Austria And Germany Open Borders To Migrants Offloaded By Hungary Saturday September 05,2015

 

Austria and Germany threw open their borders on Saturday September 05,2015 to thousands of exhausted migrants from the east, bussed to the frontier by a right-wing Hungarian government that had tried to stop them, but was overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of people.

Left to walk the final stretch into Austria, rain-soaked migrants - many of them refugees from Syria's civil war - were whisked by train and shuttle bus first to Vienna and then by train to Munich and other cities in Germany.

The last train carrying an estimated 1,000 refugees pulled into Munich from Austria at 1:30 a.m. on Sunday (2330 GMT), bringing the total to have arrived in the Bavarian capital since Saturday to about 8,000.

Police immediately ushered the arrivals onto another train bound for Dortmund on the opposite platform, cordoned off from onlookers in the main station terminal.

Some who wanted to stay in Munich initially refused to get on the second train, which eventually set off with all the passengers about an hour later.

Most of those who arrived on Saturday were bussed to reception centers in and around the Munich after being medically screened, fed and offered fresh clothing. Many said they were from Syria, while others were from Afghanistan or Iraq.

They seemed dazed by the calls of "welcome to Munich," from the few dozen well-wishers remaining at around midnight, as well as by their determination to thrust chocolate bars, bananas or bread rolls into their hands.

A similar total is expected to arrive in Munich later on Sunday.

Munich police said Arabic-speaking interpreters were helping refugees with procedures at the emergency registration centers. The seemingly efficient Austrian and German reception contrasted with the disorder prevalent in Hungary.
"It was just such a horrible situation in Hungary," said Omar, arriving in Vienna with his family.

German Interior Ministry spokesman Harald Neymanns said Berlin's decision to open its borders to Syrians was an exceptional case for humanitarian reasons. He said Europe's so-called Dublin rules, which require people to apply for asylum in the first EU country they enter, had not been suspended.
"The Dublin rules are still valid and we expect other European Union member states to stick to them," he said.

Austria said 9,000 people had crossed from Hungary on Saturday. The Austrian state railway company OeBB estimated it would have transported 7,500 migrants before stopping services for the night, with the last train from the border due to arrive in Vienna at 2100 GMT.
At the frontier with Hungary, Austrian police said the flow of people had slowed, with some still crossing on foot

Refugees were met by German well-wishers as they arrived in Frankfurt by train following a gruelling journey through Austria

A group of refugees smile and raise their hands in the air as they walk through Munich's Hauptbahnhof station to be registered on Saturday evening

 A migrant family waves at crowds and photographers surrounding Munich's Hauptbahnhof station on Saturday as they embark on their new life

A German volunteer holds a migrant child in the air as crowds applaud at Munich's Hauptbahnhof station where hundreds of refugees arrived

 Migrants collect food from aid workers at Hauptbahnhof station on Saturday afternoon after reaching Munich where they will be registered as asylum seekers

 

Dozens of bottles of water and snacks were laid out in the train station by kindhearted Germans as they prepared for the arrival of hundreds of migrants

Migrants wait in a queue to board a train in Nickelsdorf, Austria, which will take them to the capital Vienna

 Hundreds of migrants wait for trains at the Austrian border which will take them to Vienna

A migrant family look delighted as they board a train bound for Munich at a station in Nickelsdorf, Austria

Note

Hungary, the main entry point into Europe's borderless Schengen zone for migrants, has taken a hard line, vowing to seal its southern frontier with a new, high fence by Sept. 15,2015

Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Hungary would deploy police and troops along its border with Serbia after Sept. 15 if parliament approved a government proposal