Banedanmark, the administrator of Denmark’s railway infrastructure, has put the first charging facilities for battery-powered trains into service on the state railway network.
With this step, the Skjern–Holstebro line becomes the first section of the national network to be operated with battery-powered trains.
The new route between Skjern and Holstebro is now served by battery-powered trains, replacing the diesel railcars that previously operated on the line. It is the first section of the Danish state railway network where trains can be charged directly at stations.
Charging in 7–8 minutes at 25,000 V
Banedanmark has built two different charging facilities at Skjern and Holstebro stations to test two distinct technical solutions.
At Holstebro, a charging rail has been installed under which trains stop to recharge, and at Skjern, a catenary system dedicated to charging has been implemented.
The facilities operate at 25,000 V, and trains can recharge sufficiently for the next leg of their journey in just 7–8 minutes while stopped at the station.
“This is the first time Banedanmark has built charging infrastructure. It is a complex and challenging process to introduce new technology to an old railway network,” said Kasper Skovbro-Hansen, project manager for charging infrastructure at Banedanmark.
Siemens Mireo Plus B in service
The trains used are Siemens Mireo Plus B units purchased by regional operator Midtjyske Jernbaner. A total of seven trains were purchased, which run on both the Vemb–Lemvig–Thyborøn regional line and the Skjern–Holstebro state line.
With the introduction of battery trains, the 67 km section between Skjern and Holstebro becomes the first state line in Denmark to be operated without direct emissions. Previously, diesel trains on this route generated approximately 1,900 tons of CO₂ annually.
In the summer of 2025, the infrastructure between Skjern and Holstebro was renewed to allow the operation of the new trains, which are heavier than the previous diesel railcars.
Part of Denmark’s climate strategy
The project is part of the national infrastructure plan “Infrastrukturplan 2035,” which aims to make all state-owned rail traffic in Denmark emission-free. On lines that will not be electrified with classic catenary, the solution will be to operate battery-powered trains.
“The Danish railway is undergoing a major transformation to accommodate the electric trains of the future. The fact that we now have the first state-owned line operated by battery-powered trains is an important step in the green transition,” said Jette Aagaard, program director at Banedanmark.
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