Travel disruptions are expected in Northern Germany through Tuesday evening due to several factors, according to Deutsche Bahn (DB). The disruptions include multiple embankment fires in the Hamburg, Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt regions, as well as a large-scale bomb disposal operation near Osnabrück’s main station.
These incidents are anticipated to cause delays in long-distance train services on routes between Berlin and the Ruhr area/Hannover and between Hamburg and Berlin.
DB advises passengers to check their travel connections using digital information channels before departing. The company has announced that passengers holding tickets for travel on July 1st who wish to reschedule due to these disruptions can utilize their ticket for a later date, with no connection restrictions. Seat reservations can be cancelled free of charge and all other applicable fare and legal passenger rights remain in effect.
The Deutsche Bahn also highlighted that climate change is exacerbating the conditions for embankment fires. Increased heat and drought, driven by human-caused global warming, are leading to a higher fire risk. Germany has seen a threefold increase in the average number of heat days per year since the 1950s, reaching 11.5 days. Without a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, cities like Berlin could experience 20 to 35 heat days annually between 2071 and 2100. Adherence to the Paris Agreement’s climate goals could limit this number to 10 to 16 days per year on average.