From Wednesday to Thursday (8/9 September 2026), bus services of the municipal transport operators in Kiel, Lübeck, Flensburg, and Neumünster, as well as in the district of Plön, will be canceled. Verdi is urging around 1,800 employees to join the warning strike – no emergency services are planned.
Quick overview
This report is primarily relevant for rail travelers, as it may have concrete effects on planning, connections, or infrastructure. The focus is on warning strike, public transport, Verdi, Schleswig-Holstein, Kiel, Lübeck, Flensburg, Neumünster, and local transport. The key points are summarized compactly below.
Key points
- The affected urban bus companies are KVG (Kiel), Stadtverkehr Lübeck, Aktivbus (Flensburg), and SWN (Neumünster), as well as bus services in the district of Plön.
- Strike period: Wednesday, 8 September, to Thursday, 9 September 2026 – no regular bus services expected in the four independent cities.
- Verdi is demanding a 6.5 percent wage increase with a twelve-month term, as well as an annual 650 euro preferential arrangement for union members.
- Compulsory school attendance remains in place in principle; parents must organize the school route independently.
- Local transport tariff negotiations in Schleswig-Holstein will continue on 22 September; the nationwide rail tariff round is scheduled for 5 October.
What this means for travelers
If you are traveling during the affected period, you should recheck connections shortly before departure, allow more transfer time, and have flexible alternatives ready. International journeys in particular can quickly develop longer knock-on problems due to missed connections.
Context
In the collective bargaining dispute over local public transport in Schleswig-Holstein and the nationwide rail tariff round, the Verdi union has called a two-day warning strike. Background: the second round of negotiations at the beginning of September ended without a result.
What to watch now
- Check the connection on the day of travel in the rail operator’s app.
- For important appointments, choose an earlier connection or alternative route.
- Keep receipts and delay information for possible reimbursement.