Streik-Ticker: Bahn-Streik läuft – jetzt fährt nur noch jeder fünfte Zug in Deutschland

The most important in brief

• The train drivers’ union GDL is striking in passenger traffic from Wednesday, 2.00 a.m., to Friday, 6:00 p.m.
• Passengers are asked to postpone their travels

Train drivers are striking – Emergency timetableBahn operates steadily according to Deutsche Bahn

16.47 Hours: The multi-day train driver strike also affects the train service in Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. The Deutsche Bahn implemented an emergency timetable at the start of the strike on Wednesday morning. In long-distance traffic, around 20 percent of trains ran nationwide, as a spokesperson in Leipzig stated. In local traffic, the railway provides information about confirmed connections one day in advance. Private rail competitors, whose train drivers are not on strike, hardly reported any problems.

In long-distance traffic, a few trains still run on the north-south route – from Munich via Erfurt and Leipzig to Berlin and Hamburg. As per the spokesperson, especially long trains should be deployed. Dresden and Magdeburg are connected via regional trains through Leipzig. From Dresden, there is still an Intercity connection to Prague.

There are significant restrictions in local traffic, said the spokesperson. The regional timetables are updated daily and can be viewed on the internet. Buses are also being used.

The trains of the private competitors Abellio, Länderbahn, and Erfurter Bahn largely ran according to schedule. No disruptions were reported, stated an Abellio spokesperson. However, it cannot be ruled out that employees of the rail network operator will join the strike in the coming days, and this may result in sections of the route not being operated. The next wage negotiations between Abellio and the train drivers’ union GDL will take place on January 18.

Trilex and Vogtlandbahn, which belong to Länderbahn, also largely operated according to schedule, stated a spokesperson. A wage agreement with the GDL was already reached for the companies in December. The Erfurter Bahn reported individual train cancellations on the Gera – Hof and Gera – Zeitz routes because a signal box of the Deutsche Bahn in Bad Köstritz (Greiz district) apparently was not initially staffed due to the strike.

The train drivers’ union plans to end its industrial action on Friday at 6:00 p.m. The Bahn and the GDL have been negotiating new wage agreements since the beginning of November. The main sticking point is the GDL’s demand for a reduction in the weekly working hours with full pay, which the Bahn rejects.

Hamburg: “We have noticed an increase in traffic”

13.52 Hours: Many cancelled long-distance connections, S-Bahn and regional trains running on emergency timetable: Since 2:00 a.m. on Wednesday, railway passengers in Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein also need a lot of patience or have to switch to alternatives due to the three-day nationwide strike by the train drivers’ union GDL. Deutsche Bahn is running on an emergency timetable – the Hamburg S-Bahn is also affected. Passengers were asked to switch to buses and subways in the Hanseatic city.

It was apparent that the travelers were prepared for the strike: There was often emptiness on the long-distance platforms at Hamburg’s main train station in the morning. On the streets, the impact of the strike was noticeable, according to the traffic management department of the police. “We have noticed an increase in traffic.”

Severe disruptions on the tracks in Hesse again due to strikes

13.45 Hours: The strike by the train drivers’ union GDL is causing significant disruptions to train services in Hesse. A large part of Deutsche Bahn’s trains stood still on Wednesday. However, the railway’s emergency timetable was stable and started as planned, a company spokesperson said. Around 80 percent of long-distance trains were canceled, and regional trains and S-Bahns were also affected by the strike. Trams, buses, and subways in public transport, on the other hand, are operating regularly.

GDL chief demands new offer from Bahn – Crucial PointWorking Hours

08.35 O’clock: Claus Weselsky, the chairman of the Lokführergewerkschaft GDL, emphasized his organization’s willingness to continue the wage dispute with the Deutsche Bahn through strikes. “If nothing comes until Friday, we’ll take a break and move on to the next labor dispute,” said Weselsky on Wednesday on ZDF morning magazine after the start of the train driver strike. He criticized the latest offer from the railway as a provocation.

