# Rail service disruptions in Germany

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/rail-service-disruptions-in-germany
> Updated: 2026-10-04T11:36:20.000Z. Sources: 14. Developments: 2.

Incidents involving interference with German rail services have caused significant disruptions to ICE train operations.

In September, a 31-year-old woman smashed a window and pulled the emergency brake on a train near Hagenow Land, claiming she was traveling in the wrong direction. The incident caused hundreds of minutes of delays and several cancellations on the Hamburg-Berlin line.

In October, a separate incident occurred near Gelsenkirchen main station when children placed stones on the tracks. This forced an ICE train to perform an emergency brake and caused damage to a railway switch. Authorities identified four minors as suspects, noting they acted out of “curiosity.”

## Claims

- Children placed gravel stones on the tracks near Gelsenkirchen main station. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- An ICE train performed an emergency brake after running over the stones. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- The incident caused property damage to a railway switch. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- No passengers were injured during the incident. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- Police detained three girls aged 11, 12, and 14. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- A 13-year-old boy was also identified as a suspect. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- The children stated they acted out of curiosity. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- The children stated they placed the stones out of curiosity. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- Three girls aged 11, 12, and 14 were detained and later released to their guardians. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- Four trains, including two ICE and two Regional-Express services, were halted on the tracks. (corroborated by 5 sources)
- An investigation for dangerous interference with rail traffic and property damage has been launched. (corroborated by 3 sources)
- An investigation has been launched for dangerous interference with rail traffic and property damage. (corroborated by 3 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-10-04: Gelsenkirchen: Children place stones on tracks, causing ICE emergency brake

Children placed stones on railway tracks near Gelsenkirchen, forcing an ICE train to emergency brake and damaging a switch. No injuries were reported, but rail services faced significant delays.

12 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gelsenkirchen-railway-tracks-disrupted-by-children-placing-stones

### 2026-09-04: ICE train disrupted after woman smashes window and pulls emergency brake

A 31-year-old woman caused major delays on a Hamburg-Berlin ICE train after smashing a window and pulling the emergency brake near Hagenow Land, citing a need to change direction.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ice-train-disrupted-after-woman-smashes-window-and-pulls-emergency-brake

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Cite as: Rail service disruptions in Germany. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/rail-service-disruptions-in-germany