Overview

• Deutsche Bahn reports near-daily attacks that cut signal cables or ignite equipment, forcing line closures, delays and cancellations.
• A new analysis from the domestic intelligence service says left-wing extremists frequently strike critical infrastructure and accept collateral harm, with the rail operator among the most affected.
• Police registered 524 infrastructure crimes with suspected political motives in 2024, including hundreds directed at transport networks.
• Two incendiary devices on the Düsseldorf–Duisburg corridor this summer destroyed cabling, with a claim posted on a left-wing platform according to North Rhine-Westphalia’s interior minister.
• Security agencies also note increased Russian activity since 2024 using recruited “low-level agents,” with three alleged helpers on trial in Munich, while the cabinet’s Kritis-Dachgesetz would tighten operators’ protection and reporting obligations that experts say cannot ensure blanket monitoring.