Limited train services in Bavaria after the onset of winter

Weather - Limited train services in Bavaria after the onset of winter

The heavy snowfall in Bavaria on the first weekend of Advent is leaving its mark - and not just as an idyllic winter wonderland. Train travelers in particular still have to be prepared for considerable restrictions. Although two long-distance routes at Munich Central Station were served again on Sunday, there were fewer trains, according to a DB spokeswoman.

Passengers are asked to find out the status of their connection before starting their journey and to postpone non-essential journeys until Tuesday or later.

Many schools remain closed

Many schools in the districts of Starnberg and Mühldorf am Inn as well as in the city of Augsburg will remain closed today. Distance learning will be offered in some cases. In Augsburg, 20 schools were to be closed in whole or in part for the time being, according to the city administration. The reason for this is the masses of snow on the roofs of the buildings. Once the snow has melted, the buildings will have to be checked for structural stability.

At Munich Airport, flight operations had partially resumed on Sunday morning following a closure on Saturday. However, hundreds of flights were still canceled. In addition, several thousand households were still without power on Sunday, especially in Upper and Lower Bavaria, after trees fell on power lines on Saturday.

Winter suitability of the railroads

After the train cancellations due to the snow chaos in Bavaria, the railroad workers' union EVG and the passenger association Pro Bahn are calling for consequences for the winter suitability of the railroads. EVG Chairman Martin Burkert told the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper that the German rail infrastructure was "largely dilapidated". There must be major investments along the lines of countries such as Austria.

The national chairman of the passenger association Pro Bahn, Detlev Neuß, told the newspaper that rail transport was "only sewn on edge after decades of austerity policies". One of the many problems is that, for cost reasons, the railroads have been dismantling more and more tracks as stabling facilities until recently and entire trains now have to be parked directly in the stations if they can no longer reach their destination. "The congested stations mean that rail traffic is blocked even faster and comes to a standstill on a large scale."

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1. Upper Bavaria and Lower Bavaria experienced significant power outages on Sunday, primarily due to fallen trees impacting power lines during the weekend's heavy snowfall.
2. Despite partial flight resumption at Munich Airport, numerous flights were still canceled, causing inconvenience to many travelers.
3. The heavy snowfall in Bavaria during the advent weekend has led to numerous school closures in Starnberg, Mühldorf am Inn, and Augsburg, with distance learning offered as an alternative in some cases.
4. The city administration in Augsburg announced that 20 schools would be closed temporarily due to the accumulated snow on school building rooftops, requiring subsequent structural stability checks.
5. The German Rail Infrastructure's winter suitability is under scrutiny after the recent snow chaos in Bavaria, with railroad workers' union EVG and passenger association Pro Bahn calling for significant investments similar to those implemented in countries like Austria.
6. Pro Bahn's national chairman Detlev Neuß stated that rail transport in Germany is "only sewn on the edges" due to decades-long austerity policies, leading to numerous challenges such as dismantled rail tracks, crowded stations, and trains being parked in stations when they can no longer reach their destinations.
7. The dismantling of rail tracks and subsequent congestion at stations has contributed to train traffic being blocked even more rapidly, leading to mass train cancellations during the recent snowstorm in Bavaria.
8. Rail traffic in Southern Germany, specifically in Bavaria, was significantly impacted by the adverse weather conditions and limited train services during the weekend, affecting the travel plans of many residents and tourists.
9. The onset of winter in Bavaria has caused numerous challenges, from train cancellations and airport flight disruptions to power outages and school closures, highlighting the importance of addressing winter suitability issues in the German rail infrastructure.
10. The recent train cancellations due to the snow chaos in Bavaria have spurred calls for major investments in infrastructure, with the EVG Chairman Martin Burkert highlighting the dilapidated state of the German rail infrastructure.
11. Passengers traveling through Munich Central Station experienced fewer train services on Sunday, as long-distance routes were temporarily restored after being affected by the heavy snowfall in Bavaria.
12. Although Sunday saw some restoration of train services and partial flight operations at Munich Airport, the advent weekend's heavy snowfall ensured that rail traffic and transportation in Bavaria continued to face challenges, with traffic restrictions and incidents remaining a possibility as the region experiences the initial onset of winter.

Source: www.stern.de