A 22 year old driver bypassed the barrier at a railway crossing in Neustadt am Rübenberge in the early hours of Sunday morning, causing a collision with an oncoming train travelling from Hannover.
A spokesperson for the German police force said the car had been pushed several metres on impact, killing the car’s occupants - the driver and two passengers aged 21 and 22 - on the spot.
One passenger on board the train was injured after the train braked sharply. The train was carrying 38 passengers and six members of staff on board.
In a statement, Deutsche Bahn said “the rail line between Hannover and Nienburg (Weser) would remain closed until lunchtime”. High speed trains between Oldenburg and Hannover were cancelled, while other services were subjected to diversions and delays.
