The rail strike is ongoing – and most trains in Hesse are at a standstill. Deutsche Bahn has set up an emergency timetable by Thursday evening. The impact on local transport is also massive.
Regional rail traffic in Hesse was also severely affected by the warning strike at Deutsche Bahn on Thursday. Despite an emergency plan in place, travelers must expect massive restrictions, according to a press spokeswoman. If possible, she advises passengers to postpone their journey until after the strike, she said early Thursday morning.
Otherwise, you should find out about the planned train connections in good time before you start your journey. A significantly reduced timetable applies, including for the S-Bahn in the Rhine-Main area.
Buses, trams and subways in local public transport are not affected by the warning strike.
More than four out of five long-distance trains are said to be canceled
The nationwide Walkout, which the German Train Drivers’ Union (GDL) had called on, among others, train drivers, train attendants, workshop employees and dispatchers, is scheduled to end on Thursday at 6 p.m. The warning strike began on Wednesday at 10 p.m., and some connections were stopped earlier.
The railway assumed “massive impacts” on rail operations. She expected more than 80 percent of all IC and ICE journeys to be canceled. “In regional transport, the aim is to run a greatly reduced offer,” said a railway spokeswoman.
Bahn wants to offer a “stable basic offer”.
After Information from the Rhine-Main Transport Association (RMV) Regional trains and S-Bahn trains in the RMV area are affected: “There can be massive impacts.” The S-Bahn trains in Rhine-Main stopped running on Wednesday from 10 p.m. until the end of operations. The DB is trying to offer “a stable basic offer” for Thursday, it said. Until the end of the strike, the S-Bahn trains should run every 1 hour.
According to RMV, lines RE5, RE30, RB48, RB51 and RE60 are expected to be canceled until 6 p.m. on Thursday. The lines RB11, RB12, RB15, RB16 should even be canceled until 11 p.m. There will be partial cancellations on lines RB22, RB34, RB40, RB41, RB49, RB61, RB67/68, RE20, RE70 and RE99 on Thursday. From around 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., no train service between Gießen and Herborn is possible due to an unmanned signal box in Ehringshausen, according to the RMV.
The Frankfurt transport company (VGF) announced that it wanted to run three-car trains, i.e. longer subways than usual, on the U1, U2, U6 and U7 lines.
Train cancellations in the NVV area
In the north of Hesse, passengers are also feeling the effects of the GDL strike on local transport. After Information from the North Hessian Transport Association (NVV) you have to expect cancellations on the regional train lines. The trains operated by Deutsche Bahn are particularly affected.
This applies to the lines RE30, RB4, RB38 and RB39, i.e. the connections between Kassel and Frankfurt, Korbach, Treysa or Bad Wildungen. The RE5 (RMV) and RE50 between Bebra and Frankfurt and the RE97/RB97 from Brilon via Korbach to Marburg are also affected. According to the NVV, all lines not listed should run regularly. Buses and trams are also running normally, and this probably also applies to the RegioTram.
Frankfurt-West signal box initially unmanned
Trains from other railway companies such as Vlexx, Vias or the Hessische Landesbahn could be indirectly affected by the strike. Your train drivers have their own collective agreements with the GDL. However, if signal boxes are not staffed by dispatchers, your trains can no longer run there.
According to the railway spokeswoman, the signal box in Frankfurt-West remained unmanned early on Thursday morning. This leads to failures on the S-Bahn lines between Frankfurt-Rödelheim and Frankfurt Central Station.
Passenger rights
According to the railway, all passengers who would like to postpone their planned trip due to the GDL strike can use their ticket at a later date. The train connection has been lifted. The ticket is valid for the journey to the original destination, even with a changed route. Seat reservations can be canceled free of charge.
In addition, the other tariff or statutory provisions apply Passenger rightsso that, for example, a ticket refund is possible under the appropriate conditions.
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Union wants working hours reduced
With the warning strike, union boss Claus Weselsky is already tightening the pace of the collective bargaining dispute after the first round of negotiations. The GDL and Deutsche Bahn have only been negotiating a new collective agreement since last Thursday.
Die In collective bargaining, the union is demanding, among other things, 555 euros more each Month for employees as well as an inflation compensation bonus of up to 3,000 euros. What is particularly important to Weselsky is a reduction in working hours from 38 to 35 hours for shift workers with full wage compensation.
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The post first appeared on www.hessenschau.de
