Strike causes major disruption to Germany’s train services

BERLIN

A strike by train drivers in Germany brought most of the long-distance and regional train services to a standstill on Thursday.

German railway operator Deutsche Bahn said almost 80% of the long distance train services were canceled due to the 20-hour strike by the German Train Drivers’ Union (GDL).

The strike also caused “massive disruption” to regional and local services, the national rail operator said in a statement, adding that the effects of the strike varied from region to region.

Deutsche Bahn’s spokesman Achim Stauss advised passengers to avoid unnecessary travel, noting that while the strike ends at 6 p.m. local time (1700GMT) on Thursday, further delays and cancellations could not be ruled out.

The GDL union is currently negotiating with the Deutsche Bahn over pay raises, and demanding a salary increase of €555 ($600) per month, and a one-off inflation compensation premium of up to €3,000 ($3,250).