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Update: 12 injured after train and truck collide near Hamburg

Several people were injured on Wednesday morning after a regional train collided with a truck near Rendsburg in the north German state of Schleswig-Holstein.

Published: 8 May 2019 08:15 CEST
Update: 12 injured after train and truck collide near Hamburg
The lorry after the collision with a train on Wednesday. Photo: DPA

The crash happend at around 4:30am at a level crossing in Alt Duvenstedt, between Hamburg and Flensburg. The regional train, which was carrying 22 passengers, was derailed in the crash.

Eight people were injured, two of them seriously, police said. At first it was believed nearly all passengers had been hurt in the crash. 

One of the injured was flown by helicopter to hospital in the port city of Kiel.

The accident happened when the cab of the articulated lorry, towing 70 tonnes of heavy equipment, became stranded at the level crossing. The driver jumped clear before the crash, police told news agency DPA.

Police said it was unclear why the truck became stuck at the crossing.

The impact badly damaged the front of the train, which was lifted off the tracks.

Rail travel between Flensburg and Hamburg is expected to be severely disrupted for most of Wednesday, police said, because of damage to overhead lines and the tracks.

“A special train from (national rail operator) Deutsche Bahn is coming to get the train that crashed back on the rails,” a police spokesman told daily Bild.

“But the track where the accident happened will remain closed for hours because the rail bed has been affected.”

The clean-up was continuing later on Wednesday morning as the pictures show.

Rescue workers inspect the scene on Wednesday. Photo: DPA

100 rescue workers at scene

A large contingent of rescue workers was initially deployed after the alarm was raised. Around 100 emergency service were on site to assist, authorities said.

Ambulances and a rescue helicopter transported those who'd been injured to clinics in the area.

People travelling in the region today have been warned they could expect disruption and delays.

Regional trains from Hamburg can only travel as far as Rendsburg, according to a railway spokeswoman. In the opposite direction, trains will end in Owschlag. The east-west connection between Husum and Kiel is also affected.

Investigations into the cause of the crash continue.

Last October, several people were injured in a similar accident between a regional train and an articulated lorry in Sipplingen, near Lake Constance, southern Germany.

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TRAVEL

Explore Austria: Mauer, a charming wine-hiking spot on Vienna’s outskirts

Catch the very tail-end of the wine season and autumn foliage in one of the lesser-explored corners of the Austrian capital: Mauer.

Published: 12 November 2021 17:03 CET
Updated: 24 September 2023 08:20 CEST
Explore Austria: Mauer, a charming wine-hiking spot on Vienna’s outskirts
Beautiful views and cosy taverns await you on the edge of Vienna. Photo: Catherine Edwards

Wine-hiking is an autumn must-do in Austria. There’s the official Wine Hiking Day (Weinwandertag) that usually draws in big crowds, but it’s also possible to follow the routes through beautiful scenery and wine taverns on your own.

Mauer in the southwest of Vienna is one of the routes that is mostly frequented by locals.


The footpath takes you through scenic vineyards. Photo: Catherine Edwards

You can reach this part of the 23rd district using Vienna’s public transport, and you have a few options. From the Hietzing station on the U4 line, you can take the tramline 60 or bus 56A. The former will take you either to Mauer’s central square or you can get off earlier at Franz-Asenbauer-Gasse to start the hike. If it’s too early in the day for wine just yet, you could start your day at the small and charming Designo cafe (Geßlgasse 6).

Otherwise, the residential area itself doesn’t have much to see, but keep an eye out as you wander between the taverns later — there are some beautiful buildings.

To start the hike, head west along Franz-Asenbauer Gasse, which will take you up into the vineyards, growing some red wine and Vienna’s specialty Gemischter Satz or ‘field blend’, which as the name suggests is a mixture of different types of grapes.

Photo: Catherine Edwards

The paved road takes a left turn, but the hiking route follows a smaller path further upwards. Here you’ll have magnificent views over the whole of Vienna.

If you stick to the official hiking route (see a map from Weinwandern here) you can keep the whole route under 5 kilometres. But more adventurous types don’t need to feel limited.

You can also follow the Stadtwanderweg 6 route (see a map here) either in full, which will add on a hefty 13 kilometres, or just in part, and venture further into the Mauerwald. If you do this, one spot to aim for is the Schießstätte, a former hunting lodge offering hearty Austrian meals.

EXPLORE AUSTRIA

In any case, you should definitely take a small detour to see the Wotrubakirche, an example of brutalist architecture from the mid-1970s built on a site that was used as a barracks during the Second World War.

Not far from the church is the Pappelteich, a small pond that is not only an important habitat for local flora and fauna, but a popular picnic spot for hikers. Its only water supply is from the rain, and due to climate change the pond has almost dried out in recent years, prompting the city to take action to boost its water supply by adding a permanent pipe.


The church is made up of over 150 concrete blocks. Photo: Catherine Edwards

What you really come to Mauer for, though, are the Heuriger or Viennese wine taverns. 

The most well-known is Edlmoser (Maurer Lange Gasse 123) which has previously been named as the best in Vienna. Note that it’s not open all year so check the website, but in 2021 it should be open between November 5th and 21st, and is also serving the goose that is a popular feature on Viennese menus this time of year.

Tip for translating Heuriger opening times: look for the word ausg’steckt, which is used by those taverns which aren’t open year round. They will also often show that they’re open by attaching a bunch of green twigs to the sign or front door.


Buschenschank Grausenburger. Photo: Catherine Edwards

Also worth visiting are cosy Buschenschank Grausenburger (Maurer Lange Gasse 101a), Heuriger Wiltschko (Wittgensteinstrasse 143 — located near the start of the hiking route, this is a good place to begin your tour) and Heuriger Fuchs-Steinklammer (Jesuitensteig 28).

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