Service disruptions and train diversions are anticipated across northern Germany on Tuesday, potentially extending through the day. The German railway company, Deutsche Bahn, announced the disruptions are a result of multiple embankment fires in the Hamburg, Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt regions, coupled with a large-scale bomb disposal operation near Osnabrück’s main station.
Long-distance train services between Berlin and the Ruhr area/Hannover, as well as Hamburg and Berlin, are expected to experience delays.
Deutsche Bahn advises passengers to check their travel connections via digital information channels before commencing their journeys. Passengers holding tickets for travel on July 1st who wish to reschedule due to these disruptions in northern Germany can utilize their ticket for a later date. The railway company has lifted mandatory seat reservations, allowing tickets to be used for travel to the original destination, even with altered routes. Seat reservations can be cancelled free of charge and all other applicable fare and legal passenger rights remain in effect.
The increasing frequency of embankment fires is linked to the effects of climate change. Rising temperatures and prolonged periods of drought are exacerbating fire risks. Germany has seen a threefold increase in the average number of heat days since the 1950s, reaching 11.5 per year, attributed to human-caused global warming. Without reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, cities like Berlin could face 20 to 35 heat days annually between 2071 and 2100. Adherence to the Paris Agreement’s climate goals could limit this to 10 to 16 heat days per year on average.
