Passengers express frustration over Sørlandsbanen bus replacements during summer travel in Oslo

For the past four weeks, passengers on the Sørlandsbanen have faced bus replacements for train services. Travelers heading south on Friday expressed their discontent when approached at Oslo Central Station. “I didn’t choose to travel by bus instead of train,” said Rolf Skåra. “I had to take the bus because I decided to travel today.”

The bus replacements have significantly impacted summer travel plans on the Sørlandsbanen, which usually sees an uptick in passengers during the holiday season. Vera Børresen, who had intended to take the train to Kristiansand, shared her frustration: “It’s not ideal. I had to settle for a bus trip instead.”

According to Go-Ahead, the operator of the railway, the demand for travel decreases sharply when bus replacements are in place. CEO Emil Eike noted that when train service is interrupted during holiday and leisure periods, the demand plummets by 40-50 percent. “Customers dislike changes; when they choose to travel by train, they prefer to stick with it,” he added.

Bane Nor, the infrastructure manager, has cited the necessity of maintenance work despite the impacts on travelers. Eike expressed concerns about future disruptions, predicting a six-week bus replacement next summer, making it challenging for Go-Ahead to manage.

Bane Nor acknowledged the difficulty of scheduling repairs and maintenance without significant consequences for passengers. They emphasized that maintenance is essential as the number of trains and passengers increases. “We must maintain the railway to protect our existing assets; we cannot solely rely on new constructions,” stated Karoline Vårdal, acting communication chief for traffic at Bane Nor.