Sporveier

Sporveier is the Norwegian term for tramways or streetcar networks—urban rail systems that run on tracks and are typically integrated into city streets. The term can refer to both the physical infrastructure and the organizations that operate such networks, especially in Norway and other Nordic countries.

A sporvei system typically includes tracks or rights-of-way, an electrical power supply (such as overhead wires or ground-level systems), rolling stock (trams or light-rail vehicles), signaling and traffic control, and maintenance facilities like depots. The networks may share streets with other traffic or run on dedicated corridors.

In the Nordic region, cognate terms exist in Danish (sporveje) and Swedish (spårväg). Historically, many cities developed sporveier as municipally owned tram networks to provide urban transportation; some networks were later expanded into light rail or replaced by buses as urban transit needs evolved.

Today, sporveier operate as part of broader urban transit systems. In Norway, the concept remains a key part of how cities organize street-level rail services, with operations coordinated by regional transit authorities and various operators under national safety and accessibility standards. The term reflects both the enduring importance of trams in urban mobility and the regional language used to describe these networks.

Related topics include tramways, streetcars, light rail, and urban rail transit.