Early on 9 November 2025 police ordered the evacuation of Osnabrück Hauptbahnhof and the surrounding district after World-War-II ordnance was discovered during construction work in the Lokviertel neighbourhood. Deutsche Bahn suspended all services through the busy north-south corridor from 07:00 until late afternoon while bomb-squad specialists carried out controlled defusing operations.
Long-distance ICE and IC services between the Ruhr region and Hamburg were re-routed via Hanover, adding up to 60 minutes to journey times. Regional Express lines RE 9 and RE 62 terminated in Bohmte and Löhne respectively, with buses replacing trains—but because of the 1-kilometre safety cordon, the substitute stops were moved to Berliner Platz, a 15-minute walk for passengers with luggage.
![Bomb Disposal Shuts Osnabrück Main Station, Diverts Northern Rail Traffic]()
The incident highlights the still-frequent presence of unexploded bombs in German soil and their impact on modern mobility. Osnabrück’s station handles about 20,000 passengers on an average Sunday, including many Dutch weekend visitors and workers heading to Bremen’s port facilities. The closure came at the start of the winter timetable change-over, already a stressful period for rail planners.
From a corporate-mobility perspective, the disruption underscores the need for dynamic travel-policy tools that can immediately reroute staff via alternative rail hubs or short-haul flights. Travel managers in Bremen and Hamburg advised employees to monitor Deutsche Bahn’s Navigator app and to retain all receipts for compensation under EU Rail Passenger Rights Regulation 1371/2007.
Train services gradually resumed from 18:00 after authorities declared the site safe. Deutsche Bahn said affected travellers could make flexible use of their tickets until 16 November or request refunds.
Long-distance ICE and IC services between the Ruhr region and Hamburg were re-routed via Hanover, adding up to 60 minutes to journey times. Regional Express lines RE 9 and RE 62 terminated in Bohmte and Löhne respectively, with buses replacing trains—but because of the 1-kilometre safety cordon, the substitute stops were moved to Berliner Platz, a 15-minute walk for passengers with luggage.
The incident highlights the still-frequent presence of unexploded bombs in German soil and their impact on modern mobility. Osnabrück’s station handles about 20,000 passengers on an average Sunday, including many Dutch weekend visitors and workers heading to Bremen’s port facilities. The closure came at the start of the winter timetable change-over, already a stressful period for rail planners.
From a corporate-mobility perspective, the disruption underscores the need for dynamic travel-policy tools that can immediately reroute staff via alternative rail hubs or short-haul flights. Travel managers in Bremen and Hamburg advised employees to monitor Deutsche Bahn’s Navigator app and to retain all receipts for compensation under EU Rail Passenger Rights Regulation 1371/2007.
Train services gradually resumed from 18:00 after authorities declared the site safe. Deutsche Bahn said affected travellers could make flexible use of their tickets until 16 November or request refunds.
