Radiocommunication Failure Halts German Rail Network for Hours

Germany's extensive rail network ground to a halt for more than two hours early Wednesday due to a significant failure in Deutsche Bahn's digital radiocommunication system. The nationwide disruption caused considerable chaos and delays across the country.

The problems began around 10:30 PM local time when a fault occurred in the GSM-R digital radiocommunication system, a critical component for train operations. This led to an immediate order for all trains to stop wherever they were, stranding passengers and halting freight transport.

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The traffic will resume step by step.

Deutsche Bahn technicians worked urgently to identify and rectify the cause of the breakdown. Faced with the prolonged interruption, the railway company arranged hotel vouchers and taxis for stranded travelers. The company eventually reported that its IT specialists had resolved the issue around 12:50 AM, with traffic expected to resume gradually.

By 6:30 AM on Wednesday, Deutsche Bahn announced that rail traffic had "practically returned to normal," though acknowledged that some isolated incidents might still occur. The GSM-R system is essential for communication between train drivers and traffic controllers; its failure compromises safety, necessitating the halt in operations. The incident also drew criticism from private freight transport companies, which demanded a thorough investigation, noting the disruption's severe impact on overnight freight movement.

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There may still be some isolated incidents.