Hundreds of people forced to sleep on trains after storms hit north Germany

Extreme weather in northern Germany left hundreds of rail passengers stranded on Tuesday night after storm damage forced Deutsche Bahn to cancel multiple trains. With the cleanup underway, passengers may still experience delays on Wednesday. 

Storm in north Germany causes travel chaos

As a fierce storm swept over northern Germany on Tuesday night, several trains found their routes impassable as strong winds toppled trees, damaged overhead lines and blew debris across the tracks. Some passengers were able to transfer to alternative means of transport, but many more were left stranded overnight. 

In Hannover, more than 200 people were forced to spend the night on two ICE trains provided by Deutsche Bahn. Another 300 people heading to Hamburg from Switzerland were stuck for hours before three buses arrived to take half of them to Hannover. The remaining 150 passengers had no choice but to stay on the train until it could continue its journey, two and a half hours later, at 1.35 am. 

Deutsche Bahn: passengers should check for updates

Deutsche Bahn said in a statement that disruption to train services in northern Germany would continue until Wednesday afternoon. Long-distance trains between Hannover and Bremen will mostly be cancelled, and restrictions remain in place on the route between Hamburg and Hannover. Passengers are recommended to check the Deutsche Bahn website for updates before starting their journeys.

Anyone who has purchased a ticket for affected routes is entitled to either a full refund (free of charge) or choose to travel on a different day. Tickets for Tuesday and Wednesday will be valid for an extra week.