Key takeaways
- Type 75 is the design designation: Norway lists multiple units as “Type” plus a number, locomotives as El or Di plus a number.
- FLIRT design: an articulated train with Jacobs bogies – recognisable by the number of bogies, not by the livery.
- The neighbouring types are very similar: the lettering decides, not the impression of the shape.
- Electric means tied to the wires: without an overhead line, the design is ruled out – a very quick criterion.
- No regular service in Germany: sightings only happen when you travel.
Contents
Fact file
| Vehicle type | Electric multiple unit for regional services |
|---|---|
| Designation system | “Type 75” – Norwegian multiple units carry “Type” plus a number |
| Short form | BM 75, from the Norwegian “motorvogn” for railcar |
| 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 |
| Related designs | the closely neighbouring type numbers 73 and 74 |
| 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?
- Lettering Type 75 or BM 75 plus serial number on the body
- Articulated construction: fewer bogies than car sections
- A fixed unit with a pantograph, no separate locomotive
- Wide, open gangways between the car sections
- Found on regional services under the wires, not on diesel lines
- Snowplough and winter equipment at the front
Updated: August 2026 – Type 75 is one of the modern Norwegian electric multiple units from the FLIRT family and is assigned to regional services in the catalogue. This page explains its design, shows the limits of what can reliably be said about it – and turns that into a practical guide for your own trip to Norway.
Few designs, a complete collection
Norway's electric passenger fleet is manageable. With a logbook you'll see at once which type number you're still missing.
What is Type 75, alias BM75?
Type 75 is an electric multiple unit from the Stadler FLIRT family for Norwegian regional services. In the country’s system, multiple units carry the word “Type” and a sequential number, while locomotives begin with an abbreviation for the type of traction – “El” for electric, “Di” for diesel. The common short form BM 75 comes from the Norwegian word “motorvogn” for railcar.
Among the Norwegian multiple-unit types, 75 is the highest of the numbers documented here and thus the newest design in this series. Its direct neighbours are Type 74 and Type 73 – both also FLIRT designs, both very similar on the outside. That makes the lettering on the body the decisive feature.
Read the design rather than guessing numbers
Even though the number ultimately decides, the design principle leads you to the right group in seconds and works from a distance too.
A fixed unit or a locomotive with coaches?
A continuous roof and fixed gangways mean a multiple unit. If there's a separate locomotive at the front, the vehicle belongs to the El or Di family.
Count the bogies
Fewer bogies than car sections means an articulated train – so a FLIRT or Talent design. That rules out the older designs straight away.
Read the lettering
Now the digit counts: 72, 73, 74 or 75. Together with the serial number, that completes the identification.
If you want to apply the same system to other countries, a comparison with Germany helps: there, a three-digit class number tells you nothing about the vehicle category, whereas in Norway it tells you everything. How to work in a structured way in both systems is shown in the overview of railway spotting abroad.
The advantage of small fleets
In Norway, a handful of type numbers gets you through the entire electric passenger fleet. That's about an hour's learning – in Germany you'd need weeks for the same thing.
Its place in railway operations
Regional services connect conurbations with their surrounding areas: longer journeys than purely local services, greater distances between stops, more luggage on board. In Norway there’s the added factor that “region” often means considerably greater distances than in Central Europe. When placing the trains, it’s best to separate vehicle and operator: the same design runs under different brands depending on the transport contract, in the south of the country for example on the network of the Go-Ahead Group.
| Feature | Local services | Regional services |
|---|---|---|
| Distance between stops | short, dense network | greater, thinned out |
| Interior | more standing space | higher share of seats, luggage areas |
| Journey time | short | sometimes considerably longer |
| Photographic opportunity | many trains, short stops | fewer trains, more predictable stops |
| Importance of train frequency | high | allow realistically for waiting times |
For a spotting trip, the last row is the most important: a missed train won’t be back in ten minutes. Anyone coming from Germany and used to frequent clock-face timetables regularly underestimates this. For comparison, it’s worth looking at the overview of the best stations for trainspotting in Germany – the selection criteria described there apply abroad too, just on a different scale.
Fewer trains, better planning
Check beforehand what was last reported – when trains are infrequent, that decides the whole day.
Preparation: the Norway checklist
Are you prepared for a spotting trip to Norway?
- I know the type numbers of the Norwegian multiple units and where they appear on the vehicle.
- I've checked which lines on my route are electrified and which aren't.
- I've checked the current timetable and know how frequent the trains are.
- My camera is ready for changing light and the cold, and my spare batteries are kept warm.
- I know which areas of the station are publicly accessible and which aren't.
- I have a backup plan for snow, rain or cancelled trains.
The point about accessibility isn’t a formality: operational railway land, storage areas and tracks are off limits, however inviting a perspective may look. The basic rules are explained in the article on safety distance at the track.
Winter, light and photography
Norwegian vehicles are built for snow, cold, long gradients and many tunnels. You can see this in sturdy snowploughs, protected openings and heated components, which in winter are the only surfaces that stay free of ice. For you, this has three practical consequences:
- Dirty lettering is the rule in the winter half of the year. Expect to have to get closer, or to be able to decipher the number only on screen.
