German train stranded in Brandenburg as heatwave cripples Europe's rail networks

Story Timeline
16 days · 12 summary articles
More than 600 passengers spent the night in sweltering carriages after a Hamburg–Prague express train stalled without power or air-conditioning in Brandenburg on Saturday, as Germany’s rail network buckled under Europe’s latest record-smashing heatwave. Deutsche Bahn confirmed that 630 travellers were trapped in the stricken train near Pritzwalk when overhead lines failed and on-board systems shut down, forcing an overnight evacuation to emergency shelters. Temperatures in the region reached 40 °C, turning carriages into ovens and prompting the operator to warn that further disruptions were likely until Monday.
Across Germany, the heatwave triggered a cascade of failures. In Leipzig, the city’s entire tram network was suspended until at least Monday morning after asphalt and concrete joints melted into the tracks, warping switches and rendering services unsafe. The local transport authority said the damage was “irreparable in the short term,” leaving commuters to rely on buses. On the A7 autobahn near Hanover, sections of the carriageway burst open under the strain, closing lanes and snarling holiday traffic. Meanwhile, fallen trees brought down power lines on the Budapest–Vienna route, cutting services between the Hungarian capital and Austria’s Burgenland region; authorities warned repairs could take until Sunday evening.
In Spain, a 24-hour strike called by the Sindicato Ferroviario for Monday will cancel 320 Renfe trains—73 % of high-speed services, 65 % of medium-distance trains and half of commuter lines—amid a dispute over the future of Renfe Mercancías. The union accuses the government of pushing for a “premeditated abandonment” of freight operations and of breaching agreements reached in 2023 and 2025. Renfe has urged passengers to rebook or travel on the next available service without penalty, but the walkout coincides with the start of Spain’s summer holidays, raising the risk of travel chaos.
Elsewhere in Europe, Austria saw protests block the Fern Pass route to Italy, while in Greece Athens Metro Line 3 will close stations at 21:40 from today for engineering works. In Vienna, district heating repairs were completed ahead of schedule, restoring full service after earlier outages. Berlin’s BVG, however, reported no major failures despite temperatures above 38 °C, crediting pre-emptive cooling measures for keeping buses and U-Bahn trains running.
Meteorologists said the current heatwave—already the hottest night ever recorded in Germany—was being driven by a high-pressure ridge anchored over Central Europe. With no immediate relief in sight, transport authorities across the continent have advised travellers to check real-time updates and carry water, as the crisis shows no sign of abating.
Follow us for live European news
- 4
- 2
- 2
- 2
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
- 1
1 further source not geolocated








