Collision on the Gribskov Line
Two local trains collided head-on early Thursday on a level crossing north of Copenhagen, injuring 18 people, five of them critically hurt. The crash occurred at 06:29 local time on the Gribskov train line between the towns of Hillerød and Kagerup, about 40 kilometers northwest of the capital. A total of 37 people were on board the two trains at the time of impact.
Fire and rescue service leader Christoffer Buhl Martekilde described the scene to reporters: "The two trains collided head-on, causing large damage to them and sending broken glass flying everywhere." Rescue services reported "chaotic" scenes inside the carriages, with the two yellow and grey trains left facing each other in a wooded area, both showing visible damage to their fronts.
Emergency Response and Hospital Care
Emergency services deployed helicopters and ambulances to evacuate the injured. Tim Ole Simonsen of the Greater Copenhagen fire department confirmed that all injured passengers had been transported to hospitals by air or ambulance. Those with critical injuries were flown to the National Hospital in Copenhagen.
Trine Egetved, mayor of Gribskov municipality, said on Facebook that those with critical injuries had been airlifted to the capital's main hospital. She noted that the local track serves many residents, workers, and students daily. All passengers were safely evacuated, with no one trapped in the wreckage, according to transport group Movia, the parent company of rail operator Lokaltog.
Investigation Underway
Police and Denmark's Accident Investigation Board arrived at the scene during the morning to determine the cause. Inspector Morten Pedersen of North Zealand police told reporters it was far too early to know what had happened. A police spokesperson said there would be an extensive investigation into the crash.
The sources also report that one expert suggested one of the train drivers had ended up on the wrong line by overriding a stop signal as the train left a local station.
The Gribskov line is not thought to have been updated with an automated safety system.
Rare Incident in Denmark's Transit System
Rail accidents are rare in Denmark, though the country has experienced serious incidents before. In 2019, a train crash killed eight people and injured 16 others. In August 2025, one person died and 27 were injured after a train collided with a slurry tanker and derailed in southern Denmark near the German border.
Mayor Egetved told public broadcaster DR that it was shocking two trains could collide head-on. "We must ensure it never happens again," she said. The collision has prompted questions about safety systems on commuter lines serving the Copenhagen region.
The sources report that Tim Ole Simonsen of the Greater Copenhagen fire department described the crash, not Christoffer Buhl Martekilde.