Rail travellers in Germany are facing more major disruption with Deutsche Bahn train drivers set to strike for nearly a week in an escalating dispute over pay, hours and working conditions.
Members of the GDL union have already staged a three-day walkout earlier this month and now are planning to hold another strike starting from 2am on Wednesday (24 January) and running until 6am next Monday (29 January).
The move comes after GDL rejected a third pay offer from Deutsche Bahn on Friday (19 January), with the union calling it a "bogus offer" and also accusing the train operator of showing “no trace of any desire to reach agreement”.
DB said in a statement that its long-distance, regional and S-Bahn suburban rail services would be “massively affected nationwide” between 24-29 January as the strike will force it to operate an emergency timetable.
“The emergency timetable only ensures very limited train services on DB's long-distance, regional and S-Bahn services,” stressed DB. “We ask our passengers to check their connections 24 hours before travelling. When travelling on long-distance services, we advise you to reserve a seat in any case.”
This is the fourth strike called by GDL since November during the current dispute. Only 20 per cent of DB’s long-distance trains operated during the last three-day stoppage from 10-12 January.