Station fire damages safety equipment and halts rail traffic in Žilina

A fire at the railway station in Žilina severely disrupted rail transport across the major transport hub after damaging critical safety equipment and cable shafts. Railway authorities placed the entire junction in an emergency operating regime following the blaze on Wednesday, September 30, according to a statement from Railways of the Slovak Republic spokesperson Petra Lániková.

Officials from the national railway infrastructure operator convened an emergency crisis team to assess the sudden operational crisis. Workers deactivated the overhead traction line in the affected station zone for safety reasons while firefighters responded to the active blaze.

Regional passenger trains operating through the disrupted section were temporarily replaced by shuttle bus services. Express trains running in the Vrútky, Žilina and Dolný Hričov section had to rely on independent traction vehicles to navigate the area. Meanwhile, all freight rail traffic passing through the junction was temporarily suspended until further notice.

Technicians planned a detailed morning inspection of the fire-damaged cable spaces once the affected compartments cooled and dried sufficiently following the firefighting operation. Authorities stated that a precise timeline for full service restoration would depend entirely on the outcome of this technical damage assessment.

Passengers faced rolling delays and schedule changes across the broader network as normal timetables were suspended. Railway representatives issued formal apologies to travellers and freight operators for the widespread disruptions and delays caused by the infrastructure damage.

Train operators warned that delays could propagate to connecting services across the region while the emergency measures remained active. Travellers were advised to check real-time updates regarding their specific departures before heading to the station.