Man killed by train near Zbąszyń, halting rail traffic on the Poznań-Berlin line

What happened

A PKP Intercity train travelling from Warsaw to Frankfurt (Oder) struck a person shortly after 14:00 on 9 November, in a section between Zbąszyń and Zbąszynek where there are no crossings or level crossings. The collision was fatal. Emergency services received the report a few minutes after 14:00, according to a duty officer at the Wielkopolska fire service.

Marta Pabiańska of the PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe press team confirmed the incident and the suspension of services.

“Train traffic is suspended.”

Disruption and response

Rail traffic on the Poznań-Berlin line was stopped. Regionalne Koleje Wielkopolskie said it was organising replacement bus services. Passengers were asked to follow updates on the Portal Pasażera and to check travel plans directly with carriers. The fire service duty officer said around 230 people were on the train and would be taken from the scene by bus, and that rescue services were on site. Koleje Wielkopolskie described the cause as a fatal collision between a passer-by and a train run by another carrier, and said it would publish further updates as they became available.

Open questions

The victim is described as a man, but his age was not known when the reports were published. The reports did not say when train traffic would resume.