Extreme heat melts track filler, stopping trams in Nuremberg and Leipzig

Nuremberg trams at a standstill

All tram lines in Nuremberg remained suspended on Monday after the weekend's extreme heat softened the bitumen filler between the rails and the asphalt. The viscous mass stuck to tram wheels and switches, posing a derailment risk. Replacement buses and taxis are ferrying passengers to U-Bahn stations on the outer branches, but the vehicles must stop at the roadside rather than at tram stops because the bitumen is still present there.

VAG technical director Tim Dahlmann-Resing warned of the safety hazard.

“It can happen that trams derail. Especially at the switches we have a big problem. If this viscous mass gets between the switches or onto the switch tongues, we can no longer set the switches.”

The cleaning work is labour-intensive and must be done by hand, mostly at night when temperatures drop. A VAG spokesperson described the material.

“This mass is like chewing gum.”

Leipzig network crippled by clogged switches

Leipzig's tram system has also been out of service since the weekend. High temperatures caused joint sealant for asphalt and concrete to run into the switches and clump, making safe operation impossible. LVB staff worked overnight to clear the blockages and clean the trams, but on Monday morning only a skeleton network was being attempted, with no regular service possible.

A spokesperson for LVB said buses would operate as normally as possible, while S-Bahn trains, the Flexa shared-taxi service, and sharing options such as rental bikes and e-scooters were available as alternatives.

Wider transport damage across Bavaria

In southern Bavaria, a section of the A93 motorway between Weiden-Süd and Luhe-Wildenau developed a blow-up, with the concrete road surface buckling upward. Around 100 kilometres east, rail tracks between Cham and Bad Kötzting warped so severely that the Oberpfalzbahn could no longer run on that stretch. Würzburg, which had lost tram service in two districts on Sunday, saw trains running again normally on Monday morning.

Clean-up and mounting costs

VAG estimates that the heat damage will cost several hundred thousand euros. Two rail vehicles per day can be cleaned, leaving much of the fleet still out of action. Dahlmann-Resing underlined the exceptional nature of the failure.

“The decision to temporarily suspend tram operations was not taken lightly, but the safety of our passengers and staff is our top priority at all times.”

A call for climate adaptation

Dahlmann-Resing framed the breakdown as both extraordinary and indicative of climate change. He said transport operators need support from federal and state authorities to adapt infrastructure for future heat extremes, and he indicated that VAG would seek technical advice from countries such as Spain and southern France, where high temperatures are more routine.

“Transport companies need help from the federal and state governments so that we can make this transition.”