Tram traffic and other public transport were canceled or severely delayed in Gothenburg and the surrounding area when unusually large amounts of snow began to fall on Wednesday.
Approximately 30,000 applications for delay compensation have been received by Västtrafik, which serves Västra Götaland, as of Monday.
The total amount paid is expected to be 4–5 million SEK.
"The weather we've had is extraordinary and has had a major impact on our traffic for several days," Henrik Kjellberg, press communicator at Västtrafik, told TT.
Months left to apply
Since New Year's, the Stockholm area has also seen an unusually large amount of snow, resulting in, among other things, canceled commuter trains. SL, which operates in Stockholm County, has received over 6,700 applications as of Sunday and over 1.7 million kronor have been requested.
Just like with Västtrafik, travelers have a couple of months to submit their applications, so SL expects a lag.
Even in hard-hit Gävleborg and Västernorrland, buses have been delayed or canceled altogether. In Gävleborg, just over 1,200 cases have been received by X-trafik, which serves the county. In comparison, just over 5,500 cases were received during the whole of last year, reports Ekot on Sveriges Radio.
How much the compensation will cost the company has not yet been determined.
"We cannot give any amount at the moment, but it had major consequences for many," Terese Nilsson, customer and sales manager, told the radio.
Train traffic affected
It's not just regional traffic that has been affected by the snow. In several places in northern and central Sweden, train companies have canceled departures or run with reduced traffic. This includes SJ, which would not disclose the number of applications received, saying the company is a state-owned limited company exposed to competition.
In addition to the snow, the cold has also caused problems for trains. Among other things, the night trains between Luleå and Stockholm were canceled for several days.
