The infrastructure of Deutsche Bahn is increasingly becoming a target for saboteurs. According to an internal assessment by the company, between January and June 2026, 2,200 cases of sabotage, arson, dangerous interference with rail traffic, and metal theft were registered nationwide. The “Bild-Zeitung” reported on the document, noting this figure represents a seven percent increase compared to the same period last year. Criminal activity affecting the railway infrastructure caused more than 220,000 minutes of delays in the first six months of the year.
These disruptions are not only impacting passenger travel but are also increasingly affecting main routes used for heavy freight transport. Blockades on these lines jeopardize the supply of factories and can have a measurable impact on industrial production. Deutsche Bahn declined to issue an official statement to the newspaper regarding the internal figures or the ongoing investigations by security authorities.
A severe incident occurred in the night leading up to Tuesday, when a fire damaged a junction box in Neu Wulmstorf, Lower Saxony, significantly compromising the signaling systems on the Hamburg-Cuxhaven route. According to internal railway data cited by the newspaper, this incident resulted in over 200 canceled train journeys, forcing thousands of commuters onto rail replacement services. Furthermore, 19 freight trains were halted on open track. Authorities suspect arson in this case.
