Culture manager Nanna Løkken Andersen from Odeon about the light rail (2021)

Stop: ODEON.
YouTube name: Odense Letbane.
Date: November 18, 2021.
City: Odense (Denmark).

Culture manager Nanna Løkken Andersen from Odeon about the light rail (2021) — The video shows
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Odense Light Rail's design: Train sets and accessibility (2018)Project manager Thomas Gram explains how Odense's light rail cars are designed and arranged to be inviting and functional.By Odense Letbane - April 20, 2018.

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Did you miss the light rail? Here are highlights from the light rail opening (2022)The opening marked the culmination of more than ten years of work, and several thousand Funen residents participated in the celebration when the light rail finally ran from Hjallese Station on Saturday, May 28, 2022. Here are a few of the highlights from the day that went straight into the history books.By TV 2 Fyn - May 30, 2022.

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Trams in Odense | New light rail system | Stadler Variobahn (2022)Odense, Denmark's third-largest city, introduced a new light rail system exactly three months ago. The Odense Letbane is the second light rail system built in Denmark in the 21st century, operated by Stadler Variobahn trams. This episode of Trams in Europe offers an overview of the Odense Letbane, including its history, fleet, lines, fun facts, and future, ending with footage. Timestamps: 00:00 Overview of the Odense Letbane 08:45 Footage of the Odense Letbane 09:42 Outro Hello and welcome to the second episode of the Trams in Europe series. Today, we are in Odense, Denmark's third-largest city, to explore its LED bar network. This is one of the newest light rail systems in the world, having opened on May 28, 2022, making it just three months old by the time this video is released. Or, actually, it could be exactly three months because May 28 is two months away from the current date. As with the previous video, which focused on Aarhus, Denmark's second-largest city, this time we'll explore the history, fleet, and lines of the Odense network, concluding with some fun facts and plans. So, without further ado, let's get started. The Odense light rail is 14.5 kilometers long and currently stretches from Tørup Center to Dalum. This route is not very direct; it takes a semi-circular path around the city, serving the center along the way, as well as various amenities such as universities, hospitals, IKEA, shops, cinemas, and the central train station. There is also a second station served on the line. Currently, there are no line numbers; instead, the destinations are shown, such as Tørup Center, since there is only one line, and it hasn't been named. It just indicates the terminus, Tørup Center, on one end. Here's some brief information about the light rail in Odense: as you can see, it runs from Tørup Center to Dalum, with 24 stations, which is the main point. A fun fact about Odense's light rail is that it is operated by Stradler Variablen, the same fleet used in Aarhus and the London Tramway System. Each of the 16 standard rail lines in Odense has its own name. We rode on line 8, which is labeled L81—a tram called 'Adventure.' Each tram has a name, often with a poetic theme, and graphical links to the name. For example, 'Adventure' is one of these, and although translations can vary, the name tends to evoke a poem or story. In terms of network overview, the entire journey from one end to the other takes approximately 42 minutes, making it a relatively short line. It carries around 200 passengers daily and generates about 35,000 rides per weekday, with an annual ridership of approximately 10-11 million. Since the line is new, much of this data is forecasted. Here's a timeline of the Odense light rail network: it began in 2011, initially with plans for two intersecting lines forming a 'hat shape.' The first stage, connecting Yasi and Tørup, was built and completed. The second stage is planned for the future, which we'll discuss shortly. Before proceeding, let's review some of the terminology. One end is the Tørup Center, with the HLC terminus, visible as it prepares to turn around. The other end leads to Odense's main shopping center, with a terminus that uses switch tracks for pendulum-style trams, which have carriages on both sides. Different angles show the HLC terminus near a train station, and the other terminus near the shopping center. Here, you can also see the interior of the trams, which are slightly different from those used in nearby systems but share similar specs. They even come with cables for connecting additional devices, though they lack USB charging ports; instead, they have long connection points for other uses. You can also see the train station in the background, connecting to the light rail system. Now, back to the timeline. I've shown you some photos of the system, but that's roughly the overview.

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Jarl Abrahamsen on the light rail's architectural significance (2022)Jarl Abrahamsen from Byforening Odense discusses his perspective on the light rail's architectural significance and the atmosphere it contributes to Odense's urban spaces. Music: Bensound.comBy Odense Letbane - January 19, 2022.

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Odense light rail Magne special (2022)There is far too much aversion to light rail in many parts of the country. I understand the frustration that it is delayed and more expensive than expected. Still, I look forward to the opening and hope it will soon be extended to Vollsmose and the zoo.By Niels Aaquist - January 11, 2022.

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Therefore, the light rail's test runs produce noise and vibrations (2021)Music: Bensound.comBy Odense Letbane - December 21, 2021.

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Virtual tour of the light rail headquarters and the light rail train (2020)Get a quick insight into the facilities at the light rail control and maintenance center in Hjallese. This is where the trains will be overnighted, washed and nursed, and here is also the large control center from which light rail operations are monitored. Also come on board a light rail train and see how great it looks in the very special Odense design. If you want to see more, click on the link here and get a deeper insight into the light rail's upcoming headquarters and trains.By Odense Letbane - December 18, 2020.

