Thursday 7, December
24 hour train strike hits Berlin tonight
Starting on Thursday night at 22:00 and lasting for 24 hours, the Berlin S-Bahn system will be on shut down by another strike from the German locomotive driver’s union (GDL). On Friday, travellers across Germany can expect significant restrictions across ICE, regional and S-Bahn services. As seen in other recent strikes, disruptions are likely to begin shortly before the official starting time and continue through Saturday morning, as the system adjusts to the reduced capacity. The BVG will not be subject to the strike, but may also be affected by spillover from the cancelled services.
This is expected to be the last strike of the year, as the union has pledged not to disrupt travel over the holiday period. The dispute centres on working times, with the GDL calling for a reduction from 38 to 35 hours per week for their members as well as a a one-time bonus to compensate for lost earnings from inflation.
