DB Strike info
Mar 9th, 2008, 01:54 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 32
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
DB Strike info
Does anyone have any new info on the German transit strike? My wife and I will be coming to Germany by way of Austria in the first week of April. We will also be flying out of Munich on the 8th. How much do you think this will affect our travel? we hope to take the bayern ticket from salzburg to munich, then use a bayern ticket to get to the castles and back. Thanks for the info!
Mar 9th, 2008, 04:26 AM
#2
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 938
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Considering that this mess is ongoing for more than half a year now and coming up again after everybody thought that it was re-solved, I wouldn´t make any prediction for what will happen in April. Last status is that they´re optimistic to find an agreement before the strike starts on Monday, not least because there is huge pressure on both sides of the deal.
But if I was you, I wouldn´t make any change of plan. Judging from the events last year, there was always a lot of talk about actual striking but it happened only on a few days. Furthermore a strike doesn´t mean that the railway shuts down completely. At least in former West Germany (i.e. including Bavaria), even during the strikes about 50% of the trains were still running (it all depends on the percentage of the railway engineers organized in the union which is striking). So even if there is a strike, I think that you´ll find trains to get you to your destination but you´d have to face some chaos in the stations and should figure in some time for delays.
One point in case that the strikes happen when you´re there: if you miss a train because of the strike, you can also go by the trains which aren´t covered by the Bayern ticket.
But if I was you, I wouldn´t make any change of plan. Judging from the events last year, there was always a lot of talk about actual striking but it happened only on a few days. Furthermore a strike doesn´t mean that the railway shuts down completely. At least in former West Germany (i.e. including Bavaria), even during the strikes about 50% of the trains were still running (it all depends on the percentage of the railway engineers organized in the union which is striking). So even if there is a strike, I think that you´ll find trains to get you to your destination but you´d have to face some chaos in the stations and should figure in some time for delays.
One point in case that the strikes happen when you´re there: if you miss a train because of the strike, you can also go by the trains which aren´t covered by the Bayern ticket.
Mar 9th, 2008, 08:07 AM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 938
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The newest status: employers and unions have just stated that they came to an agreement and that the strike is off. I hope that there isn´t yet another problem coming up but it seems that you won´t have any trouble.
Have a nice trip !
Have a nice trip !
Mar 9th, 2008, 08:27 AM
#4
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,214
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The strike is cancelled, as Hans said. Still, the emergency timetable will be in effect on Monday, so tomorrow the chaos will happen anyway. Afterwards we'll be back to normal.
http://www.tagesschau.de/wirtschaft/bahn444.html (for those who read German)
Let's hope they don't come up with any new crazy ideas too soon.
http://www.tagesschau.de/wirtschaft/bahn444.html (for those who read German)
Let's hope they don't come up with any new crazy ideas too soon.
Mar 9th, 2008, 11:12 AM
#5
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,019
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If this labor squabble did not adversely affect so many people, it would make a good Gilbert and Sullivan operetta.
In the press Schell, the main guy in the GDL, was referred to as Rumpelstiltsken; Mehdorn, the ceo of the Deutsche Bahn, was referred to as steamroller.
At times the situation looked like a contest between two bulls butting heads.
In the press Schell, the main guy in the GDL, was referred to as Rumpelstiltsken; Mehdorn, the ceo of the Deutsche Bahn, was referred to as steamroller.
At times the situation looked like a contest between two bulls butting heads.
Mar 11th, 2008, 10:23 AM
#6
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 273
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
So when you say the strike is off, does that affect the airport strikes as well, or could those continue through the end of the month (or beyond)?
The SF Chronicle reported this weekend that "Hundreds of airport workers went on strike March 5 at Frankfurt International Airport, causing scores of flight cancellations, and further airport strikes could occur. Other public service workers are threatening strikes that would affect garbage collection and other services. The labor actions could last throughout March."
The SF Chronicle reported this weekend that "Hundreds of airport workers went on strike March 5 at Frankfurt International Airport, causing scores of flight cancellations, and further airport strikes could occur. Other public service workers are threatening strikes that would affect garbage collection and other services. The labor actions could last throughout March."
