Tartan Army could be stranded at Euros as German rail unions plot drastic move

TARTAN ARMY fans face the nightmare scenario of being stranded during the Euro 2024 Finals after German rail unions threatened to go on strike.

An estimated 100,000 Scotland fans are expected to travel to Germany for the European Championships to watch their team play in a major tournament for the first time in 26 years without restrictions.

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The vast majority of Scotland fans are planning to move around the country by Germany‘s extensive and previously super-efficient railways.

There’s a distance of 282 miles between Scotland’s opening game in the tournament against hosts Germany in Munich to their second game in Cologne against Switzerland.

And from Cologne, there’s another 179 miles to the third game in Stuttgart against Hungary.

But German railway unions could be set to put a major spanner in the works by walking out during the Finals because of increasing attacks on railway workers recently in Germany.

The Eisenbahn und Verkehrsgewerkschaft – Germany’s railway and transport union known as the EVG – have confirmed they will stop the trains unless they get assurances about their members’ safety with an unprecedented number of fans set to visit the country after 20 million tickets were requested.

EVG board member Kristian Loroch said: “If the safety situation does not improve, we will ensure that the trains do not run.

“During our members’ working lives, 82 per cent have been the victim of a verbal or physical attack and 36 per cent of employees currently feel unsafe when doing their job.

“The feeling of security has decreased significantly in the last five years. The boundaries in society are shifting.

“Whole groups are behaving in an increasingly arrogant manner.

“So we are insisting train attendants should no longer be sent out alone and double patrols must become standard.

The states responsible for local transport must therefore order more staff to be deployed.

“If that doesn’t happen, there will be no overtime from our members and the trains can’t run.”

Tens of thousands of Scotland fans have already pre-booked railway tickets and train passes for the duration of their three games at Euro 2024.

These could be extended if Steve Clarke‘s side became the first ever Scotland side in history to qualify from the group stages of a tournament at the 12th time of asking after previously qualifying for eight World Cups and three European Championships.

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