Many German train connections cancelled even after strikes averted

Germany's railway operator Deutsche Bahn has cancelled hundreds of regional and long-distance trains due to a planned strike action by transport workers that has since been called off, reported dpa.

On Monday, about one-third of scheduled long-distance services would not be running, the state operator said on Sunday, warning that there would also be individual train cancellations on Sunday evening.

From Tuesday, all intercity trains would be running again as scheduled, according to Deutsche Bahn.

In regional traffic, some restrictions and train cancellations were to be expected on Monday, the company said. In freight transport, there would still be restrictions on Monday and Tuesday, Deutsche Bahn said.

Because the planned industrial action was cancelled only at Deutsche Bahn, some connections of private railway companies will also be cancelled on Monday and Tuesday.

In Bavaria, the Bayerische Oberlandbahn (BOB), Bayerische Regiobahn (BRB) and the Meridian will be affected, the railway and transport union EVG said. The EVG is currently negotiating new collective agreements with dozens of railway companies.

After a 50-hour strike originally scheduled to begin on Sunday evening was called off at short notice, rail operations had to be reorganized within 24 hours, Deutsche Bahn said.

"To this end, since yesterday, around 50,000 train journeys have been rescheduled throughout Germany in long-distance and local transport alone, as well as the associated shift and deployment plans. Vehicles have to be rescheduled and in some cases moved to new departure points," the company said.

The planned national strike was suddenly called off on Saturday after the railway and transport union agreed to a settlement in court.

The deal was struck between Deutsche Bahn and the EVG at a labour court in Frankfurt.