Southern Germany sinks under snow and ice

Heavy snowfall causes snow chaos in southern Germany. In Munich, trains cannot run and airplanes cannot take off or land. In addition to the south of Bavaria, parts of Baden-Württemberg are also affected.

No flights in Munich and Memmingen, a canceled Bundesliga match, traffic jams, icy accidents and cancelled trains: snow and ice have caused major disruptions in southern Germany. Flight operations were temporarily suspended at Munich and Allgäu airports in Memmingen. The Bundesliga home match between FC Bayern Munich and 1. FC Union Berlin in the afternoon was already canceled in the morning. Numerous railroad lines around the state capital of Munich had to be closed, and passengers in Ulm and Munich spent the night on trains. The heavy snowfall and black ice led to accidents and long traffic jams on the highways.

People in other federal states also felt the consequences. At Munich Airport, flight operations are closed until 6.00 a.m. on Sunday due to heavy snowfall. This was announced by an airport spokesperson on Saturday morning. Passengers were asked not to arrive at all. Before departing on Sunday, passengers should check the status of their flight with their airline, the spokesperson recommended. The winter service is working to ensure safe operations again.

Allgäu Airport in Memmingen also suspended flight operations on Saturday due to the persistent snowfall. According to the airport, the closure was initially due to last until 3.00 pm. A Lufthansa spokesperson pointed out that the closure of air traffic in Munich would have an impact on other airports. Around 20 planes that should have landed in Munich had been diverted to Frankfurt, said a spokesman for airport operator Fraport on Saturday morning. Nuremberg Airport also accepted individual aircraft that were no longer able to fly to Munich. The airport in the Scottish city of Glasgow ceased operations on Saturday due to ice and snow. Heavy snowfall also led to traffic problems and power cuts in the Czech Republic.

Disruptions to long-distance travel until Monday

Rail travelers in southern Germany can expect severe disruptions until Monday, said a Deutsche Bahn spokeswoman. The reason for this is the unexpectedly severe onset of winter, including icy overhead lines. Munich Central Station will not be accessible all day Saturday. The train service has been canceled. The railroad announced: "All passengers who wish to postpone their journey planned for December 2 and 3 in southern Germany due to the onset of winter in southern Germany can use their ticket at a later date."

Rail traffic in the Ulm area is also severely affected, with severe restrictions as far as Lake Constance, said a Deutsche Bahn spokeswoman. Long-distance trains between Stuttgart and Singen or Zurich are not expected to be able to run again until Sunday.

As a dpa reporter reported, a train coming from Stuttgart had to be converted into an overnight train at Ulm main station in the early hours of the morning. Deutsche Bahn also provided a train for stranded passengers at Munich Central Station.

Kilometers of traffic jams on Bavaria's freeways

There were numerous accidents on the roads in southern Bavaria - according to the police, most of them resulted in property damage. The heavy snowfall caused long traffic jams on the highways. On the A8 in the direction of Salzburg, a traffic jam already stretched for 30 kilometers near Munich, said an ADAC spokeswoman on Saturday morning. There are currently 96 traffic jams more than ten kilometers long across Germany - all of them in Bavaria. The A6 and A9 are also heavily affected. The automobile club recommends temporarily avoiding unnecessary journeys and, if you do, then only drive with winter equipment, said the spokeswoman.

The police of Upper Bavaria South called on the population to stay at home. The police, emergency services, fire department and snow clearing services were in constant operation. Many smaller roads outside of towns were heavily snow-covered or blocked by fallen trees. Snow and icy conditions also caused obstructions on roads and railways in large parts of Baden-Württemberg. A 54-year-old driver died in an accident on a slippery road in Emmingen-Liptingen.

According to a Deutsche Bahn spokeswoman, passengers can expect cancellations to train services, particularly on regional services. The south-east of Baden-Württemberg and the greater Lake Constance area were particularly badly affected. In most of the other federal states, it was also freezing cold, but no accidents were reported for the time being. Hamburg reported five centimeters of fresh snow. The snow clearing vehicles were in operation, it was reported.