The Numedalsbanen was a 93-kilometre railway from Kongsberg to Rødberg, built mainly to haul heavy machinery for the Nore hydropower stations. Construction moved 543,000 cubic metres of earth, blasted 2.3 kilometres of tunnel, and took 7 million work hours, mostly by hand. King Haakon VII opened the line in November 1927. The last passenger train ran on New Year's Eve 1988.
The lower section from Kongsberg to Flesberg is still in active use for timber freight. Logs go mainly to receivers in Sweden. The rest of the line north of Rollag was officially closed in 1989 and heritage-listed by Riksantikvaren in 2013.
On the heritage section from Veggli northward, you can cycle the tracks on a draisine, a small rail cart pedalled like a bicycle. The route passes through 14 tunnels and several preserved station buildings. The tunnels are dark enough to need the headlamp mounted on the cart. You can also sleep in converted railway wagons at Veggli station.
The railway has a charming history. Conductors knew where the local farmers lived and made unscheduled stops to shorten their walks home. The last scheduled steam locomotive service in Norway ran on this line in 1970. Back in 1873, this route was even considered for the Bergen Line, but Numedal lost out to Hallingdal.
The experience has received the Olavsrosa, Norway's quality mark for cultural tourism. Season runs roughly May to September.
The lower section from Kongsberg to Flesberg is still in active use for timber freight. Logs go mainly to receivers in Sweden. The rest of the line north of Rollag was officially closed in 1989 and heritage-listed by Riksantikvaren in 2013.
On the heritage section from Veggli northward, you can cycle the tracks on a draisine, a small rail cart pedalled like a bicycle. The route passes through 14 tunnels and several preserved station buildings. The tunnels are dark enough to need the headlamp mounted on the cart. You can also sleep in converted railway wagons at Veggli station.
The railway has a charming history. Conductors knew where the local farmers lived and made unscheduled stops to shorten their walks home. The last scheduled steam locomotive service in Norway ran on this line in 1970. Back in 1873, this route was even considered for the Bergen Line, but Numedal lost out to Hallingdal.
The experience has received the Olavsrosa, Norway's quality mark for cultural tourism. Season runs roughly May to September.