Train disruptions and banked embankment blazes causing delays
In mid-2025, train services in Northern and Western Germany have been disrupted due to a combination of slope fires, overhead line disruptions, and bomb defusals, leading to significant interruptions in rail services.
The fires on railway embankments and slopes have damaged infrastructure and posed risks to tracks, requiring emergency responses and causing delays. Such fires are more frequent during dry, warm weather conditions, leading to increased risk of vegetation catching fire near rail lines.
Severe weather events, including storms, have also caused damage to overhead power lines that supply electric trains, resulting in temporary halts and slowdowns of train traffic. For example, a severe storm in late June 2025 caused widespread public transport disruptions around Berlin, including S-Bahn shutdowns.
Unexploded World War II ordnance is occasionally discovered during construction or maintenance works on railway lines, necessitating urgent evacuation and defusal operations that halt train movements temporarily. Although no direct recent incidents were reported, such events are known causes of disruption in Germany’s rail network.
The fires and the bomb defusal in Osnabrück caused delays on the routes between Berlin, Hannover, and the Ruhr area, as well as between Hamburg and Berlin. The bomb defusal in Osnabrück required the evacuation of around 20,000 people and lasted until around 9 PM. ICE, EC, and IC trains between Hamburg - Bremen and Münster were diverted due to the bomb defusal from around 4:30 PM.
Climate activist Luisa Neubauer was affected by the disruptions, as she intended to travel from Berlin to Hamburg to visit her grandmother and participate in a discussion round with Philipp Amthor. The topic of the discussion round was whether the climate crisis is dividing society. Luisa expressed her frustration about the disruptions in an Instagram story.
Passengers in the west of the country should expect train cancellations and delays on Wednesday. Some regional transport lines in the west of the country may only be offered to a limited extent. Eurobahn and National Express have announced disruptions on numerous lines in the west of the country due to high temperatures.
Work is underway to strengthen railway slopes and embankments in affected areas, including laying new rails and sleepers to enhance track stability and resilience against fires and landslides. Upgrading overhead line equipment to more robust systems can reduce vulnerability to storms. Improved weather forecasting and rapid response also help minimize downtime. Close coordination with bomb disposal units ensures swift action to defuse discovered ordnance with minimal disruption. Preventive surveys can identify hazardous areas before work begins.
Despite the challenges, the railway line between Wolfsburg and Stendal was reopened in the evening, offering some relief to passengers. Passengers are advised to inform themselves about their connections before departure to avoid any unexpected disruptions.
- The slope fires and weather conditions, particularly during dry, warm spells, have become a significant concern in the context of environmental science, as they increase the risk of vegetation catching fire near rail lines.
- In the realm of finance, inadequate investments in upgrading railway infrastructure, such as strengthening slopes, laying new tracks, and improving robustness of overhead power lines, could potentially lead to more frequent and severe disruptions in the future.
- The transportation industry's response to the current disruptions, which includes emergency responses to fires, evacuation due to bomb defusals, and preventive surveys, is critical to maintaining service and ensuring passenger safety.
- In the face of increasing climate-change induced challenges and the simultaneous need to address legacy issues like unexploded ordnance, the environmental-science and finance industries must work together to ensure a sustainable, resilient future for transportation in Germany.
