German rail drivers strike for second time in a week

German rail passengers have been hit by a train drivers’ strike for the second time in a week.

The stoppage over pay forced the cancellation of two-thirds of regional services as well as many commuter trains.

Major traffic disruption was reported as people were obliged to use buses, cars and planes.

The strike officially started at midday and was due to run until the early hours on Thursday.

But the disruption started early as many trains were cancelled before the strike had even begun.

“It’s absolutely sickening. Because only we the people are affected and not the right ones,” said a woman at a Frankfurt railway station.

“That such a small group can bring half of Germany to a halt, that’s impossible,” a man added.

The state-owned rail operator Deutsche Bahn called the stoppage “completely incomprehensible”.

It has offered a conditional pay rise of two percent but the drivers’ union GDL wants five percent, and a two-hour reduction in the working week from 39 to 37 hours.