Communications system malfunction halts entire German railway network for nearly three hours
A technical malfunction in Deutsche Bahn's communications system briefly halted the entire German rail network, with services resuming "step by step" after a nearly three-hour outage. Long-distance and regional traffic faced widespread cancellations.
The outage began at about 04:30 local time on 24 June, when the GSM-R communications layer used by Deutsche Bahn for signalling and train-driver radio went down, paralysing all rail traffic. The bulk of ICE intercity services between Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt and Cologne suffered delays or cancellations.
A Deutsche Bahn spokesperson said the malfunction originated in "an external infrastructure component" and that no evidence of a cyber attack had been identified. Federal transport minister Volker Wissing said the incident would be reviewed in depth, with findings expected in August.
The disruption has reignited debate about long-running underinvestment in Germany's rail network. The government has committed a €30 billion modernisation programme through 2027 to address ageing signalling, tracks and rolling stock.
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