photo: The Informant on X (Twitter)/A derailed passenger train near Riedlingen, Germany
A routine Sunday ride turned tragic in southern Germany. A packed regional train derailed near Riedlingen, killing three people and injuring dozens more. Early signs point to a landslide triggered by heavy rain.
A regional passenger train derailed near the town of Riedlingen in southwestern Germany on Sunday evening, leaving three people dead and at least 50 injured, according to multiple sources including DW, Al Jazeera, and Sky News. The train, operated by Deutsche Bahn, was en route from Sigmaringen to Ulm when it derailed around 6:10 p.m. local time in a wooded area of Baden-Württemberg. Early reports suggest a possible landslide triggered by heavy rainfall may have caused the accident, though investigations are still underway.
As reported by Ulm Police, two carriages of the train left the tracks, causing significant casualties among the roughly 100 passengers on board. A spokesperson for the Federal Police in Stuttgart confirmed that emergency teams, helicopters, and rescue dogs were quickly dispatched to the scene. According to district fire chief Charlotte Ziller, the victims include the train driver and a Deutsche Bahn employee, while 25 of the injured are in serious condition.
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Response and Investigation Underway
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed his condolences via social media, writing that he was in close contact with Interior and Transport Ministers and had "asked them to support the rescue forces by all available means." A statement from Deutsche Bahn said the company was "deeply dismayed" and expressed "heartfelt sympathy and condolences to the relatives of the deceased," while also thanking emergency services and volunteers.
Interior Minister of Baden-Württemberg Thomas Strobl told reporters that severe storms had hit the region earlier in the day, and that a landslide was being seriously considered as the cause. "There have been heavy rains here, so it cannot be ruled out that the heavy rain and a related landslide accident may have been the cause," Strobl stated, though he pointed out that the investigation is still ongoing.
Photos and footage from the scene, published by Al Jazeera and Sky News, show train carriages tipped on their sides and mud on the tracks, with firefighters navigating debris in the dark to search for survivors. According to The Independent, a local hospital in Ulm freed up beds to receive the injured, while a nearby community centre was set up as a gathering point for relatives of those affected.
Rescue and Recovery Efforts Continue
By Monday morning, rescue operations were still ongoing, but no additional victims had been found. As of now, rail traffic remains suspended along a 40-kilometre stretch between Munderkingen and Sigmaringen, and Deutsche Bahn has asked travellers to check schedule updates on its official platforms.
Deutsche Bahn CEO Richard Lutz visited the site on Monday and said the company is providing full support to authorities as they investigate the cause of the derailment. He also announced that a free emergency hotline and crisis psychological services have been made available to families and employees affected by the crash. "We are deeply shocked and dismayed by what happened," Lutz said. "Our focus now is on supporting the victims, their families, and our staff as best we can."
Rail Safety in Focus
The derailment comes at a time when Germany’s rail infrastructure is under growing scrutiny. The federal government has pledged to invest several hundred billion euros in rail modernisation over the coming years, following persistent complaints from passengers about delays and ageing infrastructure.
While train travel in Germany remains statistically safer than road transport — with over 2,700 road fatalities in 2024, according to the Federal Statistical Office — recent incidents have reignited debate over rail safety and maintenance standards. In June 2022, another derailment near a Bavarian resort killed four people. Germany’s worst rail accident remains the 1998 Eschede derailment, which left 101 dead.
Sources: Deutsche Bahn; Al Jazeera; Sky News; The Independent