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Railway emergency: Massive delays due to fire in Upper Franconia!
Massive train cancellations and delays between Berlin and Munich due to arson. Current information here.
Railway emergency: Massive delays due to fire in Upper Franconia!
The current situation in rail traffic between Munich and Berlin brings with it a variety of challenges for travelers. Trains to and from Berlin have been affected by massive delays and cancellations since Friday morning. The reason for this is a fire in a railway underpass in Hirschaid (Upper Franconia), which broke out at around 3 a.m. on July 3rd. This fire set wooden panels and pallets on fire, which eventually spread to the adjacent embankment. The police suspect arson and are urgently looking for witnesses. The estimated material damage amounts to around 25,000 euros, but the follow-up costs for rail transport are likely to be much higher Mercury reported.
The effects of this incident were clearly noticeable: the ICE route between Berlin and Munich was closed until Thursday. Travelers faced delays of up to 90 minutes as important connections were rerouted. Among other things, the stops in Bamberg and Erlangen were eliminated, while the S-Bahn line S1 from Nuremberg only ran to Forchheim. In order to accommodate travelers, a replacement bus service was set up between Forchheim and Bamberg. Many travelers also expressed their dissatisfaction with the diversions and the lack of communication from on-board staff.
Problems with the signal box
Not only did the fire in Hirschaid cause chaos, signal box problems between Nuremberg and Bamberg also led to further delays on the ICE connection. These technical difficulties have now been resolved, but some trains are still canceled, as the Bahnblog notes. Despite the partial closure being lifted in the afternoon, travelers must still expect delays of up to 120 minutes. The ICE trains between Munich, Nuremberg, Erfurt, Leipzig and Berlin are particularly affected. Some IC trains between Karlsruhe and Leipzig are also affected as they can no longer run between Nuremberg and Leipzig.
A look at the rail infrastructure
Such incidents highlight the general inadequacies in German rail transport. Compared to countries such as Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain and Poland, an analysis shows that Germany lags behind on issues such as train cancellations, delays and technical problems. The authors of the analysis point to five central areas of action for improvement: secured long-term financing, goal-oriented management of the railway, state responsibility for parts of the company oriented towards the common good, consistent digitalization and an integrated transport policy. These aspects appear more urgent than ever to significantly improve the situation for travelers.
It is recommended that all travelers regularly check the current timetables and alternative services on the Deutsche Bahn website. The uncertainty is likely to continue for some time and it is to be hoped that such incidents can be avoided in the future.