Millions of kronor in compensation are expected to be paid out to travelers affected by snow chaos in public transport. In the Göteborg area alone, it amounts to up to 5 million kronor, following cancellations and severe delays in trams and other services. Similar issues have been reported in Stockholm, Gävleborg, and northern Sweden.
The snow chaos that hit Sweden in mid-January caused widespread disruptions in public transport. In Göteborg and surrounding areas, unusually large amounts of snow began falling on Wednesday, leading to cancellations of tram services and severe delays in other public transport. Västtrafik, responsible for transport in Västra Götaland, has received about 30,000 delay compensation applications by Monday. Total compensation is expected to reach 4–5 million kronor.
“The weather has been something extraordinary and has had a comprehensive impact on our traffic, over several days,” writes Henrik Kjellberg, press communicator at Västtrafik, to TT.
Travelers have a couple of months to apply for compensation. Since New Year, the Stockholm area has also seen heavy snow, resulting in canceled commuter trains. SL, operating in Stockholm county, has received over 6,700 applications and requests for more than 1.7 million kronor by Sunday, with an expected backlog.
In Gävleborg, X-trafik has recorded over 1,200 cases, compared to 5,500 for the entire previous year. “We cannot give any sum at the moment, but there were major consequences for many,” says Terese Nilsson, customer and sales manager, to Swedish Radio.
Train services have also been affected, particularly in northern and central Sweden. SJ has canceled departures due to snow and cold, including night trains between Luleå and Stockholm for several days, but the company does not disclose the number of applications.
