Extract from Wikipedia article about Ofotbanen (updated 20.11.2008):

The Ofot Line (Norwegian: Ofotbanen) is a railway line between Riksgränsen in Sweden and the port of Narvik in Norway. It is the northernmost of the national network railway lines in Norway. The line was opened on 15 November 1902, and electrified in 1923 at 15 kV 16⅔ Hz AC. In Sweden, the line is connected to Malm Line.

Even though the Ofot Line has passenger trains with train services going all the way to Stockholm in southern Sweden (a 20-hour, 1580 km long journey), the line's most important function is the transportation of iron ore to the ice-free port of Narvik, where it is loaded onto ships and exported. The railway had 15.9 million tonnes of freight in 2006, more than all other railways in Norway combined.


A number of companies operate on the line.

* SJ operates passenger trains to Sweden (on behalf of Ofotbanen).
* Malmtrafikk AB, a subsidary of the mining company LKAB, operates the iron-ore trains to Kiruna.
* CargoNet operates general freight trains, including the ARE trains.

There are plans to use Narvik as a port for containers between North America and Russia/China.

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Useful links for railfanners at Ofotbanen:

Ofoten Museum (The Town Museum)(in Norwegian)
Online old time images gallery (in Norwegian)
Town history wiki (in Norwegian)
Ofotbanen AS (=ltd) (Privately owned freight & charter trains company)(in Norwegian)
Tourist Information (in English)
Online maps of Narvik area (in Norwegian)
Ofotbanen stations (in Norwegian)
Graphic timetable, all trains (rev. 2008.12.14)(in Norwegian)
Mountain hiking in Narvik area (in English)
Lokstallen, model railroad shop in Narvik. Iron Ore Trains specialist. (in Norwegian)
Infoto Gallery - Pro photos from Narvik (in Norwegian)