Public transport across Germany largely shut down on Monday as a nationwide strike by transport workers disrupted daily life in major cities amid freezing winter conditions.
Subway trains, buses, and trams were halted in most regions, leaving commuters scrambling for alternatives as icy pavements made walking and cycling hazardous.
The coordinated action followed weeks of mounting tensions between unions and municipal employers over staffing shortages, pay erosion, and working conditions.
The strike was called by the Verdi services sector union, which represents nearly 100,000 public transport workers.
It affected around 150 municipal transport companies in all but one of Germany’s 16 federal states, with Lower Saxony largely exempt.
Cities including Berlin, Hamburg, Bremen, Stuttgart, Karlsruhe, and Freiburg saw widespread service suspensions lasting the entire day.
Mainline and regional rail services continued to operate, but disruptions and construction works limited their reliability as alternatives.
Verdi said the walkout marked one of the largest coordinated actions in the local transport sector in years.
“If we don't go on strike for better conditions, the jobs will remain unattractive, as we have seen in the past few years,” Verdi spokesman Andreas Schackert told public broadcaster ZDF.
The industrial action followed stalled negotiations last week between Verdi and municipal and state employers.
The union is demanding shorter shifts, longer rest breaks, and higher compensation for night and weekend work, alongside pay increases of about 10 percent in some states.
Union negotiators accused operators of seeking to cut benefits and lengthen shifts, including proposals affecting sick pay and flexible hours in Berlin.
Public transport operators, including Berlin’s BVG, criticized the strike as disproportionate and urged a return to talks.
Commuters reported longer journeys and widespread frustration, particularly as temperatures fell below zero across much of the country.
Verdi leaders warned that further strikes could follow if employers fail to offer meaningful concessions.
The next round of negotiations is scheduled for February 9, as pressure mounts on both sides to reach an agreement.