There’s continuing hope for high-speed trains in Norway if the matter isn’t settled by the government. SAS is considering buying themselves in to the project.

According to Tom Stillesby, who heads the study looking at the trains’ viability in Norway, the project would benefit from cooperation between trade and industry, the state, as well as district and local municipalities.

“The study’s mandate obliges us to look into other possible finance models when it comes to construction, over and above the traditional state budget one,” he tells Aftenposten.

At last week’s conference about high-speed trains in Oslo, Iñaki Barrón De Angoiti, head of passenger transport for the UIC (International Union of Railways), said high-speed rail networks are being built at a record pace around the world.

Stillesby believes the same idea could soon appeal to trade and industry here.

“Railways are very popular now. Many prefer to take the train instead of flying, and we’ve seen high-speed trains change settlement and business establishment patterns.

SAS’ Communications Mangager, Kenneth Vikse, says trains have outcompeted planes on the Continent, and believes there’s no reason the same thing wouldn’t happen here.

“It’s an exciting thought and we’re following this development closely. We’ve no definite plans in Norway yet, but we see how this has been handled on the Continent,” he says.

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