Deutsche
Bahn (DB) will operate around a quarter of its long-distance services across Germany
today and tomorrow as drivers’ union GDL go on strike over working conditions
and pensions for the second time in recent weeks.
The company said it would operate a
basic level of long-distance connections that equals roughly 25 per cent of
normal capacities.
DB is prioritising very busy routes and connections to major stations
and airports and intends to run trains every two hours on selected key
corridors, such as Hamburg-Berlin and Berlin-Bavaria. The company will run around 40 per cent of regional and S-Bahn trains.
However, the number of trains in operation will vary considerably between
regions.
DB advises people who were set to travel
in the strike to reschedule after the strike if possible but it cannot
guarantee that all travellers will reach their destinations as planned. It will
offer increased flexibility to change and cancel up to ten days after the strike
ends.
It expects rail services to return to
normal for the most part as of 25 August.