Accident between Hamburg and Bremen: ICE with 550 passengers crashes into regional train

The two trains were so badly damaged by the incident in Lauenbrück that both were no longer roadworthy. Rail traffic on the route has been stopped.’

The ICE driver initiated emergency braking and prevented anything worse from happening

According to the information, the unoccupied regional train was standing on a switch when the ICE hit it at 50 kilometers per hour – despite braking quickly. The express train on the way from Hamburg to Munich had previously passed a different switch at around 80 kilometers per hour.

After the accident, the train passengers were guided on foot to Lauenbrück train station. The destroyed front sections of the two trains could be seen in pictures. The railway line was completely closed in the area. The exact cause of the accident was initially unknown on Wednesday evening.

The regional train operator Metronom set up a replacement bus service for its passengers as well as a hotel train for those waiting at Tostedt station, as the company announced on Wednesday evening.