The GDL demands not only more money but also a reduction in working hours for shift workers at full wages. Weselsky referred to wage settlements with other railway companies. They are willing to make compromises here and gradually introduce the shorter working hours.

Train strike in progress – now only every fifth train is running in Germany

Wednesday, November 10, 06.34 O’clock: Due to a train driver strike, there have been significant disruptions to passenger traffic on the railways since early morning. The emergency timetable has started as planned, said Deutsche Bahn. In long-distance traffic, as in previous labor disputes with the GDL union, approximately every fifth train is in operation, according to the company. There are also far-reaching restrictions in regional traffic, which vary widely by region. The company Transdev, which operates regional trains in the northwest and east, is also being struck.

In the freight traffic of Deutsche Bahn, the GDL’s labor dispute began on Tuesday evening. Until the last minute, the railway and Transdev had tried to prevent the strike legally. The Higher Labor Court of Hesse definitively rejected the application for an injunction on Tuesday evening in the second instance.

GDL chief Weselsky missed the last train to Berlin

21.37 O’clock: GDL chief Claus Weselsky had won on all counts before the labor courts in Frankfurt, but he still had a problem on Tuesday night: “The last train is gone,” said the trade unionist after the verdict. He now had to find other ways to get to Berlin to lead the train driver strike there on Wednesday.

Court allows train driver strike to proceed

19:53 O’clock: The strike of the Lokführergewerkschaft GDL can take place as planned. The Hessian State Labor Court in Frankfurt rejected a request from Deutsche Bahn for a temporary injunction against the strike on Tuesday evening.

GDL strike in the railway freight traffic has begun

19.15 O’clock: The strike of the Lokführergewerkschaft GDL in the freight traffic of Deutsche Bahn has begun. As confirmed by a spokesman for the state-owned corporation on Tuesday evening, the first train drivers stopped work at 6:00 pm, regardless of a pending court decision. At that time, a hearing on an application for an interim injunction by the railway to stop the strike was still ongoing at the Higher Labor Court in Frankfurt.

Court to decide on train driver strike only this evening

10.44 O’clock:The Deutsche Bahn almost tried until the last second to prevent the impending train driver strike through legal means. The Hessian State Labor Court in Frankfurt will not hear the state-owned company’s appeal until this Tuesday afternoon at 5 pm, as the judiciary announced.

Already one hour later, the first GDL strikes in Deutsche Bahn’s freight traffic are scheduled to start. In passenger traffic, the strike is expected to begin on Wednesday morning at 2 am and then continue with freight traffic until Friday evening, 6 pm.

The second-instance court is also considering an appeal from the GDL.Transdev, an employee of the transit company, is in connection with the train driver strike. In the initial instance, the Frankfurt labor court on Monday rejected the requests for an interim injunction against the strike. Therefore, GDL can strike as planned until now.

Employers’ association describes the strike as a “burden”

Tuesday, January 9, 01.00 a.m.: “This strike lacks legitimacy and basis,” explained the managing director of the DB Employers’ Association AGV MOVE, Florian Weh, after the hearing. “In the interest of our customers, we are doing everything to prevent it.” The announced strike is a “burden built on sand.” The latest offer from the railway is an “excellent basis for a compromise,” Weh stated. On the other hand, a GDL lawyer expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision.

8:49 p.m.: The German Railway failed in its attempt to stop the planned train driver strike using legal means. The Frankfurt labor court rejected an interim injunction against the strike call by the GDL on Monday. An appeal to the Hessian State Labor Court is possible against the decision.

Railway aims to stop GDL strike

10:36 a.m.: As reported by “Bild”, the German Railway aims to stop the train driver strike planned for Wednesday using legal means. According to the railway, the strike has no legal basis.

If the labor court decides in the expedited procedure, the preliminary decision could be made as early as Monday. An appeal to the Hessian State Labor Court (Frankfurt) would still be possible subsequently.

For more information about the warning strikes, read on the next pages.