Night train service will resume on Norway's Nordlandsbanen railway line soon. The government confirmed a locomotive rental agreement makes this possible.
Four leased diesel locomotives will restore service between Trondheim and Bodø. The trains stopped running after a fatal derailment near Bjerka in Nordland county.
The accident killed the train driver and damaged equipment. Older locomotives also required frequent maintenance, complicating repairs.
Transport Minister Jon-Ivar Nygård acknowledged passenger frustrations. "The situation on Nordlandsbanen has been demanding after the Bjerka accident," he said in a statement.
Norwegian railway company Norske tog AS signed the rental agreement with a supplier. SJ Norge will operate the trains on the northern route.
The first locomotive is already being modified in Oslo. Officials say night trains can return "as soon as practically possible."
Regional Development Minister Bjørnar Skjæran noted normal service depends on landslide repairs near Levanger. A major mudslide destroyed railway infrastructure there in August.
Bus service will replace trains between Trondheim and Steinkjer starting November 3. Train traffic continues between Steinkjer and Bodø.
A temporary workshop in Bodø maintains trains until Levanger repairs finish. Officials expect full normal service by next summer.
The restoration comes as a relief to northern Norway communities dependent on rail connections. The lengthy service interruption highlighted infrastructure vulnerabilities in remote regions.