Emergency workers streamline subway service in Munich, lessening travel delays
Deutsche Bahn, in collaboration with rescue services MKT and Aicher Ambulance, has launched a nationwide pilot project in Munich aimed at minimising the impact of train cancellations and delays on passengers. The project began in February 2025 and has shown promising results.
The initiative places paramedics at key stations such as Laim, Hackerbrücke, Donnersbergerbrücke, and Hirschgarten to assist in emergencies and accompany passengers out of the S-Bahn. The paramedics, known as "Rettungsdienstmannschaft," are easily recognisable in their bright and approachable uniforms.
The rescue service teams, consisting of two paramedics, are present at Hirschgarten and Donnersbergerbrücke stations from 7 to 9 am. They carry extensive emergency medical equipment, including an emergency backpack, EKG device, and oxygen supply. This equipment allows them to quickly treat emergencies and safely escort patients out of the trains.
Matthias Fischer, spokesperson for the MKT rescue service, reported a noticeable effect with the current project. The pilot project has resulted in a roughly two-thirds reduction in overall delays in the S-Bahn network, reducing downtime of affected S-Bahn trains from 15 to 20 minutes to just five minutes on average.
This reduction in delays is particularly significant as the Munich S-Bahn network experiences significant disruptions during morning rush hour due to medical emergencies. In 2024, there were almost daily medical interventions for passengers, with 80% occurring during peak morning hours at four mainline stations.
Without the intervention of the rescue service teams, hundreds of additional minutes of delay would have been created. The goal of the collaboration is to visibly reduce delays on the mainline while ensuring passenger care in emergency situations.
DB plans to continue the project in an adapted form until the end of the year. The pilot project was run in collaboration with rescue services, marking a proactive approach by Deutsche Bahn to improve the efficiency and safety of its services.
