Riedlingen derailment

Last updated
Riedlingen derailment
612RAB.jpg
Derailed train in 2023
Details
Date27 July 2025;36 days ago (2025-07-27)
18:10 CEST
Location Riedlingen, Biberach, Baden-Württemberg
Coordinates 48°12′10″N9°30′28″E / 48.2028°N 9.5079°E / 48.2028; 9.5079
CountryGermany
Line Regional-Express 55
Operator DB Regio BW
ServiceRE3227
Incident type Derailment
Causeunder investigation
Statistics
Trains1
Passengersapprox. 50
Deaths3
Injuredapprox. 36

On 27 July 2025, at 18:10 CEST, two train cars of the Regional-Express 55 derailed nearby Zell, a small village belonging to Riedlingen, Biberach, Germany. [1] Approximately 50 passengers were on board. [2] At least three people, the train driver, a railway trainee and a passengers, [3] were killed and approximately 36 were injured, according to Reutlingen's emergency dispatch center. [2] Investigators were dispatched to the site of the derailment. Thomas Strobl, the minister of the interior for Baden-Württemberg, stated that heavy rainfall could have caused the derailment. [1] A collection point was established in Bürgerzentrum Daugendorf. [4] Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Baden-Württemberg minister-president Winfried Kretschmann expressed their condolences. [1]

Contents

Background

Weather

The Southern Weather Station (German : Wetterwarte Süd) in Bad Schussenried issued a violet warning, the most highest severe weather warning, at 4 p.m., 4 hours before the accident, due to heavy rainfall. [5] A spokesperson for the Deutscher Wetterdienst (German Meteorological Service) said that the area had experienced "extremely heavy rain": the precipitation rate was 50 litres per square meter within an hour. [6]

Usually, such severe weather events are reported to the operations control center of Deutsche Bahn, but a spokesperson for Deutsche Bahn said that it was "impossible in practice" to monitor all 33,000 kilometres (21,000 mi) of the German railway network. [7]

Geology and vegetation management

The area of the accident was identified in the geoportal of the Federal Railway Authority as being vulnerable to landslides. [8] The accident site was also marked as hazardous in the hazard map of the German Centre for Rail Traffic Research. [9]

In the center of the picture is the village Zell, the later accident site is in the tree-lined cutting to the right of the village (Aerial view, 1984). Zell, Luftbild - LABW - Staatsarchiv Sigmaringen N 1-96 T 1 Nr. 165.jpg
In the center of the picture is the village Zell, the later accident site is in the tree-lined cutting to the right of the village (Aerial view, 1984).

Four years prior to the incident, a simulation of heavy rain produced by a Stuttgart engineering firm showed the accident site being submerged within minutes and the embankment later flooding. [6]

The Biberach district was responsible for the sewage shaft at the site of the incident, the overflow of which played a major role in the accident. According to information released by the district administration after the accident, the drainage systems of Kreisstraße 7545, which is shaft is a part of, were last inspected on 21 July 2025. No blockages were found. [10]

Event in the vicinity

One hour before the accident, the Riedlingen fire department had to attend to a level crossing on Landesstraße 271 in Zwiefaltendorf, about two kilometres (1.2 mi) from the accident site, because of drainage problems caused by a rainwater shaft clogged with pebbles. Due to the blockage, large amounts of water accumulated in the depression in front of the tracks at the level crossing. [7]

Accident

At about 6:10 p.m. on 27 July 2025, three of the four passenger coaches of a Regional-Express train derailed between Riedlingen station and Rechtenstein station. The train was traveling the RE 55 line between Sigmaringen station and Ulm Hauptbahnhof. According to initial media reports, the train was travelling about 80 km/h in a right-hand curve at the time of the accident. [11] The train ran into washed-up earth masses and derailed, causing the first coach to be pushed up an embankment and collide with a tree, which tore off its front. [12] There were about 50 passengers on the train at the time of the accident, of which 36 were injured and three killed. [2] Those killed in the accident were the 32-year-old train driver, a 36-year-old trainee, and a 70-year-old passenger. [13] [14]

The cause of the accident was found to be a landslide caused by the overflowing sewage shaft. [15] Climate change was cited by Deutsche Welle as a contributing factor, as it increases the frequency of heavy rain. [16]

Investigation

The public prosecutor's office in Ravensburg initiated an inquiry into the deaths of the three killed, which is standard practice for unnatural deaths. A spokesperson for the prosecutor's office said that the investigation is not being conducted because of a specific crime, but to see whether there are any indications that one might have taken place. [7]

The Federal Authority for Railway Accident Investigation started investigations to determine the cause of the accident. [17]

Reactions

In addition to Deutsche Bahn chairman Richard Lutz  [ de ], several politicians the site of the accident, including Winfried Kretschmann, Thomas Strobl, Patrick Schnieder, and Winfried Hermann. They expressed their condolences and pledged to support the investigation. Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Eisenbahn- und Verkehrsgewerkschaft-chairman Martin Burkert, and the French Railway Workers' Federation also expressed condolences. [18] [19] [20]

