In brief
A remarkable yet reckless incident unfolded recently when a 40-year-old Hungarian man, looking to enjoy a smoke, clung to the exterior of a high-speed ICE train after boarding without a valid ticket and missing the chance to exit before the doors closed.
The man initially boarded the train in Munich but decided to indulge in a cigarette at the Ingolstadt station before it departed for Nuremberg. After the train left the platform without him, his desperation led to an audacious decision: he jumped onto a bracket positioned between two train carriages, gripping onto cables as the train accelerated to a staggering 282 km/h (175mph). Witnesses were quick to report the precarious situation, prompting federal police to act immediately. They contacted the train driver, who made an unexpected stop at Kinding in Upper Bavaria, approximately 30 kilometers down the line. The daring stowaway, who claimed he was anxious about losing his luggage left aboard the train, miraculously emerged from the experience unscathed. Authorities later apprehended the man, who was described by police as "amazingly" unharmed, and a state police officer traveling on the same train assisted in his rescue. Once the train reached Nuremberg central station, the man was turned over to federal police. As investigations unfold, he faces charges of benefit fraud and potential repercussions for endangering public safety. Federal police have since issued stern warnings to the public regarding the perils of taking such extreme risks while traveling on Germany's rail system.
