Odense light rail shuts down entirely over safety concerns at hospital bridge
Thursday 4th June 2026 on 19:01 in
Denmark
Odense’s light rail system will halt all operations from Saturday after safety issues at a pedestrian bridge near the new Odense University Hospital (OUH) remained unresolved, the Danish Transport Authority confirmed Thursday.
The suspension follows weeks of partial service disruptions after a critical support structure under the bridge was removed on May 22, voiding the rail operator Keolis’s permission to run trains beneath it. Until the Transport Authority approves a new safety assessment, the entire 14-kilometre network will remain closed, with replacement buses serving all routes.
“We will not compromise on safety,” said Laura Meyer Harrison, head of office at the Transport Authority. She dismissed criticism that the agency had acted too slowly, stating it had engaged in “continuous dialogue” with Odense Letbane and Keolis, provided guidance, and repeatedly requested documented proof that the bridge—where overhead power lines are anchored—meets safety standards. “We have not received any application,” she added.
The shutdown leaves three trains stranded on the far side of the bridge; they will now be taken out of service. The remaining fleet has been idle since May 22.
Odense Mayor Peter Rahbæk Juel (Social Democrats) called the situation “grotesque,” blaming a subcontractor for OHPT—the consortium building the new hospital—for removing the support despite warnings. “This is beyond belief,” he said. “A single mistake has paralysed the entire system.”
Dan Ravn, director of Odense Letbane, said they were still awaiting technical documentation from OHPT. The report must first be reviewed by an independent advisor before Keolis and the city can submit a formal safety application to the Transport Authority.
The agency outlined three potential solutions: reinstating the temporary supports, allowing empty trains to pass slowly under the bridge for maintenance, or proving the bridge is safe without the removed structure. None have been implemented.