Major disruption to rail traffic between Basel and Karlsruhe following track problem near Rastatt
Train services between Basel and Karlsruhe (Germany) have been thrown into chaos since Saturday after the tracks between Baden-Baden and Rastatt became unstable. The busy rail connection to the upper Rhine valley could remain disrupted for up to two weeks, a spokesperson for the Deutsche Bahn warned on Sunday.
The spokesperson said the tracks in Rastatt may have been affected by underground construction works on a tunnel, causing them to slope. An investigation has been launched.
According to the operating situation, long distance trains are being redirected at either in Baden-Baden or Rastatt, the DB spokesperson said. The Deutche Bahn company is recommending the public to avoid the lines affected and use other routes if possible.
Replacement buses put on
An emergency bus service has been put in place between Rastatt and Baden-Baden. However, according to the SBB, the capacity of these shuttle buses is limited.
Rail connections to Switzerland are also affected. Many train connections between Switzerland and German cities, as well as to Amsterdam, were disrupted, including also from Interlaken, Basel und Zürich.
The ÖBB Nightjet, which connects Zürich and Basel with Berlin and Hamburg, was diverted over the Arlberg. Alternative train routes up to the Rheintal area were otherwise not in service. The line between Schaffhausen, Horb and Stuttgart is currently suspended due to construction work, and the line between St. Margrethen SG, Bregenz, Lindau and München was closed for the same reason.
According to a tweet by the SBB, delays of up to one and a half hourse are expected. The main connections between between North and South of Switzerland remain interrupted, according to the SBB.
Anyone who does not want to make a train journey due to these conditions will have the cost of their ticket reimbursed.
The Mittlere Brücke finally opens again
The Mittlere Brücke has today (Monday) been officially re-opened to public transport. The first tram from Rheingasse crossed the bridge at 4.18am this morning – the city centre has finally got its normal service back.
The Mittlere Brücke has been closed to all public transport for nearly two months due to renovation works. Buses and trams had to be diverted during this time. The renewal of the tracks was labour-intensive and also affected Greifengasse. Yesterday (Sunday) the final works on the tracks were finished.
However, the construction works have not yet been fully completed. During the coming weeks and months, the pavements in Greifengasse will be renewed and slabs made of quartz sandstone will be laid – just like in the city centre. This will be carried out in two phases lasting until next summer. As well as this, the pavements on the bridge are to be widened.
Cyclists can however rejoice, because the Mittlere Brücke will remain open to them. The Civil Engineering office wrote that from October at the latest, both pavements will be in normal use again.
The BVB had stated earlier that 20 per cent of all tracks in Basel have to be urgently renewed. However, according to the firm, the biggest disruption was the track renewal works over the last eight weeks. Further construction works will only partially affect traffic.
The next disturbances in Steinenberg start in September
The next construction works will take place at Steinenberg, and from next month all tram lines will be banned from the city centre during this operation. How they will be diverted? The BVB treats this as a state secret – although the work will start in about four weeks.
Call for witnesses after sexual assault in Claragraben
The criminal police are looking for witnesses after a young woman was sexually assaulted in Claragraben on Saturday night.
According to early investigations by the criminal police of the prosecution and the youth prosecution, the young woman was sitting on a bench in front of the Fame nightclub. The police say that she talked to a young man before following him towards Claragraben.
A second, older man apparently joined them. The police say she was then subjected to a sexual assault in the garage doorway. The perpetrators were disturbed by passers-by and ran off in an unknown direction. The woman was found half-naked in a garage doorway by passers-by who called the police. A search for the men remained unsuccessful.
The young woman had to be brought to the emergency unit of the hospital for treatment.