Jær Line

Infobox rail line
name = Jær Line
color =

logo_width =

---

caption = Two Type 72 meet at Sandnes Station
type = Railway
system = Norwegian railway network
status =
locale = Jæren
start = Stavanger Station
end = Egersund Station
stations = 18
routes =
ridership = 7,000 (commuter service)
open = 1878
close =
owner = Norwegian National Rail Administration
operator = Norges Statsbaner
CargoNet
character = Express, commuter and freight
stock =
linelength = 74.71 km
tracklength =
notrack = Single and double
gauge = RailGauge|sg
el = 15 kV AC
speed =
elevation =


map_state = show

The Jær Line ( _no. Jærbanen) railway runs between the cities of Stavanger and Egersund, Norway forming the first part of the the Sørland Line. All passenger train services on the line are operated by the Norwegian State Railways (NSB), who operates a half-hour service from Stavanger to Nærbø and an hourly service to Egersund using four-car Type 72 electric multiple units. In 2005 the service had 2.5 million passengers. [cite web |url=http://www.jernbaneverket.no/multimedia/archive/01619/To_spor_Sandnes_-__1619932a.pdf |title=To spor fra Sandnes til Stavanger |author=Jernbaneverket |date=2006 |language=Norwegian]

History

Jærbanen was opened in 1878 as a narrow gauge (1,067 mm), single tracked railway. In 1944 it was converted to standard gauge (1,435 mm) to complete the Sørland Line, and in 1956 the line was electrified. Because of the extensive local traffic, plans have been worked out to expand the line from Stavanger to Sandnes to double track. Construction started in 2005. During construction periods in the day time there is a permanent replacement for trains by bus between Stavanger and Sandnes.

Jærbanen has one branch line, the Ålgård Line, which runs from Ganddal to Ålgård, a distance of 12 kilometres. The Ålgård Line had passenger traffic from its opening in 1924 until 1955, while regular freight traffic continued until 1988. For the next decade only the first three kilometres from Ganddal to Foss-Eikeland were casually used for freight transport. The branch is now not officially closed, but does not allow traffic either. During the summer it is possible to rent rail tricycles at Figgjo, where the former station building has been turned into a museum.

tations

The local train services stops at these stations (distance from Stavanger in parenthesis):
*Stavanger Station (0 km)
*Hillevåg Station (1.94 km)
*Mariero Station (4 km)
*Jåttåvågen Station (9 km)
*Sandnes Station (14.78 km)
*Sandnes Old Station (15.36 km)
*Ganddal Station (18.49 km)
*Øksnevadporten Station (22.42 km)
*Klepp Station (24.84 km)
*Bryne Station (29.58 km)
*Nærbø Station (37.68 km)
*Varhaug Station (43.11 km)
*Vigrestad Station (49.22 km)
*Brusand Station (54.17 km)
*Ogna Station (58.41 km)
*Sirevåg Station (60.36 km)
*Hellvik Station (66.79 km)
*Egersund Station (74.71 km)The long distance train services (Stavanger–Kristiansand and Stavanger–Oslo) stops at Sandnes, Bryne and Egersund

References