No train driver, no ride?
Rail strike: Where the most failures threaten – and how best to find out more
Deutsche Bahn will stop again in many places on Friday.
© Christof Sache / DPA
The train drivers will go on a warning strike again for 24 hours this Thursday evening. In addition to long-distance trains, a number of regional trains are also affected by the restrictions. We’ll tell you where you should prepare for alternatives.
“Travel not possible” – that’s what passengers are currently reading in the Deutsche Bahn app. It’s that time again – this Thursday evening they’re performing Deutsche Bahn train drivers on strike. From 10 p.m. on Thursday evening until the same time on Friday, a number of trains across Germany will be at a standstill. The group published the emergency roadmap during Thursday. In addition to long-distance traffic, S-Bahn traffic will also be massively affected by the restrictions.
In some parts of Germany, commuters should prepare for significant losses. The employees of Deutsche Bahn, including the S-Bahn operations in Berlin, Hanover and Hamburg, as well as the railway companies Transdev, AKN and City-Bahn Chemnitz as well as other companies, have been called on to stop work.
Significant disruptions are therefore to be expected nationwide in both long-distance, regional and freight transport. But: As with the first GDL warning strike, Deutsche Bahn wants to maintain around 20 percent of long-distance traffic again. However, according to the company, this will not be possible in Bavaria because they are still dealing with the consequences of the heavy snowfall there.
Deutsche Bahn’s emergency timetable is available
Experience has shown that many employees are organized by the GDL, particularly in the eastern German federal states and in the southwest. Regional transport will therefore no longer work in many places. “In regional transport, the aim is to run a greatly reduced offer. The extent to which this is possible varies greatly from region to region,” said the DB.
You can usually see whether a long-distance or regional train is running or not via the train app or the train website. Passengers will also find the emergency timetable for the strike there. A strike hotline has been set up for individual information (08000 99 66 33).
By the way: As annoying as the rail strike is for many commuters, another message from union leader Claus Weselsky should be reassuring. The GDL boss said before the train drivers’ strike began and contrary to previous threats that there would be no strikes over Christmas. So we at least have the chance of a contemplative Christmas on German train platforms.
source: German railway