Passengers trapped on Oslo-Gothenburg train for eight hours due to fallen trees

A train travelling from Oslo to Gothenburg was stranded for nearly eight hours on Sunday after fallen trees blocked the tracks, Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet reports.

The train came to a halt around 3:30 PM local time when a tree fell across the line between Ed and Öxnered in Sweden. After a five-hour delay, passengers were transferred to a replacement train, only for another tree to block the tracks shortly after departure.

Jens Marcus Wautiher, 18, one of the stranded passengers, told Dagbladet the train had been stationary for seven to eight hours by Sunday evening. “We were supposed to arrive in Gothenburg six or seven hours ago, but we haven’t even reached Trollhättan yet,” he said.

With no power on board, passengers were unable to use the train’s vending machines or flush toilets. Wautiher said buckets were initially provided as a temporary solution, though the issue was later resolved. Food supplies were limited, with only water and chocolate offered to passengers.

“I’m getting quite hungry,” Wautiher said, adding that the lack of blankets made the situation uncomfortable. “People are tired, frustrated, and just want to get home.”

Train operator Vy confirmed efforts were underway to clear the tracks and transport passengers to their destination, but could not provide a timeline. “We need to assess how quickly the tracks can be cleared, and then determine how to proceed,” said Siv Egger Westin, Vy’s communications director, in an interview with NRK.