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Tine has spoken to Benthe Vestergård from Odense Light Rail (2016)I'm sitting with Bente from Odense Light Rail, and I'd like to learn a bit about what Odense Light Rail is. Bente, what exactly is a light rail? Well, a light rail is a very modern, extremely comfortable train, you could say. It runs on rails through the city. It's designed to cover 14.3 kilometers across the entire city, from Tarup in the northwest to Hjallse in the southeast. So, it's a very comfortable train carriage, you could say, but you ride in it when you take the light rail. Why should Odense have a light rail? That's a question for the politicians. The city council has decided that we should have a light rail, and in addition, the Folketing has also agreed that Odense should get one. The main reasons for their decision relate to the growth happening in Odense—that is, more people are moving here in the coming years. Many more work in Odense, and people also commute from Aarhus and Copenhagen. Regarding the source of this growth, it appears that the need for easy and quick travel is the primary driver. The most important routes are between the Central Station and the areas around the university and the new super hospital that will be built on the Campus, south of Bilka and IKEA, where many people will go. It’s estimated that in 2024, around 60,000 people will travel in and out of that area every day—more than the population of Svendborg Municipality, where I currently live. That’s a huge number, so many people cannot be transported solely by cars and buses. That’s why the plan is: Odense should also have a light rail. A light rail can carry as many passengers as four buses or 208 cars. The Light Rail will mostly replace city buses where it runs, but it will not entirely replace them. Instead, buses will still operate in other parts of Odense and the suburbs, with schedules coordinated so that passengers can easily switch between buses and the Light Rail. As for the cost, we don't know yet; it’s something the politicians will decide later. But it is expected to cost the same as a bus ticket, so it’s comparable to other public transport fares. The route will run from Tarup, near the Tarup Center, down Rismarksvej, then into Højstrupvej, past Idrætsparken, along Stadionvej to Middelfartsvej, into Middelfartsvej, past Vestre Stationsvej, Østre Stationsvej, near the train station, then down Thomas Petricek Street, through the new Quarter, and from there only pedestrians and cyclists will pass through to Benedikts Plads. It will continue out to Nyborgvej, then down to Ørbækvej, from Niels Bors Allé, reaching the university and the new hospital under construction, and finally out to Jalse Station. The entire route is 14.3 kilometers long. The Light Rail is planned to run every ten minutes, so it’s very convenient—you don't need a timetable like with buses. When you arrive at one of the 26 stations, a train will be there shortly. Current estimates suggest around 35,000 passengers will use it daily at first, but this number is expected to grow over the years. As with any new transportation system, people will try it out, see if it meets their needs, and gradually more will start to use it. Experience from BN, which is very similar to Odense, shows they started with 35,000 daily and, after five months, had climbed to 50,000. We expect similar growth here. Regarding accessibility for the disabled, several measures ensure ease of use. The platforms are designed for smooth access—level with the train—making it easy for wheelchair users. Tactile tiles will be placed to help the visually impaired find entrances and exits. Also, the entire boarding process will be level, with no steps or barriers, allowing wheelchair users to get on and off easily. So, I'll be heading up this island over the next while to establish what we call an accessibility group, which includes elderly, disabled people walking, cycling, people with strollers, tourists, whom we ask, 'What do you expect from it? What are your points of attention? What do you want from the Light Rail?' Then we try to find out if it’s something we can incorporate into its design, as much as is now possible. When is the Light Rail expected to open? By the end of 2020, we say, during 2020. You can't rule out that we'll be finished by 2024. Still, that’s the plan, similar to that. Building a light rail is a tremendous job, so an exact date is uncertain. But that sounds good. Thank you. You're welcome. It was a pleasure.By Rytterposten - Rytterkasernens Mediehus - April 27, 2016.

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Meet a light rail driver (2025)Torben Asmussen has been a light rail driver at Odense Light Rail since the service began operating in May 2022. Even longer, because he was part of the first team of light rail drivers who were hired in 2021. In the video, he explains why he applied for the job at the time, and afterwards, he takes us into his workplace — the cockpit of a light rail train. My name is Torben Asmussen, and I've been working at Ban since we started in 2021. A typical day for me is nine hours of work with three days off, totaling 37 hours per week, spread across all days of the week. My shift on a Mix bus typically starts at 4 a.m. and lasts nine hours. Currently, it runs from noon until 9 p.m., spanning late afternoon to 1 a.m. During my shift, I usually make about five trips back and forth—from Hjallse to T T and back—each trip taking roughly an hour and a half. I applied for the light rail driver position when it was advertised on October 20. At that time, due to COVID-19 and my experience driving tourist buses abroad, I thought it might not be feasible. But I looked at the long-term prospects. Since I work in Copenhagen, an opportunity arose here, and I’ve always been inspired by trains on rails that seem to just fit onto a hairnet—yet they drive. So I applied, and I was hired here in F21. This is our workplace—the driver's cabin of a light rail vehicle. We have a key that fits the door and the vehicle, allowing us to activate everything. There’s a black button for neutral parking and to put it in drive, though we usually stay parked. There’s a black lever that controls the drive and brake—the only controls we have. It’s like an accelerator and brake combined. Also, there's a dead man’s switch, which activates as soon as I let go of it, and the vehicle either honks or brakes itself. I need to press this black lever every 17 seconds to prevent automatic braking. Inside the cabin, we have lights, lamps, a horn, and a ring lock—everything we need. The green button here is crucial for passengers. When we press it, the doors can be opened, indicated by a green light. Once the doors are open, the traction lock disengages, meaning we can't accelerate or brake, so the vehicle remains stationary. We then check the mirrors for passenger safety, and when everything looks good, the green light comes on again, and we continue driving. That’s it. We have about 20 seconds to complete each couple of laps.By Odense Letbane - March 14, 2025.

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Odense Light Rail - Christmas Express (2025)For the third year in a row, the "Christmas Express" was running on the Odense Letbane line from Hjallese to Tarup Center. This year, it was train sets 01 and 02, which have been wearing the pink advertising foil since mid-November 2025. Unfortunately, there hasn't been much "Christmas weather" with snow, so I've had to make do with a single snow shot this year. Here, the train sets can be seen at several locations along the line.By Trainspotting Danmark - December 27, 2025.

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Last updated: March 4, 2026.