German rail strike

Hi Faith,

Unfortunetly, rail strikes occur from time to time, but rarely in Germany. There have been a few posts from other travelers regarding the strike. You can do a search on the main forum page for "German rail strike". The German Rail website has the latest details: http://www.bahn.de/p_en/view/index.shtml

I hope it doesnt't adversely effect the rest of your trip too much. Glad to hear you were able to get a flight to Paris so your return trip won't be affected.

I gather the regional trains (including S-Bahn) are mostly shut down but some major lines of the Fernverkehr are running normally, others running shorter trains (?). This map (in German) shows how lines are effected (On the first table, under "Im Steik", lines in black should be running normally. Lines in red are running shorter trains on at least part of the line. The second table shows trains that are cancelled, at least for the part in Germany.

Between Munich and Salzburg, for example, ECs have been cancelled, but the Austrian Rail Jet is running, as are the regional trains of Meridian, a privatized line.

The strike will last until 4 AM Monday. The Bahn agreed to the pay increase demanded by the locomotive drivers of the GDL, but the GDL also want exclusive representation of all drivers; that's the sticking point.

The GDL is pressing for exclusive representation not just of drivers, but of all other rail-transport-employed personnel as well. It's a massive recruitment campaign at the expense of the traveling public during school breaks and of Fußball fans around the country (whose special-event trains are being cancelled.) This strike may seriously backfire. From what I've read, there's a lot of anti-union resentment. Tensions are expected to escalate this week, which means similar travel inconvenience. Don't be shocked when the strike that ends Monday is followed by another on Wednesday or Thursday. Bad news for me. I have a ticket for Friday. But DB seems to be responding (finally) with a skeletal plan B and by offering stranded passengers berths in idle sleeping cars, allowing alternate train choices for train-specific saver fare tickets, etc.

Many privately-operated regional trains around the country (like the VIA and MRB trains that cover the Rhine) are not affected by the strike at all.

It looks like the trains of ALX, BOB, and agilis in Bavaria are also not affected.

Just a few hours ago, GDL union boss Weselsky announced on ZDF TV a likely break in strike action of at least one week beginning Mon. Oct.20. Says he's very sorry passengers have been inconvenienced. (But wasn't that the point of the strike?)

We are in Hannover and need to get to Frankfurt today for our flight home on Monday. Only about 1/3 of the trains are running from here. They have refunded the cost of our non-refundable ticket and we are renting a car to get us there. We barely missed getting kicked off due to strike last Wednesday when we were on the train from Cologne - Hannover.

Does anyone have info about alternate train companies that run between Munich and Fussen ?
We had planned to visit the Hohenschwangau castles on 10/27.

No other train line running from Munich to Füssen. There are, however, bus tours from Munich, one being by Gray Line. It's a lot more expensive than doing it yourself by train, but, unless they settle the strike, it might be the only way.

One other option, I think ALX is running. They don't go to Füssen, but they do go to Kempten, from which there are buses to Füssen. That trip looks like over 4 hrs one way.

The Romantic Road bus makes one trip a day between Munich and Füssen, but it might not get you back.

Much appreciated, I'll just hope for strike resolution

anyone know the status of the strikes? Will arrive into Munich on Friday and wanted to do Dachau w/ Neuschwanstein on Saturday and then Sunday we are taking the train from Munich to Nuremburg to catch our river cruise? Now what? LOL

Looks like Lufthansa work actions are one day affairs.
http://www.dw.de/lufthansa-strike-an-international-affair/a-18007327

Long-haul pilots are walking out from 6 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. (0400-2159
UTC) Tuesday, according to the Cockpit, joining the short- and
medium-haul pilots already on strike. Services affected would include
all Lufthansa flights on Airbus A380, A340 and A330 planes, as well as
any national flights on Boeing 747s, according to the union. Short-
and medium-haul cancellations include flights on the Airbus A320
family, Boeing 737 and Embraer-made planes. Cockpit has called on
Lufthansa bosses to "abandon their hard-line attitude" and "make a
contribution to the resolution of the labor dispute." In their latest
battle to keep early retirement benefits, Lufthansa pilots announced
the 35-hour strike on Sunday, the eighth such work stoppage to hit
Europe's largest airline in just over six months. Prior to the
addition of the long-haul pilots, Lufthansa had canceled 1,450 short
and medium-haul flights, grounding more than 130,000 passengers.

@tisheppard

I don't think there are any definite plans for more strikes right now, although more maybe scheduled in the future. As far as I can tell on the Bahn site, trains are running normally. However, it would be wise to keep monitoring the situation; strikes are usually announced days in advance, and are usually only one day long. If the union announces a strike on Sunday, find accommodations in Nürnberg, near the dock, for Saturday night and go on Saturday. I would think getting to Nürnberg for your cruise trumps seeing Neuschwanstein.

If they go on strike on Saturday, but not Sunday, Neuschwanstein is out (unless you do a Gray Line tour), but you can get to Dachau. The U-Bahn will be running. You can take the U3 from Marienplatz to Moosach. I'm trying to check on it (the maps load so slowly), but it looks like there are bus connections from Moosach to Dachau Bahnhof, and from there there is a bus to the Memorial. I imagine the MVV service desk, which will probably be swamped, can help you.

I see Bus 710 from Moosach to Dachau runs every 40 minutes and takes 32 min. That is the schedule to Dachau. The schedule coming back is here.