photo: Jiri Svehla, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 / Flickr/Illustrative photo
DB InfraGO is changing how it responds to extreme heat after the disruption seen in June. From 30 July, railway operators across Germany will be able to reduce services without cancellation fees if fewer trains are needed to keep the network stable.
DB InfraGO plans to act earlier when forecasts point to extreme weather. The German infrastructure manager says the new approach should give railway companies and passengers more time to prepare, rather than leaving timetable changes until disruption has already begun.
Under the new arrangement, public transport authorities and railway companies can temporarily reduce the number of trains they operate. According to the press release, during the agreed period, DB InfraGO will suspend parts of its track access agreement, including cancellation fees that would normally apply when an operator withdraws a service.
The arrangement covers regional and long-distance passenger trains as well as rail freight. It does not automatically cancel any services. The final decision remains with the relevant transport authority or railway company.
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First Nationwide Heatwave Period Starts on 30 July
The new arrangement will apply across Germany for the first time from Thursday, 30 July, until 6 August, although DB InfraGO says the end date could still change depending on the weather. In North Rhine-Westphalia, Baden-Württemberg, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland, the measure will begin one day earlier because particularly high temperatures are expected there from Wednesday.
This way, DB InfraGO wants operators to decide earlier whether they can run their full timetable or whether a temporary reduction would give them a better chance of maintaining a reliable service.
Why Fewer Trains Could Make the Network More Reliable
A less crowded network gives dispatchers more room to react when equipment fails, speed restrictions are introduced, or trains begin to accumulate delays. DB InfraGO says that temporarily running fewer trains could improve the reliability of those that remain in service. Passengers would also receive earlier confirmation that their train is running, or have more time to find another connection.
For railway companies, an earlier decision makes it easier to organise trains, staff and passenger information. Freight operators can also adjust their planning before goods are already delayed somewhere on the network.
June Heatwave Exposed Weak Points on the Railway
The change follows the heatwave at the end of June, when high temperatures caused serious problems across the German rail network. Extreme heat placed additional strain on tracks, technical equipment, trains and railway employees. Malfunctions became more frequent, resulting in delays and cancellations that were often announced only shortly before departure.
Some passengers were unable to complete their journeys, while freight shipments did not reach their destinations on time. DW also reported over 5,000 deaths linked to the heatwave.
DB InfraGO CEO Philipp Nagl said the company had drawn lessons from the disruption in June: "We are concluding these experiences. In the future, we will act more proactively when heat waves with temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius are forecast. We will recommend to railway companies in advance that they reduce services as needed. This is the only way to ensure the stability of the entire system. To ensure a rapid response time, we are now proactively developing coordinated service concepts with the passenger transport companies.”