Odense light rail halts all service from Saturday

All light rail operations in Odense will cease temporarily from Saturday after the Danish Transport Authority revoked permission for trains to pass under a pedestrian bridge at the new Odense University Hospital (Nyt OUH) construction site, DR reports.

The authority’s decision leaves the system’s 16 trains stranded on opposite sides of the bridge, with three already on the wrong side now requiring maintenance and unable to operate. Even empty trains are barred from crossing beneath the structure.

“We’re extremely frustrated by this situation,” said Lotte Steensberg, commercial director at Odense Letbane. “We take pride in serving the city, and it’s deeply regrettable that we can’t do so now.”

The issue stems from the removal of structural supports beneath the bridge, though the reason for their removal—and the authority’s ongoing refusal to approve rail traffic underneath—remains unclear. The hospital’s main contractor, OHPT, has repeatedly asserted the bridge’s safety and pledged to provide documentation, but the Transport Authority has yet to approve any crossings.

From Saturday, replacement buses will run every 15 minutes along the entire light rail route. Odense Letbane stated it is “doing everything possible” to resume service, while DR has sought further comment from the Transport Authority.