Portal:Trains/Selected article/Week 11, 2011

The Jæren Commuter Rail (NSB Lokaltog Jæren, previously Jærbanen) is a commuter train service operated along the western-most part of the Sørland Line in Jæren, Norway. It is operated by the Norwegian State Railways (NSB) with nine Class 72 electric multiple units. The service acts as a commuter rail connecting Stavanger to its suburbs, including Sandnes, and to towns further south, in Klepp, Time, Hå and Eigersund. Although passenger services have operated along the lines since 1878, the commuter train service was inaugurated in 1992 with a significant increase of service, using existing rolling stock. The system has an annual ridership of 2.5 million passengers to date. The service runs from Stavanger Station to Egersund Station, a distance of 75 km. It has four hourly services from Stavanger to Sandnes Station, of which two continue to Nærbø Station and one to Egersund. The section from Stavanger to Sandnes is double track, while the rest is single track. The infrastructure is owned by the Norwegian National Rail Administration and the line is also used by intercity and freight trains. Several proposed upgrades to the system have been made system, such as a branch along the Ålgård Line, a branch to Stavanger Airport, Sola and reestablishing double track from Sandnes to Egersund.