Hundreds Stranded in Gällivare Train Chaos Amid Heatwave

A "hundred people" have been stranded in Gällivare on the Luleå-Kiruna train route since yesterday afternoon. Meanwhile, the area is experiencing intense heat, with the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) issuing a warning for temperatures of at least 30 degrees Celsius. As of 12:30 PM, the issues causing the train stoppage have been resolved, according to the Swedish Transport Administration.

Two SJ trains have been stationary in Gällivare since 3 PM yesterday. These include a night train on the Narvik-Stockholm route and a day train running between Narvik and Luleå.

The problems were caused by rail buckling, which occurs when the metal tracks expand due to heat.

"The pressure on the rails becomes very high, risking breakage," says Elin Sarfati, spokesperson for the Swedish Transport Administration.

At 1:10 PM, the Swedish Transport Administration announced that the rail buckling issues had been resolved 40 minutes earlier.

"It's resolved, so traffic has resumed," says Sarfati.

SJ: "We Understand"

"A hundred" people have been affected by the train stoppage, according to Jonas Olsson, press chief at SJ. He has been in contact with onboard staff and reports that the atmosphere has been "calm and okay."

"We certainly understand that people are frustrated," he says.

The Swedish Transport Administration's forecast was that the work would be completed by 1 PM, after the train had been stationary for nearly 22 hours.

"It can be summarized as being a bit worse than they thought. They are out there addressing the rail buckling that occurred," says Elin Sarfati.

There have been delays on several other routes, as trains are running at reduced speeds to avoid high pressure on the tracks.

"Most of the delays today and last night are a result of the temperatures," says Sarfati.

High Temperatures

On Sunday, SMHI issued a warning for high temperatures specifically in northeastern Norrland. The maximum temperature is expected to reach at least 30 degrees Celsius, with local highs of up to 33 degrees.

In its advisory, SMHI urges people to be aware of their body's warning signals.

"Drink water and take it easy. Keep an eye on indoor temperatures and find ways to cool down," they advise.

The heat warning is in effect until 6 PM this evening.