Rjukan Line

The Rjukan Line is a railway route in Tinn Municipality that runs from the industrial town of Rjukan to the village of Mæl on the shores of Lake Tinn. The tracks wind through mountainous terrain and connect two locations shaped by hydroelectric power and early industrial development.

The route opened in 1909 and served as a key transport link for materials from hydroelectric plants that drove Norway's industrial growth. It became part of the infrastructure that made this region a center of technological innovation in the early 1900s.

The railway connects two communities shaped by Norway's industrial past and demonstrates how waterpower transformed the region. Visitors can observe how people and goods once moved along this route and what role this connection held in daily life.

Visitors can ride restored trains to experience the landscape firsthand, while exhibits and guided tours provide background information. It helps to check operating days beforehand and wear sturdy shoes, as the journey takes you through mountainous terrain.

A NATO-built funicular climbs to the summit of Gaustatoppen, from which one can see one-sixth of Norway's territory. This unexpected military link gives the route a hidden historical layer that extends beyond the railway heritage.

Location: Tinn Municipality

Inception: August 9, 1909

Official opening: 1909

Website: https://nia.no/rjukanbanen

GPS coordinates: 59.90476,8.71555

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:48