Germany’s reputation for efficiency is under serious threat, as work on Berlin’s main suburban train networks has brought the city to a grinding halt. At the height of tourist season and with Berlin playing host to the World Athletics Championships in just a few weeks, the resulting chaos could not have come at a worse time for the cash-strapped capital. For the first time in its 85-year history, Berlin’s S-Bahn system has slashed services after most of its trains were pulled off the tracks for safety checks.
