Tough return to normality in snow and ice

Snow chaos - Tough return to normality in snow and ice

650 canceled flights, numerous train cancellations and several closed highways: Even four days after the severe onset of winter in southern Bavaria, travelers and commuters had to contend with problems on roads, railways and airports in the state on Tuesday. In several districts, schoolchildren stayed at home again due to school closures.

While Munich Airport completely shut down its operations for several hours in the morning due to the danger of freezing rain, more than 20 railroad clearing vehicles worked to make snow-covered and icy tracks passable again, especially in the south and east. At least two people died in accidents caused by icy conditions on Bavaria's roads, and Munich's eastern bypass of the 99 freeway was completely closed at times during rush hour after accidents.

The return to some kind of normality was also more difficult than many travelers would have liked due to the persistent winter weather. "Time and again, trees are falling onto tracks and overhead lines under the weight of ice and snow," said a railroad spokeswoman. "At the same time, freezing precipitation coats the overhead lines with finger-thick layers of ice in some cases, so that they can no longer transmit electricity or fall down under the load." In addition, employees had to "literally thaw out" trains after the standstill.

The railroad had increased the number of snow clearing vehicles in Bavaria from 13 to more than 20, the spokeswoman said. Clearance vehicles from Baden-Württemberg and Hesse had also been ordered to the Free State. On Tuesday afternoon, individual long-distance trains from Munich to Salzburg and Kufstein were running again for the first time since the weekend, including private railroads such as the Austrian Westbahn. Deutsche Bahn also expected a gradual improvement in the situation for the ICE routes to Nuremberg and Stuttgart.

At the same time, passengers were urged to postpone their train journeys to Wednesday or the following days if possible - and to reserve seats in view of the expected very full trains.

Passengers on regional services could still expect many cancellations and delays. On the Munich S-Bahn, only one line initially ran on its normal route. On the Munich streetcar network, only one of eleven lines was initially running again on Tuesday, according to the Munich Transport Company(MVG). Another line was to be added on Tuesday evening.

The slow progress was partly due to cars pushing snow, slush and ice into the tracks, which froze there, MVG said. "A special vehicle and a streetcar have already derailed during the clearing work." As a result, a special vehicle could no longer be used on Monday. Work crews had to work their way forward "with salt, scrapers and heavy equipment" meter by meter. A clearing vehicle from Stuttgart's streetcars was expected to arrive on Tuesday to assist with the work.

Head of the State Chancellery Florian Herrmann (CSU) said on Tuesday that, in the opinion of the state government, the rail chaos should be dealt with retrospectively. The considerable impact on train and air traffic was known to everyone, "we will certainly have to analyze in retrospect why there were such considerable difficulties in the area of train traffic in particular".

But icy roads and snow also continued to cause problems. DHL and Post announced that many people in the south of Bavaria would have to wait even longer than usual for parcels and letters in the coming days. After the shutdown at the weekend, many parcels and letters are still jammed in some distribution centers.

Some roads are still impassable for post and parcel carriers "because they have not been cleared sufficiently", said Thomas Homberger, Head of the Southern Division at Post and DHL. "Individual letterboxes and branches are also inaccessible."

For the rest of the week, the German Weather Service (DWD) did not give the all-clear for snow and icy conditions, especially in the south and east of Bavaria. "The issue will continue to occupy us over the next few days," said a DWD meteorologist on Tuesday. The risk of slippery roads and sidewalks will increase at night in particular, also because precipitation in the form of rain and snow is expected again and again. During the day, however, temperatures usually rise enough for the road surface to become more slippery again.

A spokesman for Munich Airport expected further flight cancellations, especially on Wednesday, after 650 cancellations on Tuesday. However, another closure due to freezing rain is unlikely. "We assume that the worst is over," said the spokesperson. "But it will certainly take a little while before the situation stabilizes."

This apparently also applies to some schools in Bavaria: In the afternoon, the Ministry of Education reported that only distance learning would be possible at some schools on Wednesday.

DWD Bavaria Munich Airport Info Ministry of Education on school closures - updated regularly Current traffic reports from Deutsche Bahn