Lightning strikes: rail traffic around Lüneburg massively disrupted!

Lightning strikes: rail traffic around Lüneburg massively disrupted!

Lüneburg.“Massive” disruptions in long-distance transport! A lightning strike has plunged the railway in northern Germany into chaos. Deutsche Bahn (DB) is fighting hard to fix the problems at Lüneburg, while travelers have to be prepared for delays and cancellations.

On Wednesday, a lightning strike on the overhead line between Lüneburg and Uelzen caused significant disruption to rail traffic. The DB reported “massive” disruptions to long-distance traffic to and from Hamburg. ICE trains traveling from Hamburg to Munich and Berlin had to be rerouted, causing delays of up to 45 minutes. The situation escalated: all ICE trains between Hamburg and Munich via Berlin were canceled, as were the connections between Kiel, Lübeck and Munich. Travelers had to prepare for unforeseen chaos!

Evacuation after a lightning strike

The lightning strike occurred in the community of Deutsch Evern, where an ICE train coming from Munich with 350 passengers stopped just a few meters behind Bienenbüttel train station. The fire department had to intervene to evacuate the travelers. The operation was difficult because the terrain was impassable. Finally, a diesel locomotive from Hanover was requested to tow the train. After four and a half hours, the passengers were finally able to get out and were provided with water by the German Red Cross.

The disruption will continue on Wednesday. The railway spokeswoman announced that the problems are expected to persist until the early afternoon. Travelers to Hanover should consider alternative routes via Bremen while train restrictions on tickets have been lifted. The DB advises passengers to find out about current connections and to allow more time for their journeys, as the buses take longer to cover the route.