Cable theft forces suspension of rail services around Gelsenkirchen
Vandalism involving cable theft has halted train operations at Gelsenkirchen main station and blocked rail traffic throughout the surrounding Ruhr area.
Early morning reports indicated that individuals suspected of cable theft damaged railway cables at several points in the Gelsenkirchen-Ückendorf district, leading to the loss of signalling and control systems. Police received the call shortly after 4:55 a.m. and began an investigation. The disruption forced the closure of the main station in Gelsenkirchen and rendered the rail network in the wider Ruhr region inoperable.
Deutsche Bahn announced that many trains, both regional and long-distance, are either cancelled or being rerouted, affecting routes such as Dortmund-Munich, Hamburg-Basel and North Germany-Cologne. Some RE services are now running via Essen without intermediate stops, while others terminate at Wanne-Eickel, and replacement bus services have been arranged where needed.
Why it matters
The incident disrupts travel for thousands of commuters and highlights vulnerabilities in rail infrastructure.
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