Belgium’s Royal Meteorological Institute (KMI) issued a yellow alert for icy conditions nationwide on the morning of 31 December. Temperatures hovered near freezing and light snow flurries dusted the High Fens, creating slippery roads during the heaviest holiday-return traffic of the year. The warning remains in force until 13:00 CET and coincides with peak airport de-icing windows at Brussels Zaventem and Liège.
Public-transport operators report no major service suspensions, but Infrabel has imposed a 20 km/h speed reduction on exposed rail sections in Wallonia, potentially adding 5–10 minutes to inter-city journeys. Brussels Airlines cautions that aircraft turnaround times may lengthen due to de-icing queue build-ups, and advises passengers to arrive an hour earlier than usual.
For mobility managers, the alert underscores the need to verify road-transfer times for assignees driving from expat-heavy suburbs such as Waterloo or Tervuren to Zaventem. Courier firms servicing visa-document deliveries have switched to contingency bike-courier options inside the Brussels Ring to avoid potential pile-ups on the E40.
![Yellow Weather Warning Could Snarl Belgian Roads and Add Airport De-Icing Delays on New Year’s Eve]()
For international travelers and HR teams coordinating last-minute arrivals, VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) streamlines the Belgian visa process and offers real-time application tracking—especially useful when weather disruptions threaten document deliveries or force itinerary changes. Their specialists can advise on alternative submission methods and rush processing, helping assignees avoid extra trips in icy conditions.
KMI forecasts show another cold front sweeping in on 2 January, meaning similar conditions could recur at the start of the first full business week of 2026. Companies with inbound relocations should keep hotel contingencies in place and remind travellers that delays caused by “extraordinary weather” fall outside EU 261 compensation scope.
While the alert is the lowest on Belgium’s three-tier scale, past seasons have shown that even yellow warnings can trigger multi-car accidents and motorway closures. Drivers are urged to carry high-visibility vests and blankets, and to consult realtime traffic apps before departure.
Public-transport operators report no major service suspensions, but Infrabel has imposed a 20 km/h speed reduction on exposed rail sections in Wallonia, potentially adding 5–10 minutes to inter-city journeys. Brussels Airlines cautions that aircraft turnaround times may lengthen due to de-icing queue build-ups, and advises passengers to arrive an hour earlier than usual.
For mobility managers, the alert underscores the need to verify road-transfer times for assignees driving from expat-heavy suburbs such as Waterloo or Tervuren to Zaventem. Courier firms servicing visa-document deliveries have switched to contingency bike-courier options inside the Brussels Ring to avoid potential pile-ups on the E40.
For international travelers and HR teams coordinating last-minute arrivals, VisaHQ’s online platform (https://www.visahq.com/belgium/) streamlines the Belgian visa process and offers real-time application tracking—especially useful when weather disruptions threaten document deliveries or force itinerary changes. Their specialists can advise on alternative submission methods and rush processing, helping assignees avoid extra trips in icy conditions.
KMI forecasts show another cold front sweeping in on 2 January, meaning similar conditions could recur at the start of the first full business week of 2026. Companies with inbound relocations should keep hotel contingencies in place and remind travellers that delays caused by “extraordinary weather” fall outside EU 261 compensation scope.
While the alert is the lowest on Belgium’s three-tier scale, past seasons have shown that even yellow warnings can trigger multi-car accidents and motorway closures. Drivers are urged to carry high-visibility vests and blankets, and to consult realtime traffic apps before departure.
