Key takeaways
- The type number decides, not the product name: the vehicle is marked Type 73 – family names like FLIRT come from the manufacturer.
- Recognising an articulated train: fewer bogies than car sections is the most robust feature, even when markings are dirty.
- Norway runs on 15 kV / 16.7 Hz – the same system as Germany, Austria, Sweden and Switzerland.
- Types 73, 74 and 75 are close together: in the field, rely on the number on the vehicle, not on lists.
- No regular service in Germany: sightings of this type only happen while travelling.
Contents
Fact file
| Vehicle type | Electric multiple unit |
|---|---|
| Naming system | “Type 73” – Norwegian multiple units carry “Type” plus a number |
| Short form | BM 73, from Norwegian “motorvogn” for power car |
| Vehicle family | Stadler FLIRT |
| Design principle | Articulated train with Jacobs bogies between the car sections |
| Electrification system | 15 kV / 16.7 Hz AC |
| Track gauge | 1435 mm standard gauge |
| Country of operation | Norway – no regular service in Germany |
| UIC country code | 76 (Norway) |
Identifying features
Is this really the class in front of you?
- Marking Type 73 or BM 73 plus a running number on the bodyside
- Articulated design: only one bogie sits between two car sections
- Fixed unit with no separate locomotive, pantograph on the roof
- Wide, open gangways between the car sections instead of separate coaches
- Snowplough and winter equipment at the front
- Found exclusively under overhead wire – ruled out on diesel lines
Updated: August 2026 – The Type 73 is one of the Norwegian electric multiple units assigned to the FLIRT family in the Traintrack catalogue. For spotters it is above all an exercise in discipline: with closely adjacent type numbers, neither gut feeling nor a list will help – only the marking on the vehicle. This page shows you how to go about it properly.
Photograph the number, don't memorise it
With closely related types, a photo of the marking is the only evidence that still holds up later.
What is the Type 73, alias BM73?
The Type 73 is an electric multiple unit for the Norwegian network. Like all the country’s multiple units, it carries the word “Type” and a sequential number; locomotives, by contrast, start with an abbreviation for their traction type, such as “El” on the El 18. The form BM 73 comes from the Norwegian word “motorvogn” for power car and refers to the same vehicle.
In the catalogue, the type is assigned to the Stadler FLIRT family. That’s useful information about the design, but it doesn’t replace the number: in Norway, type numbers 73, 74 and 75 sit right next to each other, and closely related types often differ outwardly only in details. If you want to be sure, read the marking.
Why the type number matters more than the product name
With vehicle families built for many countries, a muddle of manufacturer names, product names and national type designations regularly arises. For identification in the field, there’s a clear order of priority.
1. Marking on the vehicle
The type number and running number are on the bodyside and are the only feature permanently tied to the vehicle.
2. Design principle
Articulated or conventional train, number of bogies, type of gangways. That narrows down the family even when the number is illegible.
3. Family name
FLIRT, Talent, Desiro: helpful for conversation and research, but not an identifying feature – families cover very different versions.
4. Livery and logo
The least reliable clue of all. Operator branding changes with service contracts, and vehicles get re-lettered.
How to tell the big multiple-unit families apart is covered in the comparison telling FLIRT, Talent and Desiro apart. For the European vehicle number, which Norwegian units also carry – country code 76 –, the article on the UIC number and its check digit will help.
Photograph what you're not sure about
With closely adjacent type numbers, a sharp picture of the marking is worth more than any note written from memory. You can evaluate it at leisure later – you can't do that with a memory of "something with 7x".
Where it fits in operations
Electric multiple units carry the traffic on the electrified part of the Norwegian network, whose lines and overhead wiring are the responsibility of Bane NOR. The boundary with diesel operation is sharp: where there’s no overhead line, all electric types are ruled out.
| Observation | What it tells you | Reliability |
|---|---|---|
| Overhead line above the track | electric operation possible | very high |
| “Type” plus a number on the bodyside | multiple unit, not a locomotive | very high |
| Fewer bogies than car sections | articulated train, FLIRT or Talent design | high |
| Front-end shape and window layout | clue to the family | medium, deceptive in poor light |
| Livery and operator logo | clue to the current operator | low, changes with contract awards |
The last two rows are why this page doesn’t claim any routes or operator assignments. Both change with tenders and timetable years. Besides the state railway Vy (formerly NSB), other operators have now also won service contracts in Norway. These include the British Go-Ahead Group. If you want to find out more before a trip, work with current sources – the guide to railway spotting abroad shows where to start.
