Snow and ice floor flights and choke highways in components of Europe

SCHIPHOL, Netherlands — Greater than 1,000 stranded passengers spent the evening at Amsterdam’s worldwide airport as snow and ice that’s pummeling components of Europe grounded tons of of flights and choked highways and railroads Wednesday.

In Paris, a skier slid alongside the snowy financial institution of the Seine river and roads and parks across the Eiffel Tower and Louvre Museum have been blanketed in snow, which additionally snarled visitors in components of France.

Stranded travellers wait at Schiphol airport in Amsterdam, Netherlands, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, the place greater than 1,000 stranded passengers spent the evening as snow and ice that’s pummeling components of Europe grounded tons of of flights and choked highways and railroads.

Peter Dejong/AP

cover caption

toggle caption

Peter Dejong/AP

There was excellent news for some Berlin residents through the chilly snap as energy was being restored to hundreds of households within the German capital that had been with out electrical energy in freezing temperatures for 4 days following a suspected far-left assault on high-voltage traces, authorities stated.

Schiphol Airport, on the outskirts of Amsterdam, arrange tons of of area beds in a single day and served breakfast to weary vacationers as employees labored to clear snow from runways and deice airplanes. Not less than 800 flights have been canceled Wednesday on the airport, considered one of Europe’s busiest aviation hubs.

Sonja Wurmlingel, making an attempt to make her approach residence to Argentina, needed to endure repeated disappointments and nonetheless was unsure how she would get again. She initially was presupposed to fly through the German metropolis of Düsseldorf, however that flight was canceled. Then she was rerouted by way of Paris, however that was canceled, too. The following possibility was taking a prepare to Düsseldorf.

“I’ve come from the train and they told me there’s no train,” she stated, including, after an extended pause: “I don’t know.”

Nationwide airline KLM stated that traces on the airport have been lowering, partly as a result of passengers have been warned on time that their flights have been canceled, so that they did not head to the airport.

Ice builds up at a pier of Lake Balaton at Siofok, Hungary, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026.

Tamas Vasvari/MTI/AP

cover caption

toggle caption

Tamas Vasvari/MTI/AP

The Dutch rail and highway networks have been additionally exhausting hit by contemporary snowfall through the morning rush hour and extra squalls later within the day.

Rail operator NS urged vacationers to “delay your journey if possible.” It warned of fewer trains working as issues attributable to the snow and icy temperatures within the Netherlands hit prepare journey tougher than anticipated. Each home and worldwide trains have been affected, NS stated.

Drivers braving the snowy situations did not fare significantly better, with greater than 700 kilometers (435 miles) of visitors jams clogging the nation’s roads as vans slid throughout highways and slow-moving snow plows cleared the roads.

Snow in Paris

France’s nationwide climate service, Meteo France, stated giant components of northern and western France, together with the Paris area, have been on alert for snow and black ice. French authorities suggested individuals to work at home and keep away from utilizing their automobiles within the snow-hit areas. Vehicles and faculty buses have been banned from utilizing the roads. Bus visitors was suspended in Paris on Wednesday morning.

A person performs by the snowy Butte Montmartre with the Sacre-Coeur basilica in background, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026 in Paris.

Christophe Ena/AP

cover caption

toggle caption

Christophe Ena/AP

Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot stated that greater than 100 flights have been canceled Wednesday at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport and about 40 others at Paris Orly airport.

French railway firm SNCF warned passengers about disruptions and delays due to climate situations, saying that “snow on the tracks is forcing us to limit train speed and cancel trains or adjust traffic.” Eurostar trains between Paris, London and Brussels have been additionally being delayed.

Wintry Sweden

Even nations extra accustomed to harsh winter climate reported issues because the snowy snap endured over giant components of Europe.

A automotive drives fastidiously on a snowy avenue when individuals dealing with a chilly wave bringing winter climate with snow and ice to the commercial Ruhr space in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026.

Martin Meissner/AP

cover caption

toggle caption

Martin Meissner/AP

There was heavy snow in western Sweden, and authorities in Göteborg took all the town’s trams out of service Wednesday morning due to the climate, broadcaster SVT reported. Snow banks churned up by passing trams posed a threat to different visitors.

In Finland, difficulties beginning diesel buses that had been standing within the chilly over the vacations and poor driving situations led to bus cancellations and delays within the Helsinki space, Finnish broadcaster Yle reported.