The press team of German rail company Deutsche Bahn had an unusual story to tell on Tuesday evening.
A train driver on the S6 service from Essen was surprised when reaching the final stop at Cologne-Warringen to find three passengers still hanging out in first class.
The trio of chickens, who were also provided with an ample layer of straw to peck through, appear to have either been abandoned or (surely not?) forgotten by whoever brought them.
Police handed the chicken over to animal services, Deutsche Bahn said.
The train required a thorough cleaning and as a result missed its next journey.
It is not clear who transported the chickens on the local train, or how or why they abandoned them.
Germany’s federal police, responsible for security on public transport, have laid charges against an unidentified suspect over disturbances in train services. Police said CCTV footage of the train was being reviewed.
Edited by: Roshni Majumdar