A severe winter storm has brought transportation to a standstill across the German state of Hesse this Monday morning, January 26th. Heavy snowfall – up to 30 centimeters in some areas – and icy conditions are causing widespread disruption on roads and railways.
Widespread Travel Disruption
The challenging weather is impacting commuters throughout Hesse. Stalled trucks are contributing to significant traffic congestion on major highways. Deutsche Bahn is reporting substantial delays and cancellations in its long-distance rail service. Public transportation is also severely affected, with both the Rhein-Main.Verkehrsverbund and the Nordhessischen Verkehrsverbund reporting widespread service disruptions and cancellations due to unplowed routes. Notably, the Rhein-Main.Verkehrsverbund website was inaccessible as of this morning.
School Closures and Accidents
School districts in six counties have announced short-notice closures. Affected schools include Theo-Koch-Schule and Gesamtschule Gleiberger Land in the Gießen district, Georg Büchner-Gymnasium, Erlenbachschule, and Hugo-Buderus-Schule in the Wetteraukreis, and Oberwaldschule, Ohmtalschule, and Pestalozzischule in the Vogelsbergkreis.
Police in Southeast Hesse have reported 20 weather-related traffic accidents so far. Most incidents involved property damage, but four accidents resulted in minor injuries.
Highway Conditions (as of 8:17 AM)
Here’s a breakdown of conditions on key highways:
- A3: 17 kilometers of congestion between Seligenstädter Dreieck and Frankfurt am Main-Süd. The Hanau exit is closed in the direction of Würzburg due to a stalled truck. 21 kilometers of congestion between Offenbach and Aschaffenburg-Ost.
- A4: Completely blocked in the direction of Erfurt between Wildeck-Hönebach and Wildeck-Obersuhl due to a stalled truck.
- A5: 9 kilometers of congestion in the direction of Frankfurt between Weiterstadt and Frankfurter Kreuz (two lanes closed for recovery). 4 kilometers of congestion in the same direction between Nordwestkreuz Frankfurt am Main and Ober-Mörlen. 12 kilometers of congestion towards Kassel between Gambacher Kreuz and Alsfeld-West, and 11 kilometers of congestion in the opposite direction between Hattenbacher Dreieck and Reiskirchener Dreieck. Additional congestion reported between Nordwestkreuz Frankfurt and Bad Homburger Kreuz (10km) and between Zeppelinheim and Frankfurter Kreuz.
- A7: 19 kilometers of congestion between Dreieck Kassel-Süd and Dreieck Drammetal (direction Hannover). 11 kilometers of congestion in the opposite direction. 25 kilometers of intermittent congestion in the direction of Fulda between Anschlussstelle Malsfeld and Kirchheimer Dreieck. 23 kilometers of congestion in the direction of Ulm between Fuldaer Dreieck and Kreuz Biebelried.
- A44: 5 kilometers of congestion in the direction of Dortmund between Breuna and Lichtenau (Westf.).
- A45: 17 kilometers of congestion in the direction of Gießen between Seligenstädter Dreieck and Florstadt. 17 kilometers of congestion in the direction of Aschaffenburg between Gießender Südkreuz and Florstadt. The connecting road from Gambacher Kreuz to the A5 (direction Frankfurt) is closed.
- A66: 25 kilometers of intermittent congestion in the direction of Fulda between Maintal-Bischofsheim and Steinau an der Straße. 14 kilometers of congestion in the opposite direction between Langenselbold and Frankfurt am Main-Bergen-Enkheim. 8 kilometers of congestion in the direction of Fulda between Gründau-Rothenbergen and Schlüchtern-Süd.
- A661: 9 kilometers of congestion in the direction of Frankfurt between Offenbach-Kaiserlei and Frankfurt am Main-Nieder-Eschbach. 8 kilometers of congestion in the direction of Darmstadt between Oberursel and Frankfurt am Main-Friedberger Landstraße, and between Frankfurt am Main-Ost and Egelsbach.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the current snow accumulation in Hesse?
Up to 30 centimeters of snow have fallen across Hesse this morning, January 26th.
Are there any school closures?
Yes, school closures have been announced in six counties: Gießen (Grünberg, Wettenberg), Wetteraukreis (Bad Vilbel, Gedern, Hirzenhain), and Vogelsbergkreis (Grebenhain, Homberg (Ohm)).
What is the status of rail travel?
Deutsche Bahn is experiencing massive delays and cancellations in its long-distance rail service.
As conditions continue to evolve, will commuters be able to navigate the hazardous roadways and railways of Hesse safely?
