Suspected Arson Attack on Railway Line near Hamburg Halts Train Traffic

The Bahn advised travelers to check for information before starting their journey and to allow for longer travel times. No forecast on the duration of the closure was possible. Specialists have been deployed since early morning, according to her words, to assess the damage and review further action.

Impact on Rail Traffic

For the affected S-Bahn service on line S5, a rail replacement service with buses and taxis was set up between Neugraben and Stade, according to Bahn information. Rail replacement service is also operating between Stade and Cuxhaven. The RE5 trains between Hamburg and Cuxhaven via Harburg, Buxtehude, and Stade were also not running, according to Bahn.

Between Pinneberg and Hammerbrook, the S5 was running at ten-minute intervals, according to reports. Between Hammerbrook and Wilhelmsburg, buses were in operation as replacement service due to planned construction work. The latter also affected line S3.

The consequences for rail traffic were significant. More than 200 train services were canceled and had to be replaced by buses, as a spokesperson for S-Bahn Hamburg said. According to reports, 19 freight trains were also stopped abruptly. A spokesperson said thousands of passengers had to accept detours and longer travel times.

Investigations and Evidence Collection

Police secured evidence at the fire sites. This evidence points to arson, a police spokesperson said. The authority assumes arson. The perpetrator(s), however, remain unclear. According to his words, police are urgently seeking witnesses.

The "Hamburger Morgenpost" had previously reported. A purported claim of responsibility appeared on the left-wing platform indymedia.org. Whether there is a connection to the incident was initially unclear.

Connection to Incident in North Rhine-Westphalia

The incident in Lower Saxony occurs just days after a similar case in North Rhine-Westphalia. In North Rhine-Westphalia, a suspected arson attack also brought an important railway line to a standstill over the weekend – numerous cables on the main line between Düsseldorf and Cologne were damaged by fires in cable shafts. the investigators assumed that the fire had been set deliberately. Security circles suspected an act of sabotage. Investigators assume sabotage. A claim of responsibility from a left-wing extremist group has surfaced.

The important connection is now open again. On early Saturday evening, the closed line was reopened for trains. It also remains unclear how long the closure will last. Deutsche Bahn was initially unable to provide any forecast on the duration of the line closure.

Police secured evidence. Investigators also did not initially comment on the question of whether the two incidents are connected to each other. The manhunt for the perpetrators is ongoing.