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Sylt in chaos: Commuters fight against train cancellations and delays!
Massive train delays are affecting rail traffic to Sylt. Commuters and travelers are demanding solutions to the problems.
Sylt in chaos: Commuters fight against train cancellations and delays!
It's a cloudy day on Sylt, and the travelers' mood couldn't be worse. The popular North Sea island is currently once again faced with massive problems in rail traffic. Reports on social networks paint a grim picture of constant train cancellations and delays, which mean that commuters and guests cannot get to the island or to work as desired. One affected train passenger described the situation as “unbelievable” and complained about almost daily cancellations. It is particularly frustrating for travelers, who often wait for hours in the rain in front of train stations without receiving clear information. When the trains finally run, they are often overcrowded and in poor condition, which only increases the discontent of commuters and locals. Many are demanding that the railway be held accountable for these grievances, as [Moin] reports.
The ongoing breakdowns on the Marschbahn have become a real nightmare for everyone who regularly commutes to Sylt. Mayor Sascha Lewi from Klanxbüll has urgently called for a second track to relieve traffic. The current single-track route between Niebüll and Sylt is causing numerous timetable problems. Deutsche Bahn has now confirmed the increase in delays and lists several causes that are exacerbating the situation. These include incidents such as a smoking car on the Sylt Shuttle on September 9th, a switch failure on September 17th and several short-term sick calls that led to further cancellations. The signal box damage in Husum was particularly critical, paralyzing traffic for several hours, as [NDR] reports.
The long road to a solution
The economy on Sylt suffers from the constant disruptions. Every failure results in chain reactions that also affect bus drivers on the island. Economics Minister Claus Ruhe Madsen has indicated that the state government will apply pressure to finally find a solution to the ailing infrastructure. The sixty-six million euros that the railway has already invested in tracks, bridges and signals is a start, but without a second track, operational stability continues to falter. The construction of this track was originally planned for 2030, but was postponed indefinitely until 2045. The Flensburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry emphasizes that without these investments the entire route will be affected and Sylt could lose its tourist significance as a popular travel destination.
The scope of this problem makes it clear how important continuous and reliable rail traffic is for Sylt. The island accounts for 7 out of 38 million overnight stays in Schleswig-Holstein. The current situation is therefore extremely tense for the commuters and holidaymakers affected. MPs from Schleswig-Holstein are working on measures to prevent further postponement of the expansion of the march track. The goal is clear: smooth traffic should return to the island so that Sylt can once again be seen as the glossy holiday paradise it once was.
The hope is now that improvements will be implemented quickly so that Sylt's dream beach can soon be reliably accessible again. Further information on the latest developments in train traffic on Sylt can be found on [Spiegel].