(de-news.net) – Following two days of widespread snow-related disruptions, long-distance rail service in northern Germany has now resumed, although operations remain constrained. Deutsche Bahn indicated that only a limited schedule is currently in effect and that sporadic cancellations or partial interruptions of service are still to be expected, reflecting the lingering impacts of the severe winter conditions. Service along the Hamburg–Bremen–Osnabrück–NRW–Frankfurt corridor has been available since Saturday afternoon, providing a partial restoration of key intercity connections.
Trains on the Hamburg–Hannover–Kassel–southern Germany, Berlin–Hannover–NRW, and Hamburg–Berlin routes had already resumed early on Sunday morning, yet they are not yet running according to the full published timetable. Operations toward Denmark, the Netherlands, and the northern coastal regions are expected to resume gradually beginning at midday on Sunday, as crews work to ensure track safety and operational reliability.
Significant restrictions continue to affect local transport in Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony, where several lines reportedly remain impassable. Deutsche Bahn projected that after completion of snow removal and track maintenance work, service levels in these areas would gradually increase over the course of the day. In contrast, the Hamburg S-Bahn has largely returned to normal operations, demonstrating the relative resilience of urban commuter networks compared with long-distance infrastructure in the region.
The disruptions in long-distance service followed the passage of winter storm ‘Elli,’ which had forced partial or complete suspension of northern routes from Friday onward. Deutsche Bahn attributed the initial difficulties to snowdrifts accumulating even on previously cleared tracks, as well as frozen or blocked switches, which delayed the full restoration of the timetable beyond the originally planned schedule. The situation highlights the vulnerability of rail operations to extreme winter weather and the operational challenges of maintaining service continuity under rapidly changing conditions.
Meanwhile, in the Alps, avalanche risk has increased substantially following recent heavy snowfall. The German Avalanche Warning Service issued a level-four warning for parts of the Allgäu Alps, indicating severe hazard conditions just one level below the maximum alert. The heightened risk underscores ongoing concerns for both winter tourism and mountain transit operations. For Monday, the German Weather Service forecasts additional severe weather across the country, including a potential overnight transition of snow into rain. On frozen ground, this change could generate hazardous ice conditions, posing further risks for both transportation networks and local communities.
