The car ferry between Tangen and Horn crosses Randsfjorden, connecting the east and west sides of the lake. It is one of only two regular inland car ferry routes in Norway, and the only one operating year-round. With 17 to 19 departures from each side on weekdays, it carries roughly 45,000 passengers and 25,000 vehicles a year: a proper commuter lifeline, not a tourist attraction, though the 15-minute crossing is a pleasant break.
The route has a curious backstory. The original Randsfjordferja II was built in 1949 and first launched on Mjøsa, where it sailed between Gjøvik and Mengshol. Around 1967, it was dismantled, hauled overland, and reassembled on Randsfjorden. It served here for over 50 years. In 2022, it was replaced by the Elrond, a fully electric ferry built in the Netherlands and assembled in Gran. The name is not a Tolkien reference: El stands for electric, and Rond is the old Norse name for Randsfjorden. It was the first emission-free ferry for Innlandet county, charging its batteries overnight for a full day of crossings.
The route has a curious backstory. The original Randsfjordferja II was built in 1949 and first launched on Mjøsa, where it sailed between Gjøvik and Mengshol. Around 1967, it was dismantled, hauled overland, and reassembled on Randsfjorden. It served here for over 50 years. In 2022, it was replaced by the Elrond, a fully electric ferry built in the Netherlands and assembled in Gran. The name is not a Tolkien reference: El stands for electric, and Rond is the old Norse name for Randsfjorden. It was the first emission-free ferry for Innlandet county, charging its batteries overnight for a full day of crossings.