Replacement buses extend route from Langå to Skagen after signal failure in Northern Jutland

Monday was intended to mark the end of two months of track work in Northern Jutland, which had necessitated the use of replacement buses from Hobro to Hjørring. However, the joy for commuters was short-lived as replacement buses reappeared on Thursday morning, this time extending the route from Langå to Skagen—a stretch of nearly 200 kilometers.

One commuter affected was Thomas Holm from Skørping, who had to inform his boss that he would be late for work in Randers. “I am trying to figure out when I can catch the next bus. I hope it will be in an hour, which would make me only two hours late. This is quite inconvenient,” he stated.

The disruptions are attributed to a signal failure that occurred overnight from Wednesday to Thursday, according to Banedanmark. Erik Frederiksen, operations manager at Nordjyllands Trafikselskab, responsible for train services in parts of Northern Jutland, expressed frustration over the situation, saying, “We were all looking forward to stable train services, so it is very frustrating to wake up to news of further delays.”

The extensive track work in the region has been part of a project to replace the signaling system, but an IT error in the new system halted train operations on Thursday morning. Mads Søndergaard from Banedanmark cautioned that there is an increased risk of further failures in the new signaling system over the next month.

For Thomas Holm, continued disruption may force him to reconsider his transportation options. “Right now, we only have one car at home, and I’m not thinking of a second one. But if this continues, I may need to think differently,” he remarked.

Trains will resume service between Langå and Skagen on Thursday at noon, but from the evening until November 22, commuters north of Aalborg should prepare for further delays as tree trimming along the tracks necessitates more replacement buses.