Dear Customers,

Following up on our Monday newsletter, we regret to confirm that expectations of increasing delays are materialising.
 
The critical situation persists. The Magdeburg and Hanover area remains very difficult to pass due to infrastructure failures. Ongoing closures are in place in the Elbe Valley, and due to issues with construction equipment, it was not possible to pass through Pirna within the available time window. German infrastructure is overall heavily congested, and DB InfraGO is strictly controlling train movements. We are fully dependent on instructions from individual infrastructure managers. The circulation of train sets and locomotives is significantly disrupted. Delays are affecting all international and domestic services passing through Germany.

The closure on the German side of the Elbe Valley throughout this week is severely complicating connections between the Czech Republic and Germany. Traffic management by DB InfraGO as well as by port infrastructure operators is preventing the planning of smoother transit through already very limited time windows for the capacities requested by carriers.
The alternative route via Cheb cannot be used due to overlapping closures. As a result, some trains are being rerouted via Poland under very complex conditions and with significant delays.
These conditions are affecting services to/from CZ, SK, HU, AT, PL and the Balkans.
 
Hamburg: HPA controls train entry. Some terminals are operating with delays. During this morning, the Kattwyk Bridge was impassable for approximately one hour and had to be bypassed.
 
Bremerhaven: Bremenports controls train entry. Delays of up to 4 days.
 

Wilhelmshaven: Delays of up to 3 days due to complicated transit through Germany
 

• Poland: Delays of up to 4 days due to detours caused by closures between Frankfurt Oderbrücke and Berlin, as well as complicated transit through Germany.

Rotterdam / Duisburg: Delays of up to 2 days due to complicated transit through Germany.

Gdańsk: Trains are currently running with a delay of approximately 0.5 days. The backlog persists mainly due to the closure between Česká Třebová and Havířov. Import capacities are fully booked up to and including 28 April 2026.

For inquiries regarding specific shipments, please contact our customer service.

METRANS Team