Deutsche Bahn wants to extend trains at Christmas in the event of a strike
Rail strikes are always a horror for commuters and frequent travelers. However, significantly more people would be affected by train cancellations during the holidays - not an unlikely scenario given the wage dispute with the train drivers' union GDL. According to a media report, Deutsche Bahn already has an emergency plan for this.
According to a media report, Deutsche Bahn is working on a greatly reduced emergency timetable for the Christmas holidays in view of the strike threats from the train drivers' union GDL. According to the newspaper "Bild am Sonntag", ICE trains are to be used for as long as possible. For example, the connection from Hamburg via Cologne, Frankfurt and Stuttgart to Munich is to be served by a 376-metre-long ICE with 918 seats. By comparison, a normal ICE train is around 200 meters long and has 400 to 450 seats.
According to the newspaper, the emergency timetable would provide for less than 20 percent of the scheduled train connections, with 140 instead of 700 trains. Cross-border connections are to be maintained by using foreign train drivers wherever possible. However, the use of buses would not be possible, as neither vehicles nor drivers are available in sufficient numbers.
The wage talks between Deutsche Bahn and GDL began on Thursday and are to continue next week. Deutsche Bahn presented an offer of an eleven percent wage increase and an inflation bonus of up to 2850 euros for a term of 32 months. However, the reduction in working hours with full wage compensation demanded by the union was not feasible.
In order to emphasize the GDL demands, GDL boss Claus Weselsky has repeatedly held out the prospect of strikes. "We will keep the pressure on the boiler high, and at the end of the process we will be in a position at any time to back up our demands with appropriate strike action," said the union leader. However, in a recent interview with ARD's "Morgenmagazin", he hinted that Christmas could be exempt from work stoppages.
In light of the potential strikes by GDL, German Railways (Deutsche Bahn) is considering utilizing longer ICE trains, such as the 376-meter-long one with 918 seats, during the Christmas season to maintain services. Despite the strike threats, the expected emergency timetable would only provide for less than 20% of the scheduled train connections, with only 140 trains operating compared to the usual 700.
Source: www.ntv.de
