In this day and age, with greenhouse gases engulfing the planet amid a financial crisis likely to bury the auto industry (which in all honesty ought to be long-since buried anyway) we need to explore the alternatives, of which one has been available for decades. The first streamlined high-speed trains, with a 130 km/h average speed and a more than 160 km/h top speed were introduced in Europe and the United States as early as 1933, as a matter of fact, and yet, some countries, such as Norway, are still hopelessly behind.
I pondered these things travelling from Oslo to Bergen and back, visiting family for the holidays – an altogether 496 kilometre stretch both ways, with ample chance to enjoy fabulous sceneries while you work, read – or enjoy the relaxation of your choice. Personally I find the opportunity to work en route, now that more and more trains offer wireless Internet connection, most enticing, even though I’ve preferred trains for years already. And yes, I do feel a little guilty for leisure travels even by train, unnecessarily spending electricity that I’m convinced could be put to better use, but the alternative, going by plane, is simply too unheard of.
Not an environmental issue – alone
Having said that, I must admit that my concern for the environment probably isn’t my chief rationale for preferring trains. Contrary to popular belief, travelling by train is so much more convenient. Think of it: If I were to fly to Bergen, I’d first have to go by local train to the Oslo central station, whence I’d have to take the (expensive) airport express train. By the time I arrive on Oslo Airport Gardermoen, an hour or so will already have passed. Pressing on, we check in, stay in line for a security check, walk for quite a stretch, only to find that departure’s been postponed, due to unforeseen reasons (in reality the airlines skip flights in order to fill up another one). Then you queue up in front of the gate, and wait on board for quite some time before take-off. By which time I will have reached almost halfway to Bergen by train. Late edit: If you’re not yet convinced, I actually quite forgot that a crucial element remains: Waiting for luggage and getting from the Bergen airport to Bergen itself. Add an extra hour to the equation.
I think you get the picture. Speaking of pictures: Which airlines offer these kinds of sceneries, anyway?
Norwegian ski resort Geilo as seen from the window of the Bergen line. Mobile photo: Jarle Petterson
Even so it just will not do. With high-speed trains I’d be in Bergen long ago by the time the air plane took off. That’s what I call competition. Look at Japan’s Tokaido Shinkansen, opening back in 1964, France’s TGV, The European Eurostar! From what I understand, even Spain is pretty well covered by high-speed trains, the so-called AVE (Alta Velocidad Española).
The centennial perspective
We’re about to turn another year. On 27 November 2009 the above mentioned Bergen Line marks its 100th anniversary. To think what investments we were willing to make at a time when Norway’s finances were very slim, to say the least, compared to today’s unspeakable wealth and paralysis… Certainly, there’s been much talk of a high-speed rail in Norway over the last years, but very little is expected to happen in the nearest decades. In fact, chances of seeing a high-speed rail materialise in these parts is likely to happen in yet another 100 years, rather than a couple of decades. That’s how decisive Norwegian politicians are. After all, and as you can imagine, for a country like ours money simply is no object.
Think of the environmental implications of reducing air traffic to a minimum. There’s little doubt that, with a two-hour fare from Oslo to Bergen or Trondheim, it’d most certainly be the preferred means of transportation for most business travellers, who, just to top it all, is offered online services as well, facilitating two very productive hours – in preparation of a meeting, perhaps. Freight and cargo not withstanding.
An economy with an expiration date
During these last 100 years since the Bergen Line was opened, it soon became clear that we geared up to catch up on the automotive revolution. The development of Norwegian infrastructure has been extremely car-centred this last century, whereas rail roads have been put on hold, more or less. Granted, we’ve seen a modernisation in rail road equipment, trains included, but the infrastructure as such… Zip, zilch and nada, save for an extra track here and there. All very much in line with the overall economy, which, to say the least, is everything but visionary. We’re building roads instead. Knowing Norwegian politics, I can only speculate as to why that is so, but here’s an educated guess:
Cars need fossil fuel. Norway is a considerable provider of fossil fuel. If it’s good for the automotive industry, it simply has to be good for Norway, no?