- Snow fools the light meter. Positive exposure compensation is the norm, not the exception.
- Usable daylight is short. In the winter half of the year, the time of day decides whether a photo spot works at all.
Taken together, these three points explain why Norway in summer and in winter are two completely different destinations. In the summer half of the year the sun stays low over the horizon for a long time and provides soft light for many hours – ideal for line-side shots with landscape. In the winter half of the year the usable window sometimes shrinks to a few hours, but in return you get snow, steam at the doors and an atmosphere you won’t find in Central Europe. When planning your trip, make a conscious choice of one or the other rather than expecting both.
Platform edge, snow and ice
On the platform, the safety line is the boundary – even when it has disappeared under snow. That's exactly the real danger: you no longer know where the edge is, and the surface is slippery from meltwater. Keep much more distance than usual and never stand with your back to the track.
Common mix-ups
It's likely Type 75 if …
- the body carries “Type 75” or “BM 75” plus a serial number
- it's an articulated train with a pantograph
- the gangways are wide and permanently connected
- the train is running on an electrified regional service
Look more closely if …
- you can't make out the second digit of the type number with certainty
- two visually identical units are running coupled
- the interior doesn't match what you would have expected
It's not Type 75 if …
- a separate locomotive is hauling the train
- every car has its own two bogies
- the vehicle is diesel-powered or running without an overhead line
The most likely mix-up is with the neighbouring Types 73 and 74. It’s a little easier to tell it apart from the Talent design of Type 72: although it’s also an articulated train, it belongs to a different vehicle family and differs in front-end shape and proportions.
Conclusion
Type 75 stands for modern Norwegian regional services – and for the fact that in this country you can get a complete overview with surprisingly little effort. Seven type numbers, two locomotive abbreviations, one electrification system: once you know those, you can place any traction unit you meet between the platform and the mountain line. Everything else should be checked, not believed.
In short
Articulated train, pantograph, “Type 75” lettering: that's the identification. Norway rewards planning more than luck – infrequent trains, short winter days, but few, clearly distinguishable designs.
Complete your Norway list
Tick off one type number after another – with location, date and photo for every sighting.
Summary
- The BM75 is a Norwegian FLIRT design that the catalogue assigns to regional services.
- It can be identified by vehicle category, design principle and the type number on the body – in that order.
- Norway offers few, clearly defined designs: you can learn its entire electric passenger fleet in a short time.
- Lines, operators and vehicle allocations change with transport contracts and should be checked before every trip.
Frequently asked questions
What does Type 75 or BM75 mean?
Norway designates multiple units with “Type” plus a number. Type 75 is therefore a design of multiple unit in its own right. The spelling BM 75 derives from the Norwegian word “motorvogn” for railcar. Locomotives, by contrast, carry “El” for electric or “Di” for diesel, each followed by a design number.
How do I recognise the FLIRT design?
By the articulated construction: between two car sections there's only one bogie, on which both car ends rest. Count the car sections and bogies from the side – if there are fewer bogies, you have an articulated train. Wide, fixed gangways also point to this type of construction.
How do I tell Type 75 apart from Types 73 and 74?
Only by the lettering on the vehicle. Consecutive type numbers usually denote variants for different service segments that hardly differ on the outside. A record shot of the number is therefore a must if your sightings list is to be accurate.
Where can I see the BM75 in Norway?
On electrified regional lines. Which lines those are specifically depends on transport contracts and timetable years and changes – check the current situation before you travel. Only the principle is certain: no overhead line, no electric design.
Does Type 75 run in Germany?
No, there's no regular service in Germany. You will, however, often find other FLIRT versions in regional services there. The comparison is instructive: the same vehicle family, the same electrification system, a completely different designation system.
What electrification system does the train use?
15 kV at 16.7 Hz, i.e. the same AC system as Germany, Austria, Sweden and Switzerland. That's exactly why Norway is technically less foreign for spotters from German-speaking countries than it seems at first glance – the differences lie in designations, climate and operating environment.
What makes spotting in Norway different from Germany?
Trains are less frequent, the variety of vehicles is smaller and the weather more unpredictable. On the other hand, the stations are easy to take in, the number of designs is manageable and the surroundings are rewarding to photograph. Allow more time per subject and expect that a missed train won't be back in ten minutes.
Why does this page give no numbers built?
Because public figures for individual Norwegian type numbers are inconsistent, and unverified figures would be the greater error. What can still be described is everything you can check for yourself: the designation system, design principle, electrification system and the features on the vehicle.
Log your sighting of the Vy BM75 (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 BM73 (Stadler FLIRT)
Type 73 is a Norwegian electric multiple unit type assigned to the FLIRT family. This page shows how to identify it in the field – and why the number on the train decides.
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.
Where to see the Vy BM75 (Stadler FLIRT)
Specific viewpoints with lighting times, coordinates and an honest verdict on whether the trip is worth it.
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