October 8, 2026 — Update to our earlier coverage. The Norwegian train drivers’ strike at state operator Vy saw its first movement on Thursday: the union says it is drafting a proposal and wants an answer by the end of the weekend. Until then, Vy is cancelling more than 800 departures from Thursday to Sunday. Separately, Oslo Central Station is closed to all trains on Saturday for planned track work, which also stops the airport express from running into the city.
What changed
- A proposal is coming: The drivers’ union, Norsk Lokomotivmannsforbund, says it is working on a draft to put to the employers’ side, Spekter and Vy. Its contents and timing are TBA.
- Deadline of sorts: Union leader Rolf Ringdal expects clarification by the end of the weekend, October 10–11.
- Possible escalation: If the employers reject the proposal, the union will consider widening the strike. No date or scale has been announced.
- Employers: Spekter says there has been no contact since the strike began on September 18 and that it is open to meeting.
- Government: No report mentions forced arbitration.
- Who is striking: 72 drivers, at Vy only. Other operators SJ Norge and Go-Ahead are not on strike.
Vy cancellations by line
Cancelled departures, with the share of that line’s departures in brackets. Source: Vy’s strike page, updated October 8 at 1:40 pm Norwegian time.
| Line | Thu Oct 8 | Fri Oct 9 | Sat Oct 10 | Sun Oct 11 | Mon Oct 12 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L1 Spikkestad–Lillestrøm | 66 (43%) | 32 (21%) | 26 (33%) | 50 (68%) | 24 (16%) |
| L2 Stabekk–Ski | 45 (29%) | 46 (30%) | — | 30 (42%) | 29 (19%) |
| R12 Kongsberg–Eidsvoll | — | 5 (13%) | 17 (47%) | 3 (8%) | — |
| R13 Drammen–Dal | 14 (18%) | 23 (30%) | 72 (100%) | 8 (11%) | 20 (26%) |
| R14 Asker–Kongsvinger | 32 (76%) | 42 (100%) | 36 (100%) | 27 (79%) | 32 (76%) |
| R21 Stabekk–Moss | 21 (28%) | — | — | 29 (42%) | 23 (30%) |
| R22 Oslo S–Mysen/Rakkestad | 16 (38%) | 5 (12%) | — | 18 (53%) | 12 (29%) |
| R23 Oslo S–Ski | 10 (15%) | 5 (8%) | — | — | 6 (9%) |
| RE10 Drammen–Lillehammer | 28 (65%) | 30 (70%) | 29 (85%) | 16 (46%) | 29 (67%) |
| RE11 Skien–Eidsvoll | 1 (2%) | 1 (2%) | — | 4 (11%) | — |
| RE20 Oslo S–Halden/Gothenburg | 12 (19%) | 10 (16%) | 4 (8%) | 3 (6%) | 3 (5%) |
- Bergen area, Monday: Two departures each are cancelled on L4 Bergen–Arna and R40 Bergen–Myrdal.
- No replacement buses for the strike: Vy says it cannot provide alternative transport during a strike. Its journey planner shows only trains that will run, about two days ahead.
- Refunds: Vy’s Swedish page says a cancelled train is refunded in full, whatever the ticket type.
Oslo Central Station closed Saturday
- When: No trains in or out of Oslo S from 6 am Saturday, October 10, to 4 am Sunday, October 11. This is planned track work by Bane NOR, not the strike. One source gives slightly earlier start and end times.
- Who is affected: About 20 lines, including long-distance trains run by SJ Norge and Go-Ahead.
- Airport express (Flytoget): No trains between Skøyen and Oslo Airport from about 2 am Saturday to 3 am Sunday. Buses run between Skøyen and the airport all Saturday.
- Sunday morning: No trains between Oslo S and Lysaker from 4 am to 11 am.
- Replacement buses: Vy is running 240 buses for the closure and advises 30 to 60 minutes of extra travel time.
What it means for airline travelers
- Flying out of Oslo on Saturday? Do not count on a train from the city centre. Use the replacement buses or a taxi, and leave at least an hour early.
- Other days: The Flytoget airport express is reported to be running normally during the strike. If you use a Vy regional train instead, check it against Vy’s list first.
- Oslo–Gothenburg by train: Several departures are cancelled each day through Monday. Check Vy’s Swedish page for train numbers.
- Standby travelers: Build in extra time. A missed airport train on a strike day can mean a missed flight, and Vy does not lay on buses for strike cancellations.
- Next week: Watch for news on Sunday or Monday. The strike could shrink or grow depending on the union’s proposal.
Sources
- Vy: Informasjon om lokførerstreik
- Vy (Sweden): Information om strejk på sträckan Oslo–Göteborg–Malmö från 18 september
- FriFagbevegelse / NTB: Togstreiken: Lokførerene nærmer seg et forslag
- Aftenposten / NTB: Over 800 togavganger innstilt på grunn av streiken resten av uken
- Adresseavisen / NTB: Lokførerstreiken fortsetter: – Vi jobber som bare fanken
- Dinside: Oslo S stenger helt ned i helgen: Dette må du vite
- osloairports.com: Togstreiken trappes opp (Oslo S stenger)
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