ADVERTISEMENTA strike by train drivers in Germany has brought rail travel to a 'near standstill' with very few trains running across the country. The walkout will last until Friday evening.
State-owned Deutsche Bahn, which is in a pay dispute with union GDL, said only around 20 per cent of its long-distance trains are running. It said many regional and commuter trains in cities like Berlin are also not in operation.
“The strike by the train drivers’ union GDL has had a massive impact on train services in Germany," said Deutsche Bahn spokeswoman Anja Broeker. “We regret the restrictions and hope that many people who were unable to reschedule their journey will get to their destination.”
If you have a train ticket for today you can use your ticket at a later date. Read on for your rights as a passenger.
Why are Germany's rail workers striking?
The GDL union voted overwhelmingly to authorise 'fully-fledged' strikes at state-owned DB.
The group staged a 24-hour 'warning strike' on 8 December, a common tactic in German wage negotiations, but the disagreement continues to escalate.
GDL's chairman, Claus Weselsky, declared last month that negotiations with DB had failed after only two rounds of talks.
The central issue is the union’s call for shift workers’ hours to be reduced from 38 to 35 hours per week without a pay reduction, a demand at which employers so far have baulked.
GDL is seeking a raise of €555 per month for employees plus a one-time payment of up to €3,000 to counter inflation. DB has said it made an offer that amounts to an 11 per cent raise.
Will there be more train strikes in Germany in 2024?
Unfortunately for travellers, yes.
This is likely to just be the beginning of strikes this year.
“What is coming now will be more powerful, longer and harder for customers” than the walkouts so far, GDL's chairman said.
How will Germany's rail strikes affect passengers?
Train drivers are walking out from 2am on Wednesday morning until 5pm on Friday, while freight workers stopped work on Tuesday evening.
DB said that longer trains will be used for the available journeys to accommodate as many people as possible.
"Nevertheless, a ride cannot be guaranteed," DB announced on Sunday. Additionally, DB has asked passengers to avoid non-essential travel during the strike.
As Germany's largest employer of train drivers, DB manages not only long-distance passenger trains such as ICE, IC, EC, and Nightjet trains, but also regional trains and S-Bahn lines.
The strike is nationwide and impacts are expected to be felt across the country. Coming amidst ongoing road obstructions in some places due to farmers' protests, travel could be particularly hindered across Germany during this time.
How Germany's biggest cities will be affected during train strikes
Berlin: Massive disruption
Passengers in Berlin and neighbouring Brandenburg need to brace themselves for "massive disruptions to DB's S-Bahn, regional and long-distance services" the Berlin S-Bahn announced on X.
ADVERTISEMENT"Please use alternative means of transport," it said. There may also be restrictions after the strike. The Berlin S-Bahn has an emergency timetable in place on some routes.
The Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe (BVG) are not affected by the warning strike. This means that buses, the U-Bahn, trams and ferries will continue to run on all lines from Wednesday to Friday. Passengers should nevertheless be prepared for more packed trains and longer waiting times.
Munich: How to get to the airport during the strike
Munich's S-Bahn will be disrupted from 11pm on 9 January. S-Bahn München's website says: "These will continue into the night on Friday/Saturday."
The S-Bahn said that it wants to run trains at least every hour. However, it will only be possible to reach the Munich Airport with S1.
Cologne
Even if Cologne’s privately operated National Express trains are not directly affected by the strike, there may be delays and cancellations for the rail operator starting on Wednesday. The reason for this is that DB Netz employees could join the strike call and therefore there may be isolated cases where signal boxes are not manned, National Express has said.
ADVERTISEMENTFrankfurt
Many trains and S-Bahn trains are set to be cancelled in the Rhine-Main region.
Buses, trams and underground trains, however, should not be affected. Some city transport lines in Frankfurt will be reequipped with additional coaches or larger buses.
Hamburg
The Hamburg S-Bahn expects massive restrictions, as was the case with the previous GDL strikes in early December and mid-November.
An emergency service is running on the individual S1, S2, S3 and S5 lines so that, in the best case scenario, an S-Bahn train will run every 20 minutes.
Where you can find information on train timetables
Customers can usually find up-to-date information about their train route via the Bahn app or the Deutsche Bahn website. It's worth double checking these before leaving home, as additional trains may be cancelled last-minute during the strike.
ADVERTISEMENTYou can call DB's travel information hotline on +49 (0)30-2970.
How has travel been affected during previous strikes?
During the 'warning strikes' earlier in December, long-distance, regional and S-Bahn services were subject to delays and cancellations.
Other railway companies such as the Transdev Group (including Bayerische Oberlandbahn and NordWestBahn) were also affected.
Refunds: What are train passenger's rights in Germany?
If your journey is affected, you have various options, according to the Deutsche Bahn website:
- You can postpone your journey and use your ticket at a later date of your choosing - your ticket is valid for the journey to the original destination, even with a changed route alignment.
- Seat reservations can be cancelled free of charge.
- If your train has been cancelled, you can get a full refund with no deductions.