Deutsche Bahn (DB) has introduced a special goodwill policy for passengers due to the extreme heat. Travelers who have booked a ticket for a long-distance journey up to June 30 can cancel it free of charge – both digital tickets on bahn.de and analog tickets at DB sales outlets. The railway recommends paying attention to official heat warnings and avoiding travel if possible.
The company warned on Thursday of possible “disruptions and delays in train traffic nationwide” due to “extreme stress from the high-pressure heat system.” DB’s infrastructure subsidiary DB Infrago has declared “pre-warning level 0” for the rail network. Temperatures expected to reach around 40 degrees Celsius would place a record burden on railway technology, according to DB. Local heavy rain and thunderstorms with gusts also pose a risk to signals, tracks, switches, and overhead lines, as well as embankment fires.
Politicians reacted cautiously to the announcement. Paula Piechotta, a Green Party member of the Bundestag’s budget committee and rapporteur for the transport budget, called the move a “nice PR signal” in an interview with FAZ. She criticized that such a heat-related action would not be necessary if there were a heat-resistant rail network, ICE trains with reliable air conditioning, and heat protection at stations. At major stations, DB is providing additional water – a total of several tens of thousands of liters – and deploying extra service staff.
Source: www.faz.net
