Heavy snow freezes train connections between Germany and Switzerland. Woman injures herself by jumping from the roof of a burning house

Snow and ice have caused chaos on roads and railways in southern Bavaria. Numerous railway lines around the capital Munich had to be closed on Saturday evening, Deutsche Bahn (DB) announced. Train traffic to and from Munich Central Station was initially suspended. In Ulm and Munich passengers had to spend the night on trains. Connections with Switzerland were interrupted or limited.

The subways, buses and trams also initially stopped running in the Bavarian capital. Numerous accidents occurred on the roads in southern Bavaria, most of which resulted in property damage, according to police. According to the German Weather Service, it will remain wintery for the time being. Snowfall, sometimes heavy, is expected in the south and southeast until the afternoon.

The police in Upper Bavaria South called on the population to stay at home. Police, rescue services, fire brigade and clearance services are constantly in action. Many smaller roads outside the cities are heavily snow-covered or blocked by fallen trees. In any case, the removal of traffic obstacles will take until late in the morning. Train traffic is severely limited due to fallen trees and overhead lines. Anyone who breaks down or has an accident can expect delays in getting help.

Train for stranded passengers

As a dpa reporter reported, a train from Stuttgart had to be converted into a night train at Ulm’s main station in the early morning hours. Deutsche Bahn also provided a train for stranded passengers at Munich’s main station. According to a DB spokeswoman, it was initially unclear how many trains had to cancel their journeys for the time being.

Police in the Free State reported numerous minor accidents on the roads. However, in Upper Bavaria, Lower Bavaria, Middle Franconia and Swabia there was mainly damage to sheet metal and minor injuries. Especially in Swabia, roads initially had to be closed due to fallen trees. A truck overturned for unknown reasons on highway 8 near Weyarn (Miesbach district).

More than 150 takeoffs and landings at Munich airport were canceled on Friday due to weather conditions. The reasons for this were snowfall and low temperatures at the airport, a spokesperson said. (sda/dpa)