Denmark - Older General Information
Introduction
This document acts as an archive for Recent and Future Changes prior to 2021.
Recent and Future Changes (Latest First)
Changes in 2020
A new branch from Lindholm to Aalborg Lufthavn opened on 14 December 2020
The new M4 line, of København metro, was opened on 28 March 2020, running from København Main Station, via the M3 Cityring Line to Østerport, where a new 2.2 km branch to two new stations at Nordhavn and Orientkaj diverges. The new line consists of a 1.9 km underground section with an elevated terminal station at Orientkaj. The project cost an estimated €310m and is expected to carry 11,000 passengers per day.
Changes in 2019
The Rødby Færge – Puttgarden train ferry lost its train service from 15 December 2019 when København – Hamburg services were diverted via the Padborg border crossing.
The new 16 km M3 line of the København Metro, the City Circle Line, opened 29 September 2019.
The København – Køge Nord – Ringsted high speed line opened on 1 June 2019. Initially it was used only by an hourly Re service between København H and Ringsted but saw greatly increased traffic from the December 2019 timetable change.
The final section of the Aarhus Letbane, between Skolebakken and Grenaa and between Lisbjerg and Lystrup, opened on 30 April 2019.
Changes in 2018
The line from Lindholm to Frederikshavn via Hjørring became the first to operate under ERTMS level 2 in October 2018.
Aarhus Letbane: Both Aarhus - Odder (originally planned for 23 September 2017) and Aarhus University Hospital - Lisbjergskolen (originally planned for December 2017) opened on 25 August 2018.
Changes in 2017
The lines from Aarhus to Odder and Grenaa have been electrified and converted to the light rail Letbane. The first section from Aarhus H to Aarhus University Hospital opened on 21 December 2017. Electrification of Lunderskov - Esbjerg was commissioned on 6 August 2017.
The introduction of border control checks by Sweden and the resulting congestion at København airport (Kastrup) caused by the enforced change of train there, resulted in SJ X2000 services and DSB trains from/to Ystad [for the Bornholm ferry] ceasing to call and being diverted via the airport avoiding line from 4 January 2016. By January 2017 only Ystad to København services were using the avoiding line and these were booked to call at the airport from 30 January 2017 before being completely withdrawn after loss of subsidy later in the year.
Changes in 2016
DSB services were withdrawn from Aarhus to Odder and Grenaa on 26 August 2016 for electrification and conversion to light rail (the Letbane).
Changes in 2015
Doubling of Vamdrup – Vojens (the last single track section between Fredericia and Tinglev) was completed on 7 September 2015 and of Lejre – Vipperød (the last single track section between København and Holbæk) on 18 August 2014.
Changes in 2012
A relief line for the western approach to København H opened on 9 December 2012; see DK4. This was the first phase of the planned København – Køge – Ringsted line.
Changes in 2009
The line from Nykøbing Falster to Gedser closed to passengers on 13 December 2009.
Changes in 2006
In connection with construction of the København Metro, the S-train line Grøndal – Vanløse – Solbjerg – Frederiksberg was closed in stages between 1998 and 2001, instead the S-train ring line services were extended from Grøndal to Ny Ellebjerg in the alignment of a freight line made obsolete by the Øresund fixed link. The extended ring line was complete on 16 November 2006.
Changes in 2002
The first section of the København Metro, from Nørreport to Lergravsparken and Vestamager, was opened on 19 October 2002. Nørreport to Frederiksberg opened on 29 May 2003, Frederiksberg to Vanløse on 12 October 2003 and Lergravsparken to the airport (mostly on the formation of the former Amagerbanen line) on 28 September 2007.
Changes in 2001 and earlier
The line between Esbjerg and Esbjerg Havn, used by boat trains connecting with ships to and from Harwich Parkeston Quay and Newcastle Tyne Commission Quay, closed at the end of the summer timetable in 2001.
The first section of the Øresund fixed link between København and Malmö, to København Lufthavn Kastrup, opened on 28 September 1998 and the remainder on 2 July 2000, whereupon the Helsingør – Helsingborg and and København Frihavn - Helsingborg (freight only) train ferries were withdrawn.
The bridge and tunnel across the Storebælt, connecting the islands of Fyn and Sjælland, opened to rail traffic in 1997, bringing about closure of the train ferry between Nyborg and Korsør.