Wave of illness paralyzes trains between Würzburg and Kitzingen!

Wave of illness paralyzes trains between Würzburg and Kitzingen!

Last week, commuting between Würzburg and Kitzingen was anything but a pleasure for many travelers. Deutsche Bahn has canceled numerous train connections due to an acute shortage of staff. Trains on the RE 10 line are particularly affected, as they do not run particularly in the afternoon and early evening. Commuters must expect significant restrictions up to and including Friday, October 17th. As the Mainpost reported that it was already difficult to find enough train drivers for the trains provided last Friday. Reports of illness are increasing and are presenting the railway with major challenges.

But Deutsche Bahn is not only struggling with difficulties in the region between Würzburg and Kitzingen. Across the country, long-distance trains are extremely unpunctual because there is a lack of staff to control the signal boxes. An anonymous dispatcher reveals that many signal boxes often fail, which leads to entire routes being closed and diversions becoming necessary. The daily news emphasizes that the situation is particularly critical in Thuringia and Baden-Württemberg.

The background to the staff shortage

How does this serious staff shortage come about? The reasons are varied. An important aspect is the long hours that the existing staff have to work. Many employees work over 55 hours a week and hardly have any time for themselves. Pressure from superiors to compensate for absences due to illness is commonplace, which further exacerbates the already tense situation. Loud Official mirror The lack of skilled workers in the signal box sector is also alarming. In 2022, there were almost 7,000 train cancellations solely due to a lack of staff.

The railway has recognized that something needs to be done to counteract the situation. A training initiative was launched to increase the number of trained specialists. So far, 250 positions have already been filled. Deutsche Bahn is also planning to invest in modern, electronic signal boxes in order to increase efficiency and ease the necessary personnel situation. Nevertheless, it is expected that the dispatcher positions will not be fully filled until the end of 2025.

The view

The situation remains tense. Although there are approaches to addressing the staff shortage and the staffing situation, this requires time to reduce the bottlenecks. While there is hope that positions will be filled soon in northern Germany, people in the south are still waiting in vain for skilled workers. Deutsche Bahn considers the need to create additional training positions and to positively promote the image of the profession to be essential.

It remains to be seen whether the planned measures will take effect and the situation for commuters will improve in the future. But one thing is certain: Deutsche Bahn faces the challenge of showing a good hand in keeping train traffic stable.