Denmark resumes rail services to Germany amid refugee crisis

Denmark has resumed rail services to Germany, after closing the train line and a motorway yesterday in a bid to stem the flow of refugees heading north to Sweden.

The motorway, a vital traffic artery for people and goods between the two countries, was closed when some 300 refugees, including children, began walking on it. Police tried to persuade them to leave but appeared reluctant to use force, witnesses said.

Police also asked the state-owned railway operator to stop all trains between Germany and Denmark until further notice.

At Rodby, where train ferries arrive in Denmark from Germany, two trains carrying about 240 people were stopped by police. Refugees on board were refusing to leave the train, insisting it take them on to Sweden.

Eventually police related and allowed them to off the train. Many volunteers from Sweden were waiting to drive them across the border.

Denmark's Justice Minister Soren said he was cutting short a trip to the United States to return to Denmark.

"For security reasons, the police, in collaboration with German authorities, decided that for the near future no travellers from Syria, Iraq, etcetera will arrive in Denmark by ferry to Rodby," police said in a statement.