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Lack of staff is paralyzing the Harz narrow-gauge railways – timetable changes are imminent!
The Harz narrow-gauge railways are struggling with a lack of staff, which leads to timetable changes and cancellations. Current developments and challenges.
Lack of staff is paralyzing the Harz narrow-gauge railways – timetable changes are imminent!
The Harz narrow-gauge railways (HSB) are not only a unique tourist attraction in the Harz, but also a symbol of the tradition of steam shipping in Germany. But HSB is currently faced with significant challenges. The lack of staff has meant that timetables have to be adjusted at short notice, which applies between August 13th and 22nd. In particular, some late afternoon steam train services will not run during this period, although the Brocken Railway will continue to serve the Brocken six times a day. Nevertheless, some trains are canceled, which not only causes problems for tourists but also for commuters.
As already news38 revealed in a recent report that the main reason for HSB's difficulties is the general staff shortage in all areas. The signal boxes in Wernigerode and Nordhausen in particular are struggling with absences due to illness, which significantly affect train operations. This problem not only affects HSB, but also Deutsche Bahn, which also has difficulties finding sufficient dispatchers. The shortage of skilled workers such as train drivers and train conductors is a widespread problem.
Training and shortage of skilled workers
The HSB is trying to counteract the staff shortage through its own training initiatives, but the training is lengthy and demanding. So far there are only a small number of trainees and, despite all efforts, the job market for qualified specialists is severely limited. As the Railway blog post reports, HSB is not the only transport company struggling with these problems. Around 110,000 new employees will be needed by 2030 as the baby boomer generation retires.
The situation in public transport is further exacerbated by technical problems, particularly with the old steam locomotives. Many of these historic machines are over 70 years old. Failures due to technical faults are not uncommon, and in combination with the staff shortage, this often leads to a critical situation. However, HSB has set itself the goal of maintaining scheduled operations and ensuring mobility in the region.
The mobility industry is changing
The mobility industry itself is undergoing change, which is also important in the context of climate protection. The VDV reports on a targeted increase in public transport by 2030. A third more buses and trains and a quarter more rail freight transport should help achieve the climate goals. However, this impressive plan does not come without challenges. The existing shortage of 20,000 bus drivers and 3,000 train drivers shows how urgent the situation is in the industry.
In order to ensure mobility in the future, a rethinking of personnel recruitment must take place. Initiatives and surveys such as the “Great Germany Survey of Bus & Train Drivers 2025” make it clear that more than 70 percent of public transport companies plan to hire new employees.
This makes it all the more important to overcome the challenges and arouse interest in transport professions. This is the only way public transport can keep more people mobile in the future and make a valuable contribution to climate protection.