I don’t know about you, but I’ve always thought there’s something fishy about economies based on a commodity with an expiration date. All the more cause for concern, then.
Substantial savings
I interviewed top executives in The Federation of Norwegian Industries in relation with just high-speed rail earlier this year, who were adamant that high-speed trains would improve the industry’s conditions considerably, not only in terms of reduced emissions, but also substantial cost reductions – and really, it isn’t that hard to understand why.
There’s little doubt that the investments will be sizable, but the return on investment is likely to be colossal.
Honest to God, I’m not sure I understand how they think… Are they per chance under the impression that harvesting is feasable quite without the element of sowing?
It would appear so – in too many questions, I’m afraid.
Anyway, here’s what we’re missing out on. A German ICE3 passing a station at 300 km/h:
Top photo: The Oslo Airport Express (Mick Tully).
Jarle
Although I am not familiar with the Oslo-Bergen line (it does look spectacular) i agree with your overall appraoch and I speak as an unreconstructed petrol head who drives a 4×4 and goes by car almost everywhere(apart from London) and I think nothing of driving to the South of France in one go(with the family in revolt in the back ). From being a glamorous and exciting way to travel (I still remember my first flight in the 60s and the excitement of it all and the service was fanastic but so was the cost) now I can’t think of a worse way to travel,the absolute pits, and I avoid it whenever possible ,which is easy going to France but a bit more difficult for a trip to New York (6 days on a ship each way is hardly a realistic option!) As you may recall from previous exchanges i have wanted to come to Scandinavia for quite a while so I researched how I could do so by train given your comments about Continental trains vs Scandinavian trains
I can get from London to Brussels in 1 hr 50 mins and then on to Cologne in another 2 hrs.From there I can catch an overnight sleeper directly to Copenhagen leaving at 11 pm and arriving first thing next morning (thus saving on hotel accommodation frequently necessary when flying very early in the morning or arriving late at night)
So far so good ,but this is where the difficulties start ,there are no direct trains between Copenhagen and Oslo at best one change at Gothenburg is required .There seems to be only 3 trains a day and the shortest time is 8.5 hrs .most are much longer . I think the distance is approx 400(?)miles ,if you had an equivalent to the German ICE or French TGV train you could probably do it in 2.5 hrs say 3 hrs max so it most make sense to upgrade the lines and the rolling stock .I see no reason why it should not stack up financially .the experience of Eurostar would suggest so .If you live or work in London you would never fly to Paris or Brussels ever again
(Yesterday I travelled from London to York and it took 2 hrs so we need to upgrade the rail system in Britain as well ,we are behind the Continent so far, with high speed it should take about 1 hr)
Despite the difficulties of going beyond Copenhagen I am still determined to do this journey and write about it afterwards but I am curious as to whether I will venture beyond Copenhagen but the Oslo-Bergen line looks enticing and I would like to go as far North as possible so I’ll probably stick at it,the family is a bit more apprehensive about the prospect of going by rail
I hope you receive support for arguments ,it is clearly the way forward
Cheers
You’re absolutely right, aoxomoxoa. I find it completely inconceivable that railway traffic from the continent (and back) isn’t any better. For one, it’d be a huge improvement for tourism, not to mention international trade depending on transportation.
It seems to me that all matters regarding transport and communication is focused on improving our road standards and infrastructure, which, I suppose, is a good thing, but in facilitating fossil fuel based transportation, at the cost of environmentally more viable alternatives, we go against our very own intentions.
I’m sorry, but I just can’t seem to get my head around that one.
By the way; have you considered the Newcastle – Bergen ferry? The prices are reasonable, but of course, you’d miss the continental trip.
P.S. I apologise for my lengthy blog hiatus. I shan’t go into details, but I’ve had my reasons.