Extreme cold weather in Europe has paralyzed transport: thousands of tourists are stranded in various countries

Europe has been hit by extreme cold weather, leading to transport chaos and stranding thousands of tourists. Find out which countries are worst affected, how the bad weather has impacted air, rail, and road transport, and what travelers need to bear in mind

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Extreme weather conditions in Europe have caused widespread transport disruptions and made travel difficult in many countries. Thousands of tourists have been stranded at airports, train stations, and on highways due to severe frost, snowfall, gusty winds, and icy roads. The most difficult situation has developed in Finland, Germany, France, the Baltic states, and Central Europe.

Frost and bad weather have engulfed much of Europe

The most acute situation is currently being recorded in northern Finland, in the Lapland region. Due to extreme cold, flights from Kittilä Airport, a popular winter tourist destination, were canceled. According to Sky News, on Sunday morning, the air temperature in the airport area dropped to -37 °C and remained at a critically low level for several days.

Under such conditions, it became impossible to de-ice aircraft and perform standard airport operations. As a result, thousands of passengers were forced to remain in the region.

At the same time, according to data from The Independent, this year's frosts significantly exceed seasonal norms and have covered large areas of northern, central, and eastern Europe. Heavy snowfall, gusty winds, and icy roads have made travel dangerous in many countries.

In the Baltic countries — Estonia and Lithuania — drivers were officially urged to postpone all non-essential trips due to expected blizzards. In Latvia, a snow warning was issued for the western regions of the country. In such conditions, traveling by car requires special preparation and compliance with all safety requirements. Remember that a valid Green Card for your car is mandatory for traveling abroad — without a policy, driving in EU countries is prohibited. Ukrainians can obtain such insurance online at Visit Ukraine.

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The situation is also difficult in Germany. Due to heavy snowfall in the north of the country, the railway operator Deutsche Bahn completely stopped train traffic on Sunday. Passengers faced massive delays and cancellations, and the problems also affected bus services.

Schools remained closed in a number of regions. The bad weather also had tragic consequences: in Bavaria, two people died in a head-on collision after one of the cars lost control on a slippery road. In Upper Palatinate, a driver died when his car veered off the road and crashed into a tree.

On the North Sea coast in the German state of Lower Saxony, ferry services were virtually halted. Due to strong easterly winds, several islands became inaccessible to ships, further complicating travel for both tourists and local residents.

In the Czech Republic, trucks blocked a key highway between Prague and Germany near the border for several hours. In some areas of Prague, public transport was completely shut down.

In France, the northwestern regions were affected by strong winds from Storm Gorette. The bad weather caused disruptions to transport and the power grid. On Friday, around 320,000 households, mainly in Normandy, were without electricity. The Meteo-France weather service urged residents in advance not to leave their homes unless absolutely necessary.

The storm also affected transport links in the UK, where flight delays and road disruptions were reported.

We remind you! Winter snowfalls and storms are increasingly paralyzing air traffic, leaving passengers at airports without a clear understanding of what to do next. A canceled or delayed flight does not have to be a disaster for your budget and trip if you know your rights and the obligations of airlines in such situations. Read on to find out when you are entitled to a refund, in which cases meals and hotel accommodation are provided, and what to do to avoid losing your compensation.

Photo: Die Autobahn/Facebook

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