Swedish villagers saved German train passengers in the cold – and receive an unexpected reward

When a Swedish train filled with German tourists got stuck near the Arctic circle in extreme cold, local residents came to their rescue. In return, the Swedish railway (SJ) has become a member of the local cooperative store and has also contributed with donations to the local church and another NGO.

According to Companion, a Swedish news site, a train from the national Swedish railways (SJ) got stuck in Naattavara, a village near the Arctic Circle. The train heating broke down when the train’s electricity went out, and the outside temperature was almost 40 below zero Celsius.

Local villagers provided transportation of the German tourists who were onboard. The local shop opened up its doors, and the church provided shelter and also activities for the children. Needless to say, the tourists were stunned.

In return, the Swedish railways wanted to thank Naattavara. Now SJ is member of the local cooperative store, and it has also contributed financially to the local church and another NGO.

Radio Norrbotten (Swedish) has a broadcast about the incident at 2:04.55.