Ground excursions of snow, ice and suffocating highways in parts of Europe: NPR

SCHIPHOLL, Netherlands (AP) — More than a thousand stranded travelers spent the night at Amsterdam International Airport, as snow and ice hitting parts of Europe grounded hundreds of flights and choked highways and railways on Wednesday.

In Paris, a skater slipped on the snow-covered bank of the Seine River, and snow covered the roads and parks surrounding the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum, which also led to traffic obstruction in parts of France.

There is good news for some Berliners during the cold snap as power was restored to thousands of homes in the German capital that were without power in freezing temperatures for four days after a far-left militant attack on high-voltage lines, authorities said.

Schiphol Airport, on the outskirts of Amsterdam, set up hundreds of field beds overnight and served breakfast to weary travelers while staff worked to clear snow from runways and clear ice. At least 800 flights were canceled on Wednesday at the airport, one of the busiest aviation hubs in Europe.

Sonia Wormlingle, who was trying to return to her native Argentina, had to endure repeated disappointments, and was not yet sure how she would return. It was originally supposed to travel via the German city of Dusseldorf, but that flight was cancelled. It was then rerouted via Paris, but that too was cancelled. The next option was to take the train to Dusseldorf.

“I came from the train and they told me there was no train,” she said, adding after a long silence: “I don’t know.”

National carrier KLM said lines at the airport were decreasing, partly because passengers were warned in time that their flights were canceled, so they did not head to the airport.

Dutch rail and road networks were also hit hard by fresh snowfall during the morning rush hour and more storms later in the day.

NS Railway urged travelers to “delay your journey if possible”. It warned that fewer trains would be running because problems caused by snow and icy temperatures in the Netherlands affected train travel more than expected. NS said local and international trains were affected.

Drivers braving the snowy conditions didn’t fare much better, as traffic jams more than 700 kilometers (435 miles) long clogged the country’s roads, as trucks slid across highways and slow-moving snow plows cleared the roads.

Snow in Paris

The French national meteorological service, Meteo France, said that large parts of northern and western France, including the Paris region, were on alert due to snow and black ice. The French authorities advised people to work from home and avoid using their cars in areas hit by snow. Trucks and school buses were prohibited from using the roads. Bus traffic stopped in Paris on Wednesday morning.

Transport Minister Philippe Tabaro said that more than 100 flights were canceled on Wednesday at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris and about 40 other flights at Paris Orly Airport.

The French railway company SNCF warned passengers of disruptions and delays due to weather conditions, saying: “Snow on the tracks forces us to limit the speed of trains and cancel trains or adjust traffic.” Eurostar trains between Paris, London and Brussels were also delayed.

Winter Sweden

Even countries more accustomed to harsh winter weather have reported problems as a wave of snow continues in large parts of Europe.

Heavy snow fell in western Sweden, and authorities in Gothenburg took all of the city’s trams out of service on Wednesday morning due to the weather, SVT reported. The banks of snow accumulated due to the passage of the tram posed a danger to other traffic.

In Finland, difficulties operating diesel buses that were parked in the cold during the holidays and poor driving conditions led to bus cancellations and delays in the Helsinki area, Finnish broadcaster Yle reported.