Munich Public Transport Strike Disrupts U-Bahn and Spurs Further Action

On February 2, 2026, Munich experienced a significant public transport warning strike led by the union Verdi, severely impacting the city's U-Bahn services and causing major traffic congestion during the morning rush hour. According to reports, the U-Bahn was completely suspended, while buses operated on a reduced schedule, with intervals ranging from 20 to 60 minutes since private bus companies did not participate in the strike. The Münchner Verkehrsgesellschaft (MVG) maintained a limited emergency service, offering a 10-minute frequency on some metro bus lines such as the heavily used 62er bus. Despite the disruption, the expected chaos was moderated as many commuters opted to work from home or use bicycles.

Traffic snarls were significant, with Munich registering the highest congestion level nationally at 146% above average for the time, along with widespread road and highway delays. The strike saw a strong participation rate among MVG employees, between 70% and 75%, underscoring the union's assertion of workers being at their breaking point due to excessive workloads. Verdi demands included a monthly salary increase of 668.75 euros, a reduction to a 36-hour workweek, and a mandatory rest period of at least 11 hours between shifts. Employers had only offered a 5% salary increase in initial talks, which Verdi rejected as insufficient.

Additional strikes are planned ahead of the next negotiation session on February 13. Similar strike actions took hold in other Bavarian cities, including demonstrations by around 300 transport workers in Nuremberg and partial service disruptions in Augsburg and Regensburg. Notably, public transport in Lower Saxony remained unaffected due to a strike ban during the current contract period.