Anyone traveling by train over Pentecost needs strong nerves: Deutsche Bahn and the union are expecting chaotic conditions – and are giving tips on how to make traveling more pleasant.
Deutsche Bahn passengers have to prepare for particularly full trains again over the long Pentecost weekend. The company said that these are expected to be particularly busy on the main traffic axes.
“The main travel days will be Friday and Whit Monday,” it said. “We recommend traveling on these days only with a seat reservation on ICE and Intercity trains.” If you can travel flexibly, you should avoid peak travel times and use connections in the early morning or late evening. “If the ICE is fully booked, intercity connections can be good alternatives on some routes, as these are generally less busy,” it continued.
In regional transport, the authorities in the federal states have ordered additional trains in some regions. This is the case, for example, on the routes between Berlin and the Baltic Sea. “The reason is the sharp increase in demand – also due to the Germany ticket,” said the railway.
The Railway and Transport Union (EVG) nevertheless warned of chaotic conditions, particularly in regional transport. “The regional transport provided will not be sufficient, especially towards the coast and to the islands in the Baltic Sea and North Sea,” said the chairman of the general works council at the railway subsidiary DB Regio, Ralf Damde, to the “Augsburger Allgemeine”. “We lack services and staff – there will be frustration and escalations due to overcrowding, train cancellations and train evacuation.”
Source: Stern
