Germany is grappling with a wave of transport paralysis caused by coordinated warning strikes and extensive modernization works on key railway lines. The Verdi trade union is demanding a reduction in working hours to 35 hours per week, which has halted buses and subways in many regions, including Hamburg and Leipzig. The situation for passengers is worsened by route closures in Hesse and Saxony.
Paralysis in Hamburg and Leipzig
Strikes have halted bus and subway traffic; in Leipzig, protests will last until Sunday, shutting down local transport.
Demand for a 35-hour work week
The Verdi union is demanding a reduction in working hours for thousands employed in the public transport sector.
Closure of railway routes
Renovations in the Elbe Valley and on the Main-Weser-Bahn line are causing multi-month disruptions in long-distance traffic.
Germany's transport infrastructure came under immense pressure on Friday due to the overlap of protest actions by public transport workers and planned renovations of strategic railway routes. The trade union Verdi initiated widespread warning strikes, primarily affecting northern and eastern federal states. The main demands of the unionists focus on improving working conditions, including the key proposal to introduce a 35-hour work week without a reduction in pay. A particularly difficult situation prevails in Hamburg, where the subway and buses operated by Hochbahn and VHH have come to a standstill. Company representatives openly admit that resuming regular services during the day is unlikely, although the S-Bahn urban railway continues to operate, serving as the only alternative for passengers. In Leipzig, the protest has been extended until Sunday, heralding a multi-day paralysis of local transport. Similar disruptions have affected Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Schleswig-Holstein, where intensive negotiations are underway for new collective agreements for drivers and technical staff. The German public transport sector has been struggling with staff shortages for years, making union demands for shorter working hours a central point of contention with employers, who fear even greater personnel gaps.Parallel to the protests, Deutsche Bahn is carrying out large-scale modernization works. In Hesse, renovations on the Main-Weser-Bahn line have forced schedule reductions, impacting commuters traveling to Frankfurt. Even more severe disruptions affect the Elbe Valley in Saxony, where a key section of the international route will remain closed for many months. The accumulation of these events highlights the systemic challenges facing German transport: on one hand, the need to renew outdated infrastructure, and on the other, a growing social conflict regarding employment standards. „Wir kämpfen für die Entlastung der Beschäftigten und dafür, die Berufe im ÖPNV attraktiver für zukünftige Generationen zu machen.” (We are fighting to relieve the burden on employees and to make public transport jobs more attractive for future generations.) — Verdi representative Local authorities are appealing to residents to use bicycles or work remotely if possible. Experts indicate that without an agreement on the 35-hour work week, Germany must prepare for further waves of protests in the coming weeks.