Current reports instead of old lists
Check which vehicles have actually been sighted recently – before you fix your route.
Winter design: what you actually see on the vehicle
Norwegian multiple units are built for snow, cold, long gradients and many tunnels. Some of these requirements are visible, others aren’t – and that distinction matters for clean observations:
- Visible: sturdy snowploughs, protected ventilation openings, robust front ends, and in winter heated surfaces on windows and footsteps that stay free of ice and snow.
- Visible: heavy grime during the winter half-year, which makes markings hard to read.
- Not visible: traction design, heating output, approvals and interior equipment details.
If you only describe what you actually see, you make fewer mistakes than someone who infers technology from appearance. With vehicles where sources are uncertain, that’s the most important rule of all.
In practice, that means: note separately in your logbook what is observation and what is identification. “Articulated train, pantograph, marking partly legible, type number starts with 7” is an observation. “Type 73” is an identification – correct if you read the number, and a guess if you didn’t. This separation costs you ten seconds when logging and saves you any later discussion about how certain an old sighting really was. With closely adjacent type numbers, it’s even the only way to keep a list that will still be worth something in five years.
Spotting and photography tips
Marking first
First the record shot of the number, then the composed picture. During short stops there's often only time for one of the two.
Side view for the design principle
Only from the side can you count car sections and bogies. Head-on shots look good but say little about the type.
Plan for snow
Bright surfaces lead to underexposure. Positive exposure compensation preserves detail in the white and keeps the bodyside from going dark.
Safety on the platform
Tracks, operational railway land and stabling areas are off limits, abroad too. On the platform, the safety line is the boundary – and in snow it often can't be seen. In winter, also expect slippery surfaces and keep noticeably more distance than usual.
Common mix-ups
It points to a Type 73 if …
- the bodyside reads "Type 73" or "BM 73" plus a running number
- the train is an articulated unit with a pantograph
- the car sections are connected by wide, fixed gangways
- the line is electrified
Look more closely if …
- you can only make out a "7" and an illegible second digit
- a source gives a different family assignment from what you can see
- two units with different type numbers are running coupled together
It's not a Type 73 if …
- a standalone locomotive is pulling the train
- the marking gives a different type number
- the vehicle is diesel-powered or running without overhead wire
The direct neighbours are the Type 74 and the Type 75. It’s somewhat easier to distinguish it from the Talent design of the Type 72, which is also an articulated train but belongs to a different vehicle family.
Verdict
The Type 73 is a good example of how to deal professionally with uncertain sources: describe the design principle, read the type number, treat everything else as changeable and, when in doubt, take a record shot. If you work like this, at the end of the trip you’ll have fewer claims but far more reliable sightings in your logbook.
In short
Articulated train, pantograph, marking Type 73: identification needs no more than that – and anything less isn't enough. With the closely adjacent type numbers 73 to 75, the number on the vehicle is the only reliable authority.
Bring record shots and sightings together
Type number, running number, location and photo in one entry – so even a quick observation remains verifiable.
Summary
- The BM73 is a Norwegian electric multiple unit type that is assigned to the FLIRT family in the Traintrack catalogue.
- It can be identified by its design principle, pantograph and above all the type number on the bodyside.
- Because type numbers 73 to 75 are closely adjacent, the marking is the only reliable distinguishing feature.
- Areas of operation, operators and fleet numbers change with service contracts – treat any statement on this as a snapshot.
Frequently asked questions
What does Type 73, or BM73, mean?
Norway designates multiple units with the word “Type” and a number. Type 73 is therefore a distinct multiple-unit type. The form BM 73 derives from the Norwegian word “motorvogn” for power car. Locomotives, by contrast, carry an abbreviation for their traction type: “El” for electric, “Di” for diesel.
How do I recognise a FLIRT?
