VIDEO – Norway – Ofotbanen

Last modified 14.03.2022 | Published 30.07.2017North and Central Europe, Norway, Norway Videos, Sweden, Videos

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This is a video from Ofotbanen. The Ofoten Line (Ofotbanen) is a 43 km long railway from the port of Narvik to the Swedish border. It continues into Northern Swedish territory. Ofotbanen is one of the most beautiful railways in Europe.

The line opened in 1902 after four years of hectic and very challenging construction work. It runs in dramatic mountainous surroundings and also in a harsh Northern Norway climate. Narvik is a secure ice-free harbour that enables a stable export gate to the world markets of iron ore from the mines in Kiruna, Sweden.

This railway corridor was important to Nazi-Germany. Hitler decided to invade Norway in April, 1940, because he had to secure access to the iron ore. However, Norwegian and Allied forces retaliated the attack in the Battle of Narvik and gave Hitler his first defeat in WWII. After two months of fighting, the Allied expeditionary force received orders to withdraw and soon after the Norwegians had to surrender. 

This video is from a ride on the passenger train from Narvik to the border station called Riksgränsen.

The travelogue from my visit offers more background, as well as practical information.

If you would like to see more videos from Norway, you may want to head for this post. It contains playlists and all videos. Or go straight to YouTube.