Passengers report dangerous overcrowding on North Zealand trains after crash

Passengers on North Zealand’s local rail network are facing severe overcrowding following a fatal train crash in late April, with some describing conditions as unsafe, Danish broadcaster DR reports.

Lizette Fischer, a regular commuter on the Frederiksværk, Lille Nord, Gribskov, and Hornbæk lines, said passengers are packed so tightly that bicycles block aisles and doors. “We’re standing like sardines in a can,” she told DR. “People could get sick, and if they do, there’s no way to move.”

Operator Lokaltog, which runs the affected routes, acknowledged the conditions as “unsatisfactory” but said its emergency timetable—reduced after the April crash—leaves no room for additional carriages or replacement buses. “We simply don’t have more trains to deploy,” commercial director Mette Berthelsen said.

Berthelsen confirmed that bicycles and luggage must never obstruct doors or exits, emphasizing that staff are responsible for ensuring clear evacuation routes. She added that while bus substitutes have been considered, they offer limited capacity for cycles and strollers and take longer than trains.

Normal service is expected to resume by June 29.