The process of establishing a Ring Line to serve the northern parts of Oslo started in the late 1980s.

[4] The background for building the rapid transit system to Nydalen, was the urban redevelopment from an industrial to a mixed residential and commercial area during the 1990s and 2000s.

The area has several large information technology and telecommunication companies, including ErgoGroup, Agresso, EDB Business Partner, Visma, TDC and NetCom.

Large cultural institutions in the area include the national touring theater Riksteatret and the national touring concerts Concerts Norway, the publishing companies Hjemmet Mortensen, De Norske Bokklubbene and Schibsted's printing press.

[9] The station's center platform is located 12 metres (39 ft) underground, with an entrance pavilion at street level.

The platforms is 110 metres (360 ft) long, allowing for six-car trains, and is covered with white granite and a paneled ceiling.

[11] 1800 fluorescent lamps and 44 speakers are installed behind a layer of glass along the corridor, steadily changing color and mood.

Therefore, any traveler heading for the city center can get on the first train, independent of its direction (except line 5 to Storo), and can be certain it will be the quickest connection to the downtown area.

[13] There is a railway station on the Gjøvik Line also called Nydalen, that is served by NSB Gjøvikbanen as part of the Oslo Commuter Rail.