Image: BODO MARKS (APA/DPA/BODO MARKS)
A company spokeswoman said it was possible to switch to normal operations from Monday morning. There are only isolated restrictions in long-distance transport; the effects of the strike are different in regional transport.
- Also read: Train drivers’ strike at Deutsche Bahn ends early on Monday night
Strike ended early
According to the spokeswoman, long-distance trains on the Berlin-Cologne route run according to a regular timetable. There are no restrictions for trips between Berlin and Munich. This also applies, for example, to the Frankfurt – Munich and Hamburg – Cologne routes.
The strike by the German Locomotive Drivers’ Union (GDL) at the railway ended early at 2 a.m. on Monday night. The GDL had originally called for industrial action until Monday evening. On Saturday night, the union and Deutsche Bahn agreed on new negotiations on collective agreements and, within this framework, on an early termination of the strike. Both sides have now stated the goal of reaching a collective agreement by the beginning of March. The GDL does not want to strike again until March 3rd.
Trains are running according to the regular timetable again
A DB spokesman announced this on Monday night. Since the start of operations, Deutsche Bahn has been using the normal timetable again. “However, there will still be isolated restrictions on long-distance transport services over the course of Monday,” it said. “There may also be regionally different restrictions in regional traffic during the course of Monday.”
- Train cancellations: ÖBB local transport is also partially affected
Since the passenger transport strike began on Wednesday, Deutsche Bahn has been working with an emergency timetable. In long-distance transport, around 20 percent of the usual offering was on the move. With the emergency timetable, the railway also wanted to enable operations to start as smoothly as possible after the strike. In freight transport, the strike ended on Sunday evening.
Peace obligation up to and including March 3rd
The strike was actually supposed to last until 6 p.m. on Monday evening in both German passenger and freight transport. However, on Saturday night, Deutsche Bahn and the GDL agreed to an early end and new negotiations from February 5th. These should be held behind closed doors. Both sides stated that the goal was to reach a collective bargaining agreement at the beginning of March. A peace obligation applies up to and including March 3rd – so strikes are currently not an issue.
During the upcoming negotiations, models for reducing working hours will be discussed, among other things. The railway has also agreed to talk about a fixed fee increase. Until now, the German state-owned company had always spoken out in favor of percentage increases. Fixed amounts generally help lower income groups in particular and are therefore often preferred by unions to negotiate.
The payment of a 1,500 euro inflation compensation bonus in March has already been firmly agreed. This payment is tax- and duty-free for the employees, so gross is equal to net.
- Background: Strike has begun: German rail traffic is at a standstill
Current offer is 4.8 percent
The collective bargaining conflict between the railways and the GDL began at the beginning of November. The union entered into negotiations demanding three hours less weekly working time for shift workers with the same wages. She also wanted to achieve 555 euros more in wages for a twelve-month term of the collective agreement.
The current offer from Deutsche Bahn provides 4.8 percent more money for employees from August and a further 5 percent more from April 2025. According to this offer, from January 2026, German train drivers and train attendants can then decide between a further pay increase of 2.7 percent or one hour less work per week.
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