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Berlin Central Station last Thursday: The GDL has once again called for a strike
Photo: Rainer Keuenhof / Manngold / IMAGO
When and where will there be a rail strike?
The train drivers' union GDL has called for the next warning strike in the collective bargaining dispute with Deutsche Bahn (DB).
Early on Tuesday morning from 2 a.m., passenger traffic will largely come to a standstill for the sixth time in the ongoing wage dispute, as the GDL announced on Sunday evening.
The new warning strike is scheduled to last until Wednesday morning at 2 a.m. – unless the railway averts the strike.
In the morning, the company announced that it wanted to legally prevent the GDL's plan.
“DB submitted a corresponding urgent application for an interim injunction to the Frankfurt am Main labor court this morning,” the company said.
In particular, the far too short lead time of just 22 hours for freight transport is “a sheer imposition,” says DB Human Resources Director Martin Seiler.
The strike in freight transport is scheduled to begin on Monday at 6 p.m. and end on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
There are just over 24 hours between the announcement of the industrial action in passenger transport and its possible start.
Will there be an emergency timetable?
Union boss Claus Weselsky had already announced that in the future he would give the railway and passengers significantly less time in advance to prepare for the industrial action.
A short-term strike call makes it more complicated for DB to set up an emergency timetable.
However, its website now states: "During the strike, DB will once again provide a basic service in long-distance, regional and S-Bahn transport." Customers are asked to find out about their connection before starting their journey.
Due to the limited offering, DB advises reserving a seat early when traveling on long-distance trains.
Where can rail travelers get information about their train?
The so-called basic offer can be accessed via the timetable information on bahn.de and in the DB Navigator, the DB announced on its information page about the GDL strike.
The extent to which the long-distance trains operate was initially not known.
In previous labor disputes in the ongoing collective bargaining dispute, around one in five long-distance trains was in use.
In regional transport, the effects varied.
What goodwill rules does Deutsche Bahn have?
The railway has announced these goodwill rules for the strike:
All passengers who bought a ticket for a trip on March 12 up to and including March 10 and would like to postpone it due to the GDL strike can use their ticket at a later date.
However, the city function is not covered by the goodwill.
On the new travel day, a public transport ticket must be purchased locally.
The train connection at saver prices has been lifted.
The ticket is valid for the journey to the original destination, even with a changed route.
Seat reservations can be canceled free of charge.
Passengers (on long-distance transport) would also have the opportunity to bring their journey forward and travel on Monday, March 11th.
If you no longer want or can travel because the train is canceled, you can cancel the trip and have the ticket price refunded.
The following applies to regional transport: Anyone who has a ticket for RE, RB, IRE and S-Bahn, but needs to use long-distance trains such as IC/EC or ICE, must first pay the additionally required ticket.
The costs will be reimbursed later.
This does not apply to significantly discounted tickets such as the Germany ticket or country tickets.
Further goodwill rules, for example for international tickets, can be found on the railway website.
What rights do passengers have in the event of cancellations and delays?
In the event of cancellations and delays, the statutory passenger rights apply.
If the train is not running or if it is likely to arrive at the destination at least 60 minutes late, you can request a refund of the ticket price.
This option also exists for a strike.
If the train arrives at its destination more than an hour late, you can request a refund of 25 percent of the fare; if it is more than two hours late, it is 50 percent.
more on the subject
Collective bargaining dispute: Train drivers' union GDL calls for a new rail strike
After the strike: Bahn invites GDL to new negotiations on Monday
Deadlocked tariff conflict: This is what the rail dispute is aboutAn analysis by Serafin Reiber
Industrial dispute at Bahn and Co.: How the right to strike could be restricted by Alexander Preker
Important: If there is a risk of a missed flight due to a train cancellation, the railway is not liable for possible subsequent costs.
According to the Baden-Württemberg consumer advice center, there is a back door for travelers who have booked so-called Rail&Fly tickets through the airline.
Then the trip to the airport is part of the flight booking and the airline has to provide alternative transport.
For tickets purchased online via a customer account, passengers can request a refund using an online application or via the DB Navigator app.
Otherwise the only option is to request a refund of the costs in writing.
To do this, you have to fill out the passenger rights form - under the item "Information about your trip" you then tick "I did not start my journey because of this delay or I interrupted it at the following station..." according to the railway.
The form is sent by post to: Passenger Rights Service Center, 60647 Frankfurt am Main.
The railway points out that the application button for the online refund will only be displayed on the website or in the app once the ticket's validity period has been reached.
It is therefore not possible to claim compensation days before the travel date.
What other rights do travelers have in the event of a strike?
