The Hardanger Line (Norwegian: Hardangerbana or Hardangerbanen) was a 27.45-kilometre (17.06 mi) railway between Voss and Granvin in Hordaland, Norway.

The 3 kilometres (2 mi) from Voss to Palmafoss is still intact and is owned by the Norwegian National Rail Administration.

The line featured six stations, fourteen halts and four tunnels and was one of Norway's steepest railways.

[6] The system had stations with buildings at Voss, Palmafoss, Mønshaug, Skjervet, Nesheim and Granvin.

In addition, there were halts at Haugamo, Kinne, Bjørgum, Mala, Dalsleitet, Flatlandsmo, Såkvitno, Selland and Kolanes.

Hardanger is dominated by a small number of large industrial companies, primarily smelters, which were responsible for more than 80 percent of the line's cargo volume.

[10] The line and power system is intact for 3 km (1.9 mi) from Voss to Palmafoss and is maintained by the Norwegian National Rail Administration.

The hiking and cycle path continues from Nesheim, although the right-of-way no longer exists on the last kilometre before Granvin.

On 5 November 1923, parliament passed the final plans for the railway and the pace of construction was accelerated.

[1] In 1927, Minister of Labour Worm Hirsch Darre-Jenssen of the Conservative Party stopped the work on the railway, however, stating that time had run out and that a road should be built there instead.

Because of the electric traction, the line was not affected by the lack of coal during World War II, and in 1945 it had 285,900 passengers.

[21] Another issue for the line was that it has a permitted axle load of only 12 tonnes (12 long tons; 13 short tons); this either prohibited optimal wagon weights on the main lines, or causing transshipment at Voss, both causing increased costs.

[6] In 1977, the average distance for cargo shipped from the Hardanger Line was 444 kilometres (276 mi) by rail.

[25] Freight volume was then estimated to increase between 100 and 300 percent, and an upgrade was calculated to give a positive net present value, although it would not be sufficient to cover the full existing deficit.

[27] At the same time, it was estimated that the cost of retaining a 12-tonne (12-long-ton; 13-short-ton) axle load would require investments of NOK 6 million.

[28] In 1979, the concession for passenger transport between Voss and Granvin was transferred from NSB's bus division to HSD and Bergen–Hardanger–Voss Billag.

Other plans were to extend some of the departures of the Bergen Commuter Rail from Voss to Granvin or operate commercially profitable tourist trains similar to the service provided on the Flåm Line.

[31] The municipalities of Voss and Granvin wanted to use the right-of-way for a hiking and bicycle path, and NSB canceled their plans.

[12] Two of the Class 64 trains have been preserved by the Norwegian Railway Association and are based at the Old Voss Line in Bergen.