Transport and communications
Samferdsel (transport and communications) means travel and transport between places. The term covers both the transport itself and the industries that carry passengers or freight commercially. On the passenger side it includes private travel by car, by bicycle and on foot, public transport such as bus, train, tram, metro and ferry, plus air and sea transport. The freight side covers road, rail, sea and air, and is closely tied to the structure of ports and terminals.
Norwegian transport policy is steered through the Nasjonal transportplan (NTP, the national transport plan), which is revised every four years and sets the direction for an efficient, environmentally friendly and safe transport system. The NTP is considered by the Storting and is the document that commits large investment decisions. On the delivery side, the main bodies are Statens vegvesen for national roads, Bane NOR for railways, Avinor for airports and Kystverket for sea transport. The county authorities run county roads and public transport, often through their own companies such as Ruter (Oslo og Akershus), Skyss (Vestland) and AtB (Trøndelag).
For land use planning and property development, transport is one of the strongest constraints. In a reguleringsplan (zoning plan), "samferdselsanlegg og teknisk infrastruktur" (transport facilities and technical infrastructure) is one of the statutory land use purposes under plan- og bygningsloven § 12-5 no 2 (the Planning and Building Act), and it covers roads, railways, airports, ports, the main cycle network, public transport interchanges and parking. Proximity to public transport interchanges, the cycle network and the road network is often decisive for location choices, parking standards and valuation. The national planning guidelines for coordinated housing, land use and transport planning place new development at established interchanges as a general rule. New transport projects can therefore trigger a significant change in value in the surrounding area, both positive where new access opens up an area and negative where noise or barriers increase.
The datasets that describe transport and communications come from NVDB (Nasjonal vegdatabank, the national road database) for roads, from Bane NOR for railways, and from Entur for public transport routes. They are open through Geonorge under the Norwegian Licence for Open Government Data (NLOD).
In Placepoint, roads, railways, stops, public transport routes, traffic volume and other transport infrastructure sit as thematic map layers in Transport and communications, so you can assess accessibility and transport links for a property.
How the dataset appears on the map
The dataset is part of the map layer Transport and communications:
From Placepoint's dictionary: Transport and communications
More information: Store norske leksikon: samferdsel, Regjeringen: Nasjonal transportplan, Statens vegvesen: NVDB
English: Transport infrastructure.
Frequently asked questions
What is samferdsel?
Samferdsel is travel and transport between places, and it includes road, rail, aviation, sea transport and public transport. Transport infrastructure is decisive for accessibility and property value.
Why does transport matter for property value?
Good access to transport infrastructure, such as motorways, railways and airports, makes commercial property and housing more attractive. It affects commuting time, tenant interest and valuation.
Who is responsible for transport infrastructure in Norway?
Statens vegvesen, Bane NOR, Avinor and Kystverket are the main state agencies. Municipalities and county authorities are responsible for municipal roads and public transport.
How do new transport projects affect property value?
New transport projects such as roads, railways and metro extensions can raise the value of properties in the surrounding area considerably. Developers therefore follow the national transport plans (NTP) closely.
Can I see transport infrastructure in Placepoint?
Placepoint shows roads, railways, stops, public transport routes and other transport infrastructure as map layers, so you can assess accessibility and transport links for a property.