There is a threat of a rail strike and black ice in Germany on Friday – an unpleasant combination. Many employees have to prepare for long traffic jams and delays, especially in the morning hours.
FOCUS online advises employees: Stay home on Friday. Clarify with your boss which regulations apply to you. For employees who have to come to work, the following applies: plan more time.
Which federal states are affected?
Rush hour traffic is affected in Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland. Sleet makes the roads there slippery. At the same time, snowflakes can lead to lightning ice due to the low temperatures. The risk of slipping is great.
In southern Germany, transport companies are still struggling with the severe onset of winter last weekend. In Munich, many tram lines don’t run, and buses have to bypass some stops. The reason? Because of the snow, commuters cannot get out there. If the train goes on strike on Friday, many will only have their car left. And traffic safety is not guaranteed because of black ice.
At the same time, you can’t rely on the train. The GDL is striking the Deutsche Bahn route network from Thursday evening. The strike begins on Thursday for freight traffic from 6 p.m. and for passenger traffic at 10 p.m. The strike ends on Friday evening at 6 p.m.
FOCUS online says: The strike starts much earlier because the train drivers want to go on strike on time. There may be delays since 4 p.m.
Which trains are affected by the strike?
There are disruptions in long-distance and local transport. The railway is taking countermeasures and using longer trains with more seats on some routes, but emphasizes that transport cannot be guaranteed. The first trains won’t start rolling again until Friday at 6 p.m. Here, too, there may be delays up to and including Saturday.
The strike primarily affects commuters, travelers and employees. The S-Bahn network is also affected in Berlin, Dresden, Hamburg, Cologne, Munich, Nuremberg, Stuttgart and many other cities.
I have train tickets for Thursday evening and Friday – what applies?
Anyone who planned a trip during the strike can take it later. The train connection will be lifted for travel between Thursday and Friday. This is intended to give passengers the opportunity to postpone planned trips due to the warning strike. The train ticket is valid for the journey to the original destination, even with a changed route. Seat reservations can be canceled free of charge.
FOCUS online warns: On Saturday it could be more crowded on the train tracks than usual. Trains can also suspend seat reservations so that as many travelers as possible can get to their destination. “Please refrain from unnecessary travel during the GDL strike and postpone your trip to another time,” says the Deutsche Bahn app.
If trips cannot be carried out as planned due to a strike, the refund will be made German railway Affected passengers receive their tickets and reservations free of charge. In order to help customers quickly and easily, Deutsche Bahn is setting up a free special hotline. Those affected can reach them on 0800 09 96 633.
Be careful when traveling by plane!
Trains to and from the airport are also affected. Travelers should look for alternatives in good time. If the train doesn’t run in your area, you should switch to a taxi, rideshare or rental car. Rental car prices can be higher than average due to high demand. It is better to use sharing vehicles from Share Now, Free Now, Miles, Sixt Share. If you want to save, book hourly packages.
Do I have to prepare for further warning strikes in the next few weeks?
After the warning strike, passengers can take a deep breath. Weselsky has ruled out further labor disputes up to and including January 7th.
However, offer and demand are still far apart. Apparently the railway is already preparing for a longer strike phase. The GDL boss Claus Weselsky had announced that he would call a permanent strike as quickly as possible via a ballot. “Why should I just create a small fanfare in some form when I know that it will have no effect on the other side?” he told the German Press Agency news agency.
What is the strike actually about?
The GDL’s demands are clear: employees should receive at least 555 euros more per month as well as inflation compensation. At the same time, weekly working hours should fall from 38 to 35 hours without shift workers receiving less money. For comparison: In August, after two warning strikes, the EVG achieved almost 410 euros more per month for employees and an inflation adjustment.
The railway does not consider a reduction in working hours to be feasible and has so far refused any negotiations about it. Instead, DB Human Resources Director Martin Seiler offered an eleven percent salary increase for a period of 32 months in the first round of negotiations. He also expressed his willingness to pay the inflation compensation premium; according to DB’s idea, the first half could be transferred as early as December. “Too little, too long and at the end of the day not enough,” was Weselsky’s comment on the offer.