Berlin-Hanover railway line: still closed for weeks | News

THIS should cause a lot of frustration for train customers!

After the crash of two freight trains in the Gifhorn district of Lower Saxony, rail traffic on the busy section between Hanover and Berlin will be restricted for a longer period of time.

︎ Until December 16, passengers will have to be prepared for longer travel times and detours on the route, as announced by the railway on Wednesday.

It had previously been assumed that the matter would be resolved by November 27.

However, the fire brigade’s special units are still engaged “in a complex process of pumping propane gas from the four overturned tank cars and burning the remaining quantities in a controlled way,” he said. “The cold outside temperatures make this job even more difficult.”

Only when the fire brigade has cleared the scene of the accident can the railway begin to clean up and remove the overturned cars. Subsequently, the damage to the infrastructure should be more closely examined and repairs should begin.

Additional rights for passengers

According to Bahn, passengers who wish to postpone their planned journeys for the period between 18 November and 16 December can use their ticket flexibly in long-distance traffic up to and including seven days after the end of the disruption.

▶︎ Means: The train binding is cancelled. It says on the train: Interested individuals can postpone their trips until December 23 without rebooking. “You can just get on the train, the rail connection is cancelled,” informs the railway.

“Depending on departure or destination in NRW, travelers are advised to check connections with a change in Frankfurt or Hamburg as a possible faster alternative,” the railway said.

The accident occurred on Thursday last week on the section between Hanover and Berlin.

First, a freight train stopped at a signal. According to investigators, a Deutsche Bahn employee mistakenly released the route for another freight train with 25 tank cars filled with propane gas. This collided with the stationary train, four cars flipped onto their sides. At least one was so badly damaged that gas was leaking.

The train driver received minor injuries, the overhead line was seriously damaged. The railway employee is under investigation for dangerous intervention in railway traffic and culpable bodily harm. (rgz, dpa)