A ecumenical memorial service was held at the Zwiefalten Abbey church, co-led by the Catholic bishop Klaus Krämer  [ de ] and Evangelical bishop Ernst-Wilhelm Gohl  [ de ]. Politicians Kretschmann, Schnieder, and Hermann were in attendance. [21]

In mid-August 2025, Federal Minister for Transport Patrick Schnieder announced the early dismissal of Lutz due to the "dramatic situation" of Deutsche Bahn. Lutz will continue in his role until a successor is found. [22] [23] According to Politico , Schneider said that the decision, agreed upon with Lutz, was part of a "structural and personnel realignment" at Deutsche Bahn. [24]

Analysis

Remnants of the landslide that fell onto the tracks, pictured 17 days after the incident. LandslideRailwayEmbankmentZellLandkreisBiberach20250813.jpg
Remnants of the landslide that fell onto the tracks, pictured 17 days after the incident.

Railway engineer Markus Hecht  [ de ], head of the Department of Rail Vehicles at the Institute of Land and Sea Transport of the Humboldt University of Berlin, criticised Deutsche Bahn. He said that the accident would have been mitigated, or perhaps avoided entirely, if the train was equipped with modern cowcatcher. During modernisation, the DBAG Class 612 was not fitted with modern cowcatchers, and Hecht argued that such a device could have removed the obstacle. He critised German regulations for not requiring upgrades for older trains, and the rail network usage conditions of DB InfraGO, saying that they do not pay enough attention to modern standards. Due to their lack of winter and snow-clearing technology, many German trains are banned from operating in the Netherlands and Austria. Hecht also recommended that Deutsche Bahn reinforce the embankments along its lines and specifically prepare for extreme weather events such as heavy rain and snowfall. He placed the primary responsibility for the rail accident on Deutsche Bahn. [25]

Geoscientist Michael Krautblatter, Professor of Slope Movements at the Technical University of Munich, warned of more frequent and more severe landslides in Germany due to heavy rainfall. The accident site is located at a geologically unstable stratum, specifically the old glacial deposits from the Riss glaciation on Upper Freshwater Molasse. Stablising the slope was possible, but doing so would potentially endanger a large amount of areas. [7] [26] The displaced tracks could have been caused by shifts in the track bed caused by the heavy rainfall. According to Krautblatter, there are significant railway lines, especially in the Alpine Foreland, that run through unstable terrain and warned of future similar accidents caused by severe weather events. He called for improved early warning systems, including monitoring down to the millimetre range. [6]

Weather expert Roland Roth, leader of the Southern Weather Station in Bad Schussenried, said that Deutsche Bahn could not have suspended service due to the violet warning because such warnings are issued frequently and it is not possible to predict the locations that will receive the heaviest rainfall. He does not blame Deutsche Bahn and said that the accident was an act of God. [5]

Natural hazards researcher Ugur Öztürk of the University of Vienna said that after his analysis of older images of the slopes at the accident site, he could not find any perceptible clear signs of instability. The area is densely vegetated, so small developing deformations in the slopes are very difficult to detect and often go unnoticed. Another factor is that slopes beside railway lines are frequently artificially cut and can therefore have much steeper angles, which increases the flow velocity of rainwater through the slopes and significantly raises erosion risk. For that reason, the accident site may have been more unstable. While acknowledging that this is speculation, Öztürk suspected that the railway was destabilized by the landslide material and that the trains finally derailed when they continued to run on the displaced tracks. He says a forensic on-site analysis is needed and calls for a change in mindset due to climate change, which increases geotechnical hazards. Given the current condition of the rail infrastructure, he believes the rail accident would have been difficult to prevent and recommends clearly identifying high-risk rail lines and implementing technical monitoring. Öztürk also advocates for improvements in early-warning systems. [6]

