Software update causes hours-long outage on government websites  

Public websites including the tax platform Skat.dk and health portal Sundhed.dk were inaccessible for several hours yesterday after a breakdown of the NemLog-In system, which is used in conjunction with Denmark’s MitID digital ID.

Access to the platforms was later reestablished.

The Agency for Digital Government (Digitaliseringsstyrelsen) and IT provider Aeven said that a breakdown at Aeven was the reason users could not use the login system.

A software update was the reason for the outage, a spokesperson from Aeven said.

“We can see that the error occurred after we ran an update of our data centres,” head of communication Sara Løppenthin Stendevad said earlier on Tuesday.

Stendevad also confirmed that no outside interference was linked to the outage.

Vocabulary: ude af drift – out of order/not working

Services resumed after cable repaired on rail line 

Disruption on rail services between Aarhus and Fredericia has returned to normal after being disrupted since Monday by a broken cable.

Banedanmark, the company responsible for maintenance of Denmark’s rail tracks, has completed repairs and the timetable is back to normal as of this morning, rail operator DSB said on social media X.

Delays and reduced departures had disrupted the route on Monday and Tuesday, with replacement buses running between Vejle and Hedensted.

Vocabulary: køreledning – power cable

King Frederik to appear on palace balcony on birthday 

The tradition of the monarch appearing on the Amalienborg palace balcony to greet the public on their birthday will be continued by King Frederik, the palace confirmed in a statement yesterday.

King Frederik turns 56 on May 26th and will appear on the Frederik VII Palace balcony with his family at noon. A ceremonial changing of the guard will take place beforehand.

During her reign, Queen Margrethe II customarily appeared on the balcony on her birthday on April 16th, but will celebrate privately this year following her abdication, the palace said.

Vocabulary: slotsbalkon – palace balcony

New Rejsekort app launched

The new Rejsekort travel app – which will eventually replace the card used on Danish public transport – was released on Tuesday to a limited number of users.

Some 2,000 people were able to download and use the new Rejsekort app following its launch on Tuesday for use on Danish buses, trains, Metro and light rails.

The number is set to be increased to 20,000 over the coming week as Rejsekort gradually makes the new system available to more users.

Using the phone’s tracking function, the app automatically registers whether the journey is by bus, train, Metro or light rail; the start and end stations of the journey; and whether you changed between form of transport during the journey.

It can also check out automatically or remind you to check out, using a “Smark Check-Out” function. This reduces the risk of overpaying a fare because you forgot to check out – a not-uncommon occurrence for users of the regular Rejsekort.