There will be the next public transport strike at KVB in Cologne on March 5th and 6th. Again all trains will be canceled and only a few buses will run.
Cologne – The current strike in public transport is not even over yet, the next one is already being announced. The Verdi union has again called for a strike on buses and trains in North Rhine-Westphalia and Cologne next week. Public transport will again be at a standstill for two days in a row – this time on Tuesday (March 5th) and Wednesday (March 6th). The KVB in Cologne announced this on Friday afternoon (March 1st). A Verdi spokesman confirmed the strike call when asked by 24RHEIN. According to Verdi, the strike is taking place again in large parts of North Rhine-Westphalia. Dozens of cities are affected, including the Rheinbahn in Düsseldorf and the SWB in Bonn.
No KVB trains on Tuesdays and Wednesdays – only a few buses
The new strike call is once again hitting commuters in Cologne hard. The trains and most of the KVB buses were already at a standstill on February 29th and March 1st. Less than a week later, the next strike follows. And the effects will be similar again. The strike call means “that from Tuesday, 3 a.m., no KVB light rail trips will take place and only bus trips carried out by subcontractors can take place,” the KVB said.
According to KVB information, this also applies to the light rail lines 16 and 18, which are operated jointly with the SWB in Bonn. Because the public transport in Bonn is also to be on strike. KVB’s regular operations are not scheduled to resume until operations begin on Thursday (March 7).
KVB strike on Tuesday (March 5th) and Wednesday (March 6th)
► The strike will take place from Tuesday (March 5th) at 3 a.m. until the start of operations on Thursday (March 7th) at 3 a.m.
► All light rail and many buses are canceled.
► The trips on KVB line 16 and KVB line 18 to and from Bonn are also canceled.
► Only bus trips carried out by subcontractors take place. However, these are only a few buses.
► The on-demand service Isi will also not operate on both days of the strike.
► KVB customer centers and sales offices will also remain closed during the strike.
KVB strike again: What alternatives do commuters have in Cologne?
Deutsche Bahn and other railway companies, such as the Middle Rhine Railway, are not affected by the Verdi strike. Trains should run regularly there on Tuesday and Wednesday. This could at least partially mean an alternative for commuters in Cologne. The Cologne S-Bahn trains also serve several parts of Cologne. The KVB also recommends switching to S-Bahn, regional trains and RE trains during the strike.
“Within the geographical scope of the Rhein-Sieg Transport Association (VRS), KVB customers’ tickets are also valid on these means of transport,” emphasizes the KVB. In addition, the KVB bikes can also be used normally on strike days.
In addition to the KVB, many other NRW transport companies are affected. In the There is also a public transport strike in the Ruhr area almost everywhere, reports wa.de. It looks similar in Wuppertal, Remscheid and Solingen. The Düsseldorf Rhine Railway will also be on strike on both days.
Why is the KVB on strike again?
The renewed strike is still linked to the current negotiations regarding a new collective agreement between the Verdi union and the municipal employers. Among other things, Verdi is calling for more days off and significantly less strain for the approximately 30,000 employees in public transport in North Rhine-Westphalia. “The dramatic labor shortage in public transport is putting enormous strain on employees and causing high levels of sickness. “In North Rhine-Westphalia, too, collective bargaining solutions are urgently needed to ensure that local transport is future-proof,” said Peter Büddicker, industry coordinator for buses and trains at Verdi, on Friday (March 1st).
The negotiations with the employers are to continue on March 11th and 12th in Dortmund. However, Verdi apparently wants to massively increase the pressure with four days of strike within just seven days. (bs)