Norway's new Arctic-ready trains promise faster, more reliable long-distance travel

Norway is upgrading its long-distance rail network with a new fleet of trains designed for harsh conditions. The FLIRT Nordic Express, built by Swiss manufacturer Stadler, will replace outdated carriages and improve reliability. Transport Minister Jon-Ivar Nygård recently visited the factory to inspect the first 17 units under construction.

In March 2023, Norske Tog AS signed an eight-billion-krone deal with Stadler for 17 long-distance trains, with an option for 100 more. If fully exercised, this could bring 98 FLIRT Nordic Express trains into service by 2030. The contract follows Stadler's earlier success in Norway, having delivered 150 FLIRT commuter trains to Oslo between 2012 and 2022.

The new trains are built to handle Norway's tough climate, offering both day and night services, including sleeper compartments. A diesel and battery-powered version will operate on the Nordlandsbanen route, where electrification is limited. The first completed train will debut at Berlin's InnoTrans exhibition in September 2026.

Deployment begins on the Bergensbanen in 2028, where aging B7 carriages have suffered from severe structural cracks, making repairs difficult and expensive. The remaining three routes—Sørlandsbanen, Dovrebanen, and Nordlandsbanen—will follow by 2030.

During his February 13 visit to Stadler's factory in St. Margrethen, Nygård praised the project as a key step toward reducing delays and cancellations. The minister emphasised the trains' role in modernising Norway's long-distance rail travel.

The FLIRT Nordic Express will gradually replace older stock, starting with the Bergensbanen in 2028. All four major routes should have the new trains by 2030. The upgrade aims to cut maintenance costs, improve punctuality, and offer passengers more reliable journeys across Norway's challenging terrain.