Unibuss faces half a billion

The latest Akershus news from the past 48 hours: Unibuss, Ruter’s bus operator in Oslo and Akershus, is facing proceedings involving half a billion kroner over the cancellation in 2021 of an order for 183 buses from Chinese manufacturer CRRC. Last Thursday, Lillestrøm SK suffered its heaviest home defeat since 2003, losing 0-6 to Real Sociedad in the Europa League. A brake fire halted services at Lillestrøm station, with no injuries.

Akershus news: Unibuss caught in the Chinese bus case

Ruter revealed a serious security flaw in its Chinese electric buses from Yutong: the vehicles can be remotely stopped and switched off by the manufacturer. The Chinese state is among Yutong’s shareholders. Several hundred of these buses operate on Norwegian roads and make up a significant share of Oslo’s fleet (NRK Akershus).

Against this backdrop, Unibuss’s case has resurfaced. The operator runs buses for Ruter in several locations in Oslo and Akershus. In 2021, it was set to complete the purchase of 250 buses from Chinese manufacturer CRRC. It backed out at the last moment and ultimately chose the Polish manufacturer Solaris. Just over a year after the affair was revealed, Unibuss is being pursued for 585.6 million kroner (NRK Akershus).

The amount goes beyond a simple commercial dispute: the vehicles ordered and then cancelled were intended to strengthen a network where supply security has become a political issue. For Akershus county, which surrounds the capital Oslo and where Unibuss provides services on behalf of Ruter, the case directly affects the daily operation of public transport (NRK Akershus).

Åråsen: 0-6 against Real Sociedad, a night to forget

Åråsen was packed, but the score was emphatic: Lillestrøm lost 0-6 at home to Real Sociedad, its heaviest home defeat since a September evening in 2003 against Rosenborg (NRK Akershus).

The result was not the main source of frustration. Haakon Jordbakke, a Kanarifeltet subscriber and club supporter for nearly 30 years, described it as “the worst stadium experience” of his 251 matches at Åråsen. “This is where I have always been. It’s a pity to miss the biggest opponent we have ever had in the biggest tournament we have ever played,” he said (NRK Akershus).

Around 1900 people occupied the standing section, and the atmosphere was considered good despite the score. This defeat is a club record at home, both in the league and in European competition, and a source of frustration for some Lillestrøm supporters, a source of frustration for some Lillestrøm supporters (NRK Akershus).

Asker and Bærum: concern over the school route

Budstikka published an investigation on Monday 26 October showing that 6 out of 10 parents fear their children’s journey to school. The newspaper invites readers to check the situation at their own school.

Also on Monday, Budstikka revisits Halloween, described as “the worst day” for those left outside the groups, and the measures taken locally. On Sunday evening, the daily newspaper announced the end of a 5-year-old bus dispute. The newspaper also reports a warning about behaviour deemed “very dangerous” observed on the E18 (Budstikka).

Lillestrøm station: brake fire and halted traffic

An overheating brake triggered a fire on a train at Lillestrøm station. The train staff evacuated all passengers and tackled the flames with powder extinguishers before emergency services arrived. No one was injured (NRK Akershus).

“The train staff did an enormous job during the acute phase,” says incident commander Dag André Sylju. The train, which had departed Eidsvoll, was heading for Drammen. Vy confirmed that the power had been cut at the station (Åge-Christoffer Lundeby, Vy, to NRK Akershus). The station remained closed and trains were halted, with crews working to reopen several tracks.

Romerikes Blad reported Sunday evening on Bjørnar’s account of boarding the train as the fire broke out: “I was a little afraid of being scolded” (Romerikes Blad, Sunday 22:00).

📌 Local briefs

A new restaurant is opening in Lillestrøm (Romerikes Blad, Sunday 23:00). Skjetten ended its losing streak: “We played a good match,” the same newspaper reported on Sunday evening.

Sources: NRK Akershus, Romerikes Blad, Budstikka, The Local Norway — Period: 25 October 2026 and 26 October 2026