As of: November 15, 2023 8:33 p.m
After a train collision near Lauenbrück (Rotenburg district), the railway line between Hamburg and Bremen is closed. According to federal police, an ICE had hit an unoccupied regional train.
The ICE 615 hit the stationary regional train on the journey from Hamburg to Rotenburg (Wümme) despite braking, the Bremen Federal Police said in the evening. The accident occurred at a switch at a speed of around 50 kilometers per hour. The approximately 550 passengers on the ICE and the railway employees on both trains were not injured in the collision. However, the trains were so badly damaged by the accident that both were no longer operational. The regional train operator Metronom set up a replacement bus service for its passengers as well as a hotel train for those waiting at Tostedt station, as the company announced on Wednesday evening.
The duration of the closure is uncertain
According to the federal police, the ICE passengers had to walk around 400 meters to Lauenbrück train station during an evacuation. The investigation into the cause of the accident is ongoing. Because of the train drivers’ impending warning strike, a railway emergency manager is on site to help the passengers, said a spokesman for the Bremen Federal Police. It was not clear in the evening how long rail traffic would be at a standstill. Deutsche Bahn provides information on other travel options via the free hotline (0800) 99 66 33.
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