Station Handbook for Oslo's Metro Stations

*The Station Handbook, version 8.0 of 2026*

Period
2025 – 2026
Client
Sporveien AS
Industry
Public Transport
Team
- Knut Wisthus Johansen, Development Manager for Architecture, Infrastructure and Property, Sporveien
- Line Renée Hagen, Designer, Blueroom Designstudio AS
- Contributors from relevant departments in Sporveien, Ruter, Fornebubanen, external architects, engineers and planners.
My role and contrubution
- Prosess Management: Conduct meetings and consultation rounds. User and stakeholder involvement
- Assess and implement changes in consultation with the client.
- Design Management of structure and layout with illustration development and photos
- Coordinate input from stakeholders and users
- Publish in Sporveien’s electronic archive
- Internal communication and presentations
The Station Handbook serves as Sporveien’s common framework for the management, operation, and development of Oslo’s Metro stations.
The handbook consolidates experiences, requirements, and principles into a single document, ensuring that all measures are planned and implemented with a holistic approach, quality, and long-term responsibility in mind.
The Station Handbook is primarily intended for Sporveien’s staff responsible for the operation, maintenance, and renewal of the stations. This includes subject matter experts, operations and maintenance teams, safety and advertising managers, as well as project managers, external advisors/consultants, and all others involved in station management.
The handbook also applies to Ruter’s responsible parties for accessibility (universal design) and signage planning, as well as their collaboration partners.
The previous revision of the handbook was conducted in 2016.
The purpose of this revision has been to:
- Adjust details based on operational experience and societal development
- Highlight management and holistic place identity as central themes
- Clarify requirements for universal design
- Describe new topics such as micromobility, densification, signage programs, and advertising
- Incorporate the roles of Sporveien and Ruter in a more precise manner
- Document processes and decision-making authority for measures
The first step was to conduct a consultation round during the initial phase in the fall of 2025 among relevant stakeholders in Sporveien and Ruter. New consultation rounds were held with the same groups before finalizing and launch summer 2026.
Input from the consultations formed the basis for the changes made to the handbook.

Result

A comprehensive update
In the revision of the Station Handbook, Operations and Maintenance is now the cornerstone, serving as the overarching guidance for all decisions. Additionally, the revision strengthens collaboration process, enhances universal accessibility and highlights and makes programs for signage, wayfinding and safety more visible. It also expands on station areas and adds dedicated sections for art at stations and cultural heritage.

Key observations from the process

The organization is ready for a handbook with greater weight and clearer guidelines. The Station Handbook is widely regarded as a vital tool in daily operations, with engaged professional environments that have clear opinions on what works and what doesn’t. There is near-unanimous agreement on the need for a strong and binding handbook that can serve as a tool to maintan the soon to be 106 metro stations in the network.