If you’re planning a train trip to or from Berlin, you should expect significant disruptions to rail service . That’s because the wildfires in Brandenburg are having a major impact on the critical transportation infrastructure around Berlin.
(If you’re already in Berlin, it’s best to just stay here and enjoy lovely candlelit concerts, great beer gardens, and quirky exhibitions.)
Forest fires in Brandenburg: Here’s the situation on the tracks
Spontaneous track closures and detours
The schedules of Deutsche Bahn and private rail operators are currently changing constantly. Spontaneous full closures are occurring repeatedly on major transit routes through Brandenburg. As soon as a fire approaches the tracks or heavy smoke impedes visibility, the responsible fire departments order an immediate suspension of train service.
In such cases, trains often have to be rerouted over long distances, which significantly extends travel times. The major ICE connections from the south and west, which must traverse large sections of the Brandenburg coniferous forests, are frequently particularly affected.
But regional rail service is also severely affected by fires. Often, rail replacement bus services have to be set up on short notice—but these can also get stuck on closed country roads.
Heat as an additional risk factor
High temperatures combined with a fire risk can lead to preventive speed limits. This is done to minimize the potential for flying sparks from trains braking hard in dry forest areas. Additionally, on hot days, there are increased heat-related malfunctions in the sensitive signaling systems.
Here are a few tips to avoid frustration when traveling by ICE
Use digital real-time information. Check the rail companies’ apps and digital information systems (DB Navigator app and bahn.de or the VBB app for local transport) shortly before departure and again during your journey. You can also check the official warning apps : NINA or KATWARN.
Assert your passenger rights—and know the difference between compensation and reimbursement! Since an EU reform in the summer of 2023, new rules apply in the event of extreme natural events such as large-scale forest fires (“force majeure”). You must distinguish carefully between two terms here:
- Compensation is no longer available: If you travel despite the chaos and arrive with a significant delay, the legal entitlement to 25% or 50% compensation of the ticket price in cases of force majeure usually no longer applies.
- Refunds remain in effect: If your train is canceled or is expected to be delayed by more than 1 hour and you decide not to start your journey at all (or to cut it short), you are still entitled to a 100% refund of the ticket price. In this case, the railway will refund you the full price—even in the event of forest fires!
Also, as before: If your ICE is canceled or is expected to be more than 20 minutes late at your destination, the ticket’s validity is usually automatically waived. You can then simply take the next train.
Furthermore, the railway’s duty of care remains fully in effect! If you’re stranded overnight because no trains are getting through to Berlin, the railway must organize and pay for an alternative means of travel (such as by bus or taxi) or a hotel stay.
What does the future hold? More forest fires, expensive proposed solutions
Weather-related infrastructure problems are likely to continue increasing in the coming years. That is why billions are set to be invested in the resilience of the rail network in the near future—including through wider firebreaks along the tracks.
But a quick, comprehensive solution for the forest areas in Brandenburg isn’t expected anytime soon. So if you’re traveling by train around Berlin, use all the information you can get, plan for delays, and stand up for your rights! Then summer will still be nice, and you can travel stress-free.
