Disruptions to train service on the primary NRW railway persist for the entire day
In a shocking turn of events, a deliberate fire in a cable conduit between Düsseldorf and Duisburg on July 31, 2025, has caused a major disruption on one of Germany's busiest rail routes. The incident, which is under investigation by German police and state security services, has been claimed by a group named "Angry Birds Commando," but the authenticity of the claim is still under verification [1][2][3].
This cable fire has crippled Deutsche Bahn's main north-south corridor, causing severe disruptions to passenger trains. Approximately 800 trains normally pass daily on this route, connecting major cities like Frankfurt, Berlin, and Amsterdam. As a result, travelers are experiencing widespread delays and cancellations, including long-distance services, and the disruption is expected to continue causing problems throughout at least the day of August 1, 2025 [1][2].
The fire has damaged infrastructure critical to signaling systems on the railway line. Authorities are conducting forensic examinations of the fire scene and are involving state security services to explore all possible motives [3].
Meanwhile, repair work on the cable fire continues throughout Friday, as announced by Bahn Nordrhein-Westfalen. Despite the ongoing efforts, no signals are being transmitted through the repaired cables [1][2][3].
Numerous regional express lines are also affected on these routes: RE 1, RE 2, RE 3, RE 5, RE 6, RE 11, RE 19, as well as RB 32 and S 1. ICE-/IC-/EC-trains between Dortmund - Bochum - Essen - Duisburg and Düsseldorf are also affected in long-distance traffic due to the cable fire [1][2].
Elsewhere, a motorcyclist in Schorndorf suffered serious injuries after crashing over a guardrail in a right-hand bend on Thursday evening [4].
In a separate development, a city in Baden-Württemberg has seen a reduction in the cost of the Germany ticket. The ticket now costs 45 euros instead of the usual 58 euros, but it remains unclear whether this is a widespread model [5].
Stay tuned for updates on these ongoing incidents.
[1] Deutsche Welle [2] BBC News [3] Deutsche Bahn [4] Stuttgarter Zeitung [5] SWR
- The fire in the cable conduit has not only disrupted the railway system but also affected the finance industry, as many travelers have missed business meetings and conferences due to the disruptions and cancellations.
- The impact of the cable fire extends beyond transportation and railways, reaching into the heart of the industry sector, as delays in cargo transportation on the busy north-south corridor may cause delays in the delivery of goods and services, potentially affecting various businesses and their financial performance.