Train driver and chairman of the Gewerkschaft Deutscher Lokomotivführer (Union of German Train Drivers) Nico Rebenack criticised cost cutting measures by the German government and called for more funding for rail infrastructure. He said that the age of the train was not a factor in the accident, since according to him, the staff on older trains are better trained. [27]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Benzing, Annika; Pilath, Monika (27 July 2025). "Tote und Verletzte bei Zugentgleisung in Oberschwaben" [Fatalities and injuries in train derailment in Upper Swabia]. Die Zeit (in German). Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 Wehrheim, Karin; Riedel, Johannes; Pinkenburg, Gerald (2025-08-01). "Nach Zugunglück bei Riedlingen: Bergung der entgleisten Waggons ist beendet". SWR Aktuell (in German). Südwestrundfunk. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  3. "Azubi und Lokführer sterben bei Zugunglück in Riedlingen – neue Gully-Theorie im Gespräch" [Trainee and train driver die in Riedlingen train accident – gully theory under discussion]. Frankfurter Rundfunk (in German). 2025-07-28. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  4. "Zug bei Riedlingen entgleist – mindestens drei Tote und mehrere Schwerverletzte" [Train derails near Riedlingen - at least three dead and several seriously injured]. Südwest Presse (in German). 27 July 2025. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  5. 1 2 Halle, Robin (2025-07-29). "Hätte die Bahn reagieren müssen? Wetterexperte gab kurz vor Katastrophe höchste Warnstufe heraus" [Should Deutsche Bahn have reacted? Weather expert issued the highest warning level shortly before the catastrophe]. Schwäbische (in German). Retrieved 2025-08-19.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Durain, Pascal (2025-08-05). "Ursachensuche nach Riedlinger Zugunglück: Lag es nicht am Erdrutsch allein?" [Search for the cause of the Riedlingen train accident: Was it not only the landslide?]. Südkurier (in German). Retrieved 2025-08-19.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Durain, Pascal (2025-07-29). "Bahn-Unglück bei Riedlingen: Ein Bild wirft Fragen auf" [Train accident near Riedlingen: A picture causes questions]. Südkurier (in German). Retrieved 2025-08-19.
  8. "Deutsche Bahn und Klimawandel" [Deutsche Bahn and climate change]. Das Erste (in German). 2025-07-30. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  9. "14 Tage nach dem Zugunglück bei Riedlingen: Was ist bekannt?" [14 days after the train accident near Riedlingen: What is known?]. SWR Aktuell (in German). Südwestrundfunk. 2025-08-10. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  10. Fuß, Katharina; Kukral, Tim (2025-07-31). "Tödliches Zugunglück in Riedlingen: Schacht eine Woche vor Bahnentgleisung kontrolliert" [Deadly train accident in Riedlingen: Shaft inspected a week prior to the derailment]. SWR Aktuell (in German). Südwestrundfunk. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  11. Wehrheim, Karin; Fiehler, Friederike; Schönberger, Charlotte; Ngako, Samantha (2025-07-30). "Regionalzug bei Riedlingen entgleist: Was wir wissen und was nicht" [Regional train derails near Riedlingen: What we know and what we do not]. SWR Aktuell (in German). Südwestrundfunk. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  12. "Zug-Waggons werden mit Spezialkran geborgen" [Train wagons are recovered with a special crane]. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). 2025-07-29. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  13. Dazio, Stefanie (2025-07-28). "Train derailment that killed 3 in Germany apparently was caused by landslide". AP News. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  14. Schaefer, Karolin; Arnold, Veronika; Mörwald, Carmen (2025-07-30). "Tote und Verletzte bei Zugunglück in Riedlingen – Todesermittlungsverfahren eingeleitet" [Dead and injured in train accident in Riedlingen – investigation into deaths initiated]. Frankfurter Rundschau (in German). Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  15. Atkinson, Emily; Bell, Bethany (2025-07-28). "Sewage spill caused deadly train derailment in Germany, police say". BBC News. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  16. Ehl, David (2025-07-29). "How can Germany's railways become more climate resilient?". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  17. "BEU - Fachmitteilungen - Untersuchungen zur Zugkollision zwischen Riedlingen und Rechtenstein aufgenommen" (in German). Federal Authority for Railway Accident Investigation. Archived from the original on 2025-07-29. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  18. Schaefer, Karolin; Arnold, Veronika; Mörwald, Carmen; Kommnick, Bjarne (2025-07-31). "Zugunglück in BaWü: Theorie zur Ursache kursiert – Neue Details zur Unfallstelle" [Train accident in Baden-Württemberg: Theory about the cause circulates - New details about the accident site]. Frankfurter Rundschau (in German). Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  19. Ferstl, Max; Muschel, Roland (2025-07-28). Beer, Joshua (ed.). "Tödlicher Zugunfall bei Riedlingen: Eine Wunde in der Landschaft" [Deadly train accident near Riedlingen: A wound on the landscape]. Süddeutsche Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  20. Fandrey, Jakob; Deggeller, Matthias (2025-07-28). "Politiker und Bahnchef besuchen Unglücksort" [Politicians and Deutsche Bahn chief visit accident site]. Tagesschau (in German). Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  21. Legisa, Sonja (2025-08-01). "Nach Zugunglück bei Riedlingen: Bei diesem Gottesdienst wurde um die Toten getrauert" [After train accident near Riedlingen: At this church service, the dead were mourned]. SWR Aktuell (in German). Südwestrundfunk. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
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  23. Budras, Corinna (2025-08-14). "Deutsche-Bahn-Chef Richard Lutz muss gehen: „Lage dramatisch"" [Deutsche Bahn Chief Richard Lutz must go: "Situation dramatic"]. Frankfurter Allgemeine (in German). Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  24. "German rail chief to step down as company struggles toward turnaround". Politico. 2025-08-14. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  25. Bockenheimer, Johannes C. (2025-07-28). "Bahnexperte kritisiert Deutsche Bahn: «Unglück hätte vermieden werden können»" [Train expert criticises Deutsche Bahn: "Accident could have been avoided"]. Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). ISSN   0376-6829 . Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  26. "Experte nach Zugunglück von Riedlingen: Starkregen könnte mehr Hangrutsche verursachen" [Expert after train accident in Riedlingen: Heavy rain can cause more landslides]. RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (in German). 2025-07-29. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  27. Bosch, Michael (2025-08-06). "„Das macht was mit einem" - Lokführer Nico Rebenack kennt Unglücksstelle gut" ["That does something to you" - train driver Nico Rebenack knows the accident site well]. Stuttgarter Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 2025-08-20.