A 600-metre freight train derailed outside Bollebygd municipality shortly before 15:00 on Friday, stopping rail traffic between Gothenburg and Borås. Trafikverket said the suspected cause was a sun kink. The incident has also affected services from Gothenburg towards Stockholm and Kalmar.
The derailment involves many wagons and occurred in difficult terrain, which is complicating recovery work. Trafikverket said clearance and restoration may take around two weeks, although no firm reopening date has been given.
Initial recovery work includes tree felling and the construction of a temporary access road. Trafikverket said the overhead line equipment was scheduled to be removed on 28 June, with the derailed wagons due to be lifted away on 29 June. Infrastructure repairs are expected to begin once the train has been cleared.
The derailment came as extreme heat caused wider disruption across European rail networks. In Germany, Deutsche Bahn and other operators advised passengers to avoid all non-essential long-distance and regional journeys over the weekend, warning of delays and cancellations as record temperatures placed additional pressure on infrastructure and rolling stock. DB also allowed eligible long-distance tickets for travel up to 30 June to be cancelled free of charge.
National Express temporarily suspended five regional lines in North Rhine-Westphalia for six hours on Saturday as a precaution against trains becoming stranded in the extreme heat. DB kept its network operating, while deploying additional staff and providing drinking-water support at major stations.
In France, SNCF chief Jean Castex advised vulnerable passengers to postpone rail journeys during the heatwave. Eurostar also cancelled selected services between 25 and 30 June due to extreme temperatures and recommended that passengers travelling between France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany consider postponing their journeys
