindboe, environmental and transport commissioner Marit Vea, CEO of Ruter Bernt Reitan Jenssen, CEO of Sporveien Birte Sjule, and director of Fornebubanen Irene Måsøval. The group welcomed H.R.H. Crown Prince Haakon at the Ryen T-bane workshop. There, he had the opportunity to speak with employees and learn about how the metro carriages are maintained. Afterwards, the journey continued with metro line 4 from Ryen to Majorstuen.
Heard the story retold on the way to new technology
On the subway ride from Ryen to Majorstuen, Marina Heyerdal told H.R.H. the Crown Prince about the history of public transportation. Heyerdahl works at Ruter and was named this year's public transport enthusiast. She has worked on managing and integrating the history of public transport, and is a strong communicator in the field.
Interested in history? Here you get the entire history of public transportation in Oslo and Akershus.
After the travel group arrived at Majorstuen subway station, they were driven further to Madserud. There, they went 43 meters underground to mark the final breakthrough for the longest tunnel of the Fornebu Line. A breakthrough means that the blasting of a tunnel project is completed. It was a significant milestone for the work on the 7.7 meter long tunnel.
Modern technology + long-term planning = true
Director of Fornebubanen, Irene Måsøval, showed H.R.H. The Crown Prince how modern technology and long-term planning make it possible to expand the public transport network – and bring Oslo and Akershus even closer together.
– We are proud and grateful that the Crown Prince wishes to mark these milestones with us. Public transport has shaped how people live and move since 1875. Since then, we have traveled together, and we are pleased that His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon also wishes to do so on this day, says Bernt Reitan Jenssen, CEO of Ruter, Birte Sjule, CEO of Sporveien, and Irene Måsøval, Director of Fornebubanen.
Facts about the past and future of public transport services
- Public transportation in Oslo turns 150 years old in 2025, specifically on October 6th.
- Over 1.15 million passengers travel by public transport daily.
- Fornebubanen: A 7.7 kilometer long tunnel that will be connected to the rest of the subway system in 2029. By then, it will have been 110 years since the work on the Fornebubanen first started in 1919.
- The subway's signaling system is 60 years old. It will be renewed in 2025 and 2026, which will improve the capacity of the subway network on all the city's lines.