An ICE train traveling from Berlin to Munich came to a sudden halt early Tuesday morning after a 22-year-old passenger pulled the emergency brake to avoid a ticket inspection.
The incident occurred shortly before 4 a.m. on September 30, as the high-speed train was moving at 280 km/h.
Fare dodger triggers chaos
According to the Federal Police in Nuremberg, the man had boarded the ICE without a valid ticket and refused to provide his personal details when asked.
When informed that the Munich police would be waiting for him at the next stop, he reportedly exclaimed that the officers in Munich were “too strict.”
Instead of cooperating, he smashed the protective glass covering the emergency handle and activated the brake.
The train, carrying 320 passengers, made an abrupt emergency stop near the Euerwang Tunnel by Greding.
Passengers safe, suspect detained
Despite the violent braking maneuver, none of the passengers were injured. The train was later redirected to Ingolstadt Central Station for an unscheduled stop.
There, the suspect was handed over to police—thanks to the intervention of a 50-year-old Bundeswehr soldier traveling on board, who restrained the man until authorities arrived.
Serious charges ahead
The 22-year-old now faces multiple charges, including dangerous interference with rail traffic, misuse of emergency signals, property damage, and fare evasion.
German Federal Police emphasized the gravity of such acts, as pulling the emergency brake at high speeds can put hundreds of lives at risk.