By its articulated design with Jacobs bogies: only one bogie sits between two car sections, with both car ends resting on it. Add to that wide, open gangways and a modular layout made up of several short car sections. However, the FLIRT shares these features with other families – the number remains the final authority.
How do I tell Types 73, 74 and 75 apart?
By the marking on the vehicle. The type numbers are close together, and closely related types often differ outwardly only in details such as door spacing, front-end design or interior layout. If you rely on memory or older lists, you'll be wrong sooner than you think.
What electrification system does the Type 73 use?
15 kV at 16.7 Hz. Norway uses the same AC system as Germany, Austria, Sweden and Switzerland. For you, that means the overhead line and pantograph look familiar, and European vehicle families can be adopted without fundamentally redesigning the traction system.
Does the BM73 run in Germany?
No, there's no regular service in Germany. You will, however, regularly see other members of the FLIRT family there – the design is the same, the designation completely different. It's exactly this comparison that makes Norwegian vehicles instructive for German-speaking spotters.
Why are there no performance figures or unit numbers here?
Because reliable public information on individual Norwegian type numbers is inconsistent, and made-up figures would be the bigger mistake. What can be described with certainty – the naming system, design principle, electrification system and the features you can check in the field – you'll find on this page in full.
What belongs in the logbook for a sighting?
Type number, running number, date and location, and for coupled units all the numbers involved. Add a photo of the marking: with foreign vehicles, that's often the only evidence later that allows a sighting to be assigned beyond doubt.
Do area of operation and operator change?
Yes. In Norway as in Germany, tenders and service contracts regularly shift who serves which lines and with which vehicles. Lettering and liveries change accordingly. The type number stays – which is why it's the only feature you can rely on in the long term.
Log your sighting of the Vy BM73 (Stadler FLIRT)
Date, location and vehicle number logged in seconds – and visible to the community.
Related classes
Vy BM74 (Stadler FLIRT)
The BM74 is one of several Norwegian FLIRT types. Barely distinguishable from outside, unambiguous by type number – here's how to go about it in the field.
EMUVy BM75 (Stadler FLIRT)
The BM75 is a Norwegian FLIRT for regional services. This page shows how to identify it and what a spotting trip to Norway really requires.
EMUVy BM72 (Talent)
The BM72 is Norway's electric Talent. If you know the Talent family from Germany, you'll recognise it straight away – despite a different designation and different colours.
EMUFlytoget BM71
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EMUNSB/Vy BM70 (Signatur)
Type 70, BM70, Signatur – three names, one vehicle. This page shows which one is actually marked on the train and which you'd better not rely on for identification.
EMUVy BM69
The BM69 is Norway's older local multiple unit design. Its correct name is Type 69 – and it's the best example of how long-lived Norwegian vehicles are.
Who is behind it
Groups, brands, manufacturers and operators – who owns whom and how to recognise them out in the field.
Bane NOR
Bane NOR owns Norway's rail network and stations, but doesn't run any trains itself. Services are commissioned by a state directorate and operated by several companies. Three layers that regularly get mixed up in Norwegian sighting logs.
GroupGo-Ahead Group
The Go-Ahead Group is a British transport group that wins regional network contracts on the European mainland and runs them through national subsidiaries. That's why its trains almost never carry the name "Go-Ahead" – instead they carry the name of the network, the commissioning body, or a joint venture.
State railwayVy (formerly NSB)
In 2019, a name railfans had known for decades disappeared: NSB became Vy. More changed than the logo – Norwegian passenger services are now split across several operators, and the network belongs to its own state-owned company.
Where to see the Vy BM73 (Stadler FLIRT)
Specific viewpoints with lighting times, coordinates and an honest verdict on whether the trip is worth it.
Oslo Sentralstasjon
Oslo Sentralstasjon is the starting point of every Norwegian long-distance line: the Bergensbanen, Dovrebanen, Sørlandsbanen and the connection to Sweden all begin here. Add four different operators in passenger traffic – you won't find this much operational variety anywhere else in Norway.
Junction stationStockholm Centralstation
Stockholm Centralstation is Sweden's biggest station – and since the Citybanan tunnel opened, a different place from before: commuter trains now run underground, while long-distance services stayed upstairs. Know both levels and you get the whole of Swedish rail travel in a single morning.
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