Trains slow near Aarhus festival after crowds cross tracks

Trains passing through western Aarhus will reduce speed after festivalgoers were seen crossing railway tracks to reach the Northside music festival, Danish infrastructure manager Banedanmark reported Thursday.

The incidents occurred along a stretch near Brabrandstien, about 500 meters from the festival site, where crews have spent months upgrading tracks. Festival attendees have been cutting across the construction zone to reach the event, which opens today.

“We’ve seen people taking shortcuts over the tracks, so we’ve installed temporary fencing along our side of the worksite and checked that existing barriers are secure,” said Banedanmark section manager Joachim Jensen.

In response, Banedanmark coordinated with national rail operator DSB to alert train drivers to the hazard. “We’ve imposed a speed reduction so trains pass the area more slowly,” Jensen added.

Denmark records roughly 1,500 near-misses annually involving pedestrians on railway lines. In 2024, a young man was struck and killed by a train near the Tinderbox festival in Odense.

“Trains always move faster and quieter than people expect,” Jensen warned. “It’s critical to stay off the tracks, respect railway boundaries, and use only authorized access routes.”

Authorities hope the reinforced fencing will deter further trespassing but stress that compliance depends on public cooperation. “We need people to understand that even if a shortcut seems convenient, railway tracks are never safe to cross,” Jensen said.