DB train strike: Which trains are affected and how can I get a refund?
Train drivers who are members of the GDL union have now begun a three-day long strike, set to last until 6pm on January 12. Here’s how transport in Germany is affected and how you can get a refund or reimbursement for your cancelled and delayed Deutsche Bahn journeys.
What transportation is affected by the German transport strike?
All trains run by Deutsche Bahn, including long-distance ICE, IC, EC, Nightjet, regional and S-Bahn services in all German cities, are affected by the strike. U-Bahns and buses across Germany are not affected but will be very crowded and vulnerable to delays.
In response to the strike, DB has instituted its “emergency timetable” for the next three days. The remaining, limited DB services will be cancelled or at least severely disrupted, with delayed travel affecting millions across the country.
Though the GDL is the smaller of the two unions at DB, EVG being the biggest, the fact that a high number of GDL members are train drivers means that the union can greatly disrupt transportation during a strike. During the GDL strike in November, 80 percent of long-distance trains in Germany were cancelled.
Should I travel during the GDL strike?
DB has said that to work around the strike, the trains that are operating on the emergency timetable will have more carriages. However, the international company has warned that even passengers with a ticket cannot be guaranteed a ride.
Instead, travellers have been urged to delay their journey until after the strike is over or preferably until January 15 or 16, once the post-strike rush has subsided.
Anyone who has somewhere urgent to be and is considering taking the autobahn instead should be aware that Germany’s roads are also disrupted by tractor jams this week thanks to the nationwide farmers’ protest against a government decision to scrap subsidies for agricultural vehicles.
Travelling during the Deutsche Bahn strike
If you are still determined to brave the disruption, it is best to check the DB apps shortly before leaving for the station, since even emergency timetable services may also be cancelled at the last minute. Calling the DB strike hotline on 08000 99 66 33 in advance of your planned journey is also advisable.
Inevitably, many of the trains that do make it to their intended destination during the strike period will be late. As with the regular timetable, if you arrive late to your final destination during the strike you are entitled to compensation. If you are 60 minutes late or more you can get 25 percent of your original ticket cost reimbursed, and if you are 120 minutes late or more you are entitled to a 50 percent reimbursement. You can apply for this reimbursement online here.
How to delay your DB train journey or get a refund
If you decide to delay your journey or cancel it all altogether you have some options.
If you booked a ticket for a train which was scheduled to run during the strike period you can use your ticket to travel on any emergency timetable train to get to your final destination, even if you use an alternative route or different combination of trains than initially planned.
If you don’t want to face the emergency timetable, DB has also said that anyone who has a ticket to travel during the strike period can postpone their journey until after the strike, for free.
And if you would like to give up on your journey altogether it is also possible to cancel your trip online at no extra cost. Customers who cancel their journey can opt to get a refund or voucher in return.
Why are German train drivers on strike?
In November 2023, an industrial peace agreement between DB and the GDL came to an end, meaning that it was time for the two organisations to reenter pay negotiations.
The GDL entered these negotiations demanding 555 euros more for employees each month and a 3.000 euro bonus to offset inflation price rises, as well as a reduction in working hours from 38 hours to 35 per week with no pay cut. If they were accepted, these terms would be applied to 10.000 employees and would be applicable for 12 months.
Instead, Deutsche Bahn offered a gradual 11-percent pay increase over three years and a 2.850-euro inflation bonus, with no mention of reduced hours. A series of warning strikes from the GDL was then punctuated with media reports that Deutsche Bahn bosses received millions of euros' worth of bonuses for 2022, despite chronic train delays and disruption for passengers.
Throughout the autumn there was no movement in negotiations, triggering a vote in which 97 percent of members of the German Train Drivers’ Union cast their ballots in favour of indefinite strike action. Union leader Claus Welesky announced that the GDL would pause action until after the Christmas holidays, and then, on the evening of January 7, confirmed that the mandated strike would begin at 2am on January 10.