Another rail strike in Germany, trains from the Netherlands are also not running

Train traffic in Germany is largely at a standstill today due to a national strike. The machinists’ union GDL has called on its members to stop work. The strike started at 10pm last night for the drivers who drive passenger trains. Freight transport drivers started their work break four hours earlier.

The German railway company Deutsche Bahn expects that most long-distance trains will not run today. About 20 percent of those trains would continue to run.

With regional trains, the differences per region are large. In Bavaria, which is still struggling with the consequences of heavy snowfall, there is almost no traffic. And in the northwest of Germany, more trains are expected to run again: the union is less well represented there. The S-Bahn in several German cities has also been affected by the strike.

Train traffic is expected to return to normal on Saturday morning.

The drivers want their working week to increase from 38 hours to 35 hours per week. They also want an additional 555 euros per month and decent inflation compensation. According to the union, work at Deutsche Bahn must be made more attractive in order to attract more people.

Train traffic between the Netherlands and Germany is also largely at a standstill due to the strike. The ICE International and the intercity to Berlin are not running today, NS International reports. The night train, the Nightjet, is also not running. Furthermore, carrier Arriva reports that the train between Heerlen and the German city of Aachen cannot run.

There have been several strikes on the German railway network in recent years. Last month, the GDL union also went on strike for one day. The union has promised that today is the last strike day of this year.