Freezing rain and icy conditions disrupted travel across central and eastern Europe on Tuesday, forcing airlines and ground transport to pause or limit service in several countries, the Associated Press reported.
Airports in the Czech Republic, Austria, Slovakia and Hungary postponed flights. The report said flights to and from Vienna International Airport were temporarily halted, and that Prague’s Vaclav Havel Airport restricted arrivals. In Slovakia, the international airport was closed for hours.
In Hungary, transport minister János Lázár wrote on social media that “freezing rain and extreme icing conditions” halted all departures and arrivals at Ferenc Liszt International Airport in Budapest.
Vienna International Airport operations were resuming in late morning, according to a report by the Austria Press Agency. The airport’s spokesperson, Peter Kleemann, told the APA that incoming flights were diverted to other airports, including Munich, Frankfurt, Cologne and Venice, while departures were delayed.
The cold snap also caused disruptions to public transport. After significant snowfall last week, tram services in Budapest were disrupted due to accumulating ice, the capital’s public transit authority said. The report added that numerous national and international rail services were canceled or delayed.
ÖBB, Austria’s national railway operator, said delays were expected in the north and east, including Vienna, and urged travelers to postpone non-urgent journeys. Czech authorities said some trains and buses were canceled, and that passengers from the capital’s main station faced hourslong delays.
Czech authorities also said the D8 highway to Germany was closed due to an accident on the German side, and that parts of eastern Germany saw icy roads. In Romania, the report said temperatures in some areas were forecast as low as -13 degrees Celsius, forcing some schools to move classes online.
Hungary’s Meteorological Service said in a statement that significant snowfall could be expected in the east while rain and freezing rain were likely farther west.