Deutsche Bahn (DB) has drawn up an emergency timetable due to strike threats from the train drivers’ union GDL. “As with previous strikes by the GDL, the DB has drawn up an emergency timetable with a greatly reduced range of trips,” said a spokeswoman for Deutsche Bahn on Sunday in Berlin. In long-distance transport it is less than 20 percent of the regular offer. “Bild am Sonntag” previously reported. GDL boss Claus Weselsky had threatened strikes before the collective bargaining negotiations that began last Thursday and had not ruled out labor disputes over the Christmas period.
In the event of a strike, Deutsche Bahn wants to use trains with more seats that are as long as possible. For example, this is a 376 meter long XXL ICE with 918 seats. This should be used on particularly high-demand connections, such as from Hamburg via Cologne, Frankfurt and Stuttgart to Munich.
According to the information, some cross-border connections will operate using foreign train drivers. The use of buses will not be possible because there are neither enough buses nor drivers to be able to spontaneously and comprehensively replace train capacities in the event of a strike.