Anyone stranded en route is entitled to meals and refreshments in proportion to the waiting time in the event of delays of more than an hour or train cancellations.
If it becomes apparent that the train will no longer be able to continue on a given day, the train company must, according to EU rules, arrange accommodation in a hotel or “other accommodation” and organize the transfer there.
If you book a hotel room on your own, you should first confirm with the railway that it is not possible to continue your journey and that they cannot help with accommodation.
The Arbitration Board for Public Passenger Transport (SÖP) offers a good overview of rail passenger rights, for example self-organized onward travel in certain cases and rights in regional transport, on its website.
For example, when you can buy a long-distance bus ticket and then get the expenses back from the train company.
As a neutral authority, the SÖP mediates in disputes between travelers and - above all - rail companies and airlines.
You can contact the arbitration board free of charge.
For example, if there is a dispute about refunds.
What do commuters have to consider?
Even if the railways only run according to the emergency timetable due to the strike, employees must show up at the company or company on time.
The so-called travel risk is borne by the employee, as Alexander Bredereck, a labor law specialist, explains.
“If I don’t come to work, the principle applies: no work, no money.”
Employers can also warn employees if they arrive at the company late or not at all.
This is at least always possible if a strike has been announced well in advance.
Even a strike that becomes known the day before is usually not an unforeseen event.
more on the subject
Warning strike by the GDL from Wednesday: What rights commuters now have
For commuters this means: Don't rely on the train during the strike days, but rather look for alternatives.
Employees usually also have to accept higher costs, for example because they drive to work.
According to Bredereck, the costs for alternative means of transport must be in proportion to the salary that employees would earn on the corresponding working day.
The specialist lawyer advises employees who may be affected by train cancellations to make arrangements with their employer in good time - and to ask specifically how they should proceed in the event.
It is conceivable, for example, to agree time off with the employer or to take vacation on the days for which a strike has been announced.
Reducing overtime or using flexitime can also be an option.
And what about home office?
“There is only a right to work from home if I have agreed to it with the employer, for example in the employment contract, the works agreement or the collective agreement,” says Bredereck.
This also applies on days when you cannot take the train to the company due to a strike.
If there are no corresponding agreements, Bredereck advises making arrangements with the employer in good time.
Are there alternatives to traveling by train?
Anyone who absolutely has to travel during the announced strike will have to change - to a bicycle, a long-distance bus, their own car, a carpool, ride-sharing or a rental car.
But be careful: it could be difficult to rent a car on the day of the strike, as demand usually increases dramatically.
An important note for everyone who is considering the aircraft as an alternative: At Lufthansa and its regional subsidiary Lufthansa Cityline, the flight attendants also want to stop working - but not everywhere.
When will the flight attendants go on strike?
As soon as the ground staff's warning strike ended, the UFO cabin union called on the approximately 19,000 flight attendants at
Lufthansa
and
Lufthansa Cityline
to go on strike this Tuesday and Wednesday.
All departures from Frankfurt
will be on strike from 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Tuesday
and
all departures from Munich on Wednesday
, as UFO announced.
The flight attendants of the core company and the regional subsidiary Lufthansa Cityline had previously voted for the strike in separate ballots with more than 96 percent each.
The Lufthansa Group criticized the union for unnecessarily carrying out the collective bargaining dispute on the backs of the passengers.
UFO is expected to hit around 100,000 passengers with this strike.
Lufthansa is currently dealing with the effects on the flight schedule.
It says on the website that it is “adjusting its flight program on both days”.
Guests whose flights were affected by the UFO strike are currently being rebooked.
Guests whose bookings have already been processed received information about the cancellation of their flight and rebooking options individually by email or in the Lufthansa app.
The GDL strike, which was announced at short notice, is causing problems for Lufthansa: "Guests who have received a train voucher as a travel alternative will unfortunately not be able to use this voucher on March 12th," it says on the website.
»Due to an additional, nationwide strike by the train drivers' union GDL, train services will be completely canceled throughout Germany on this day (March 12th).
Guests are therefore recommended to use their train voucher on Wednesday, March 13th.«
Who covers the cost of the bus or rental car?
If the railway organizes the alternatives itself, then it also pays for them: It would be conceivable, for example, for long-distance bus transport from individual train stations or taxi rides if, for example, the train stops at the station in the evening and there are still many passengers who have to go on to a city.
Anyone who books a rental car or plane ticket in advance cannot hope that this money will be refunded.
"You can try to have the costs advanced reimbursed - but if in doubt, the railway will refuse," is the assessment of rail passenger rights expert and lawyer André Schulze-Wethmar from the European Consumer Center.
It would be easier to get the price of the train ticket refunded and look for the alternative at your own expense.
jus/dpa