To handle an expected increase of Christmas passengers as coronavirus cases remain high, Deutsche Bahn (DB) announced on Wednesday it will run special trains over the holidays to allow more room onboard to maintain social distancing.
Taking advantage of the timely receipt of 15 new high-speed ICE trains, the German rail company plans up to 100 additional journeys, especially on main routes between large cities from December 18 to 27th.
That is twice as many special trains as would normally run during Christmas.
The extra trains increase DB's daily long-distance capacity by 13,000 seats, almost 10% above current levels, according to the company.
This year, "we have more capacity than ever before," said Berthold Huber, the head of DB's passenger transport board, in a statement.
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Christmas shine despite the coronavirus: Germany's cities are festively lit
Lübeck
The Holstentor Gate without a twinkling light? Unthinkable! The seasonal decorations in the old town of Lübeck with Christmas trees, fairy lights and garlands create a pre-Christmas atmosphere, even if the traditional Christmas market had to be cancelled.
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Christmas shine despite the coronavirus: Germany's cities are festively lit
Hamburg
In many major German cities, the boulevards are festively illuminated in the pre-Christmas period, like the trees on the Jungfernstieg quay in Hamburg. Instead of Christmas markets, individual stalls have been set up in the Hanseatic city.
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Christmas shine despite the coronavirus: Germany's cities are festively lit
Lüneburg
Christmas spirit despite coronavirus restrictions is also the theme in the Hanseatic city of Lüneburg in Lower Saxony. The markets have also been canceled here. Instead, the festive lighting in Lüneburg's alleys and in front of the town hall (pictured) is intended to put strollers in a festive mood.
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Christmas shine despite the coronavirus: Germany's cities are festively lit
Berlin
The German capital's many neighborhoods usually have their own Christmas market. The big markets like the one at Charlottenburg Palace or on the Gendarmenmarkt have been canceled long ago; smaller ones may still have some stalls. What definitely remains are the illuminated boulevards, including Unter den Linden, Tauentzienstrasse (photo) and Friedrichstrasse.
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Christmas shine despite the coronavirus: Germany's cities are festively lit
Leipzig
The pre-Christmas season 2020 is very different, as can be seen from the emptiness on the large squares in city centers. They can also become more radiant, like the Christmas-lit Augustusplatz in Leipzig. The cups for mulled wine usually sold at the Christmas market can be purchased online this year, the city says.
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Christmas shine despite the coronavirus: Germany's cities are festively lit
Erfurt
The Erfurt Christmas market, which in 2020 would have been the 170th one, has also been cancelled. Instead, the Christmas tree and the Christmas pyramid on the square in front of St. Mary's Cathedral and St. Severus Church will be all the more impressive.
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Christmas shine despite the coronavirus: Germany's cities are festively lit
Münster
Sometimes an illuminated Christmas tree is enough to mark the festive season. When the medieval center has been so charmingly reconstructed as around the Prinzipalmarkt in Münster, a Westphalian town, the city can only profit from it, maybe not from sales revenues, but in terms of atmosphere.
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Christmas shine despite the coronavirus: Germany's cities are festively lit
Bochum
Bochum is also sparkling. And the elk family on the central Dr.-Ruer-Platz square has grown and developed into a small pack. By the way, some retailers of the canceled Christmas market were able to move into empty stores to offer their goods.
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Christmas shine despite the coronavirus: Germany's cities are festively lit
Frankfurt
In front of the city hall, on the central Römerberg in Frankfurt, a lonely pine tree is a reminder that the Christmas market had to be canceled in the banking metropolis as well. This year's Christmas tree is a 21-meter (69-foot) spruce from the Gröbminger Land region of Austria. The impressive tree actually had to be cut down for a stream restoration.
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Christmas shine despite the coronavirus: Germany's cities are festively lit
Mainz
In Rhineland-Palatinate, too, fairy lights and Christmas trees are to create an atmosphere to make up for the Christmas markets that were canceled due to the coronavirus restrictions. In Mainz, fairy lights on the market square in front of the 1,000-year-old St. Martin's Cathedral make the unusual emptiness a little more bearable.
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Christmas shine despite the coronavirus: Germany's cities are festively lit
Nuremberg
Nuremberg's Christkindlesmarkt is probably Germany's most famous Christmas market. From the gallery of the Frauenkirche (photo), the "Christ Child" was supposed to open the market in 2020. In a video message, the actress who plays the traditional role said after the cancellation: "We will not let this spoil our enjoyment. There is so much that gives us joy, happiness and warmth."
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Christmas shine despite the coronavirus: Germany's cities are festively lit
Stuttgart
The Christmas lighting on the Schlossplatz square shows meter-high light sculptures like the Stuttgart horse from the city coat of arms. Instead of the cancelled Christmas market, 33 booths and stalls have been set up throughout the city center.
Author: Andreas Kirchhoff
Social distancing and mask checks
To ensure that passengers can be seated as far apart as possible, DB has also updated its reservation system.
Overall, only 60% of seats on each long-distance train will be able to be reserved, though passengers are not required to do so.
With the expected increase in trains and passengers, Deutsche Bahn also intends to increase checks to ensure that all passengers are wearing masks.
In total, some 4,000 security forces are being deployed along with 5,000 federal police officers for this purpose.
"It's our responsibility to make travel as safe as possible ahead of Christmas," the head of DB's infrastructure board, Ronald Pofalla, said in a statement.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, DB expects ridership to be significantly lower through the holidays. One consumer survey suggests passenger volume will fall some 60% over normal levels, reported news agency DPA.
