Oslo rail disruptions enter third day as signal failures strand commuters

Commuters in Oslo faced a third consecutive day of rail disruptions on Wednesday as signal failures persisted at Romeriksporten, a critical tunnel in the Norwegian capital’s network. The line, which reopened after six weeks of maintenance on Monday, has been plagued by delays and cancellations due to signal and track faults, with rush-hour punctuality dropping to 54.9% on Tuesday, according to Bane Nor data. Authorities closed Romeriksporten to all train traffic from 10 p.m. Tuesday until 3 a.m. Wednesday in an attempt to resolve the issue, but the fault remained unresolved by Wednesday morning, causing further cancellations and delays .
By 7:49 a.m. Wednesday, Bane Nor reported 152 deviations in train services. The signal failure also briefly affected another key stretch between Skøyen and Nationaltheatret stations, disrupting traffic until shortly before 8 a.m. Bane Nor announced a new update would be provided at noon. The agency attributed the recurring issues to aging signal systems, worn components, and a shortage of replacement parts, noting that a planned modernized system could be delayed by over 20 years .
In Riga, an unannounced road closure on the 11 November Embankment caused significant traffic jams on Tuesday, catching motorists off guard. Riga City Council acknowledged a communication error, admitting it failed to inform residents in advance about the early closure, which was intended to prepare for the city’s upcoming birthday celebrations. “We have made a communication error. Information that the embankment would be closed so early was not disseminated in good time,” said Uģis Vidauskis, head of the council’s Public Relations Department .
Meanwhile, Berlin’s S-Bahn lines S2, S25, and S26 experienced delays due to construction work at Priesterweg station, with the S2 operating at a reduced frequency of every 20 minutes between Südkreuz and Lichtenrade .
In Austria, ÖBB, the state-owned railway company, is considering expanding alcohol bans to additional Vienna stations, including Praterstern, Floridsdorf, and Westbahnhof, with a decision expected in the coming months .
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