Løren (station)

Løren is an underground rapid transit station of the Oslo Metro and the newest on the subway network. Serving the Oslo, Norway, neighborhood of Løren in the borough of Grünerløkka, the station is the only situated on the Løren Line. Designed by Arne Henriksen, the station is situated 27 meters (89 ft) underground. Construction of the station began in 2013 and was completed in 2016. The station is estimated to have 6,000 daily passengers. It is served every fifteen minutes by trains running along the adjoining Ring Line via the Løren Line to the Grorud Line.

Løren
Map showing the location of the station
Location	Løren, Oslo Norway
Coordinates	59.9360083°N 10.7883556°E / 59.9360083; 10.7883556
Owned by	Sporveien
Operated by	Sporveien T-banen
Line(s)	Løren Line
Platforms	1 island platform
Tracks	2
Construction
Structure type	Underground
Depth	27 m (89 ft)
Disabled access	Yes
Architect	Arne Henriksen
Other information
Fare zone	1
History
Opened	3 April 2016
Traffic
Passengers (2016)	6,000 (weekday average estimate)

The entrance to Løren Station

History

The Løren Line is designed to allow higher capacity through the metro system by some trains from the Grorud Line bypassing the Common Tunnel and instead running through the Ring Line.[1] After the Ring Line was completed in 2006,[2] five alternatives were proposed in 2007, which considered various ways to connect the Grorud Line and the Ring Line. Variations included building part of the line with single track and whether or not to construct a station at Løren. The latter would increase the price, but would give the area a significantly better transit service. As of 2007 the area was only served by a bus every twenty minutes. Funding of the Løren Line was secured as part of Oslo Package 3 [3]

The Løren, Hasle and Økern area is undergoing a major redevelopment. While the area previously has had some residential areas and has mostly been dominated by industry, it has now been designated a primary site for urban development in Oslo. The area has a potential for 25,000 residences and 2.5 million square meters (25 million sq ft) of commercial area.[4] Oslo Municipal Council approved in May 2013 the construction of 730 apartments in the immediate vicinity of the station.[5] The zoning plan allow the line was passed on 14 December 2011.[6] The winner of the 2012 architecture competition was MDH Arkitekter and Arne Henriksen. Their proposal was backed by structural engineers Aas-Jakobsen.[7] Løren Station was built with the cut-and-cover method, doubling as a crossection.[6]

Facilities

Løren Station is situated in the Løren neighborhood of Bjerke. The station is situated 27 meters (89 ft) below the surface in the redevelopment area of Lørenbyen. The station has an area of 6,200 square meters (67,000 sq ft) and has an entrance from each end.[7]

Service

Service commenced on 3 April 2016. The station is served by line 4 of the Oslo Metro which runs every 15 minutes. It connects both to the Grorud Line and around the Ring Line and to the Common Tunnel. As the only station on the network, passengers from Løren will have to change trains to reach the city center (unless taking a detour around the Ring). Løren Station is estimated to receive six thousand daily passengers, making it among the ten busiest on the metro network.[8]

TERMINUS	NEXT STATION ← WEST ←	Løren			NEXT STATION → EAST →	TERMINUS
Bergkrystallen	Sinsen		Line 4		Økern	Vestli

References

1. Lier, Hanne Walther (31 August 2005). "Dobler avgangene i Groruddalen". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). p. 6.
2. Mo, Helene (21 August 2006). "Nå er ringen sluttet". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 2 November 2010. Retrieved 21 March 2009.
3. Fikke, Heidi (27 November 2007). "Ny sving på T-banen – Forbindelse fra Økern til Sinsen via Løren innen 2013". Aftenposten (in Norwegian). p. 25.
4. Bremer, Caroline (2 August 2013). "– Folk vet ikke hvor stort dette er". Akers Avis Groruddalen (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 13 June 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
5. Bremer, Caroline (3 May 2013). "Ytterligere 730 boliger på Løren". Akers Avis Groruddalen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 13 June 2014.
6. Bjørgan, Trond. "Informasjonsmøte 10.4.2013" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Kollektivtransportproduksjon. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 June 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
7. "Løren Metro Station". MDH Arkitekter. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
8. "Videreutvikling av T-banens rutemodell, anskaffelse av flere T-banevogner" (PDF). Oslo Municipality. 2010. p. 2. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 June 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.