When this last section of the new standard gauge main line between Oslo and Trondheim via Lillehammer and Dombås was opened in 1921, the originally 49-kilometre (30 mi) long narrow gauge section between Støren and Trondheim was made the northern part of the new Dovre Line.

When talking about construction of railways in Norway, Dovre Line refers to the 1,581-kilometre (982 mi) long Dombås - Støren section.

Hovedbanen is still in service for freight trains (and local commuters to Dal), but is not considered as a part of Dovre Line.

The southern part of the line has hourly departures with regional trains from Lillehammer to Oslo operated by Vy.

The worst Norwegian railway disaster in peacetime also happened on the Dovre Line on 22 February 1975 when two trains collided one kilometer north of Tretten station, killing 27 people and wounding 25.

The section between Eidsvoll and Hamar is currently being rebuilt and partly realigned as a double track line capable of 200-250 km/h.

Longer crossing loops and renewal of the existing line and its infrastructure are the only plans in the foreseeable future.