Train drivers are at a standstill for six days: a mega rail strike in Germany has begun

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Empty platforms, deserted train stations and irritated commuters: Wednesday morning the starting signal was given for the six-day driver’s strike in passenger transport. The drivers don’t want to work for another six full days.

All long-distance and regional transport will experience major disruption until Monday due to the strike by the drivers’ union GDL. The GDL had called for the strike, which started at 2 a.m. in passenger transport. The strike ends Monday at 6 p.m. Freight transport on the railway line has been on hold since 6 p.m. on Tuesday.

The railway explained that with the emergency schedule, the company “provided passengers on long-distance, regional and S-Bahn services with a severely limited but reliable travel offering.” The railway advises long-distance travelers to reserve a seat early. The aim for regional transport is a greatly reduced supply. “The extent to which this is possible varies greatly from region to region,” the railway explains. She recommended that you be aware of the planned connection 24 hours before departure.

SBB advises against traveling to Germany

If Swiss travelers want to travel to Germany or back, they should postpone their trip if possible. The SBB announced this to Blick on Monday. Various measures have been developed to keep the impact on domestic traffic as low as possible.

The mega-strike is the fourth in the current round of collective bargaining at Deutsche Bahn, which started in early November: in November and December the union supported its demands with a one-day warning strike. A three-day strike followed in January. The core requirement of the GDL is a reduction in weekly working hours from 38 to 35 hours. The railway has so far offered an option model to reduce working hours by one hour per week from 2026. (SDA/ene)

Source: Blick