Storm “Goretti” continues to batter north-western Europe, and although Germany escaped the worst airport chaos seen at Amsterdam’s Schiphol, mobility providers are still grappling with knock-on delays. The German Weather Service (DWD) kept nationwide ice warnings in place on 7 January, forecasting temperatures down to –15 °C in Saxony and fresh snowfall sweeping eastwards from the Ruhr to Berlin by nightfall.([stern.de](https://www.stern.de/panorama/winterwetter-in-deutschland--wetterdienst-warnt-vor-glaette--schnee-und-frost-bleiben-37016740.html))
Rail operator Deutsche Bahn reduced ICE speeds on the Hanover–Berlin high-speed line, triggering hour-long delays on services linking Frankfurt Airport (FRA) with the capital. Regional bus companies in Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate cancelled evening routes after a spike in weather-related accidents. At Frankfurt and Munich airports, Lufthansa pre-emptively cut 8 % of departures to free de-icing capacity and advised transfer passengers to allow a four-hour buffer between flights.
Amid such last-minute rerouting, travellers may suddenly find themselves passing through countries that require additional transit documents or emergency passport renewals. VisaHQ can smooth this process: its Germany platform (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) provides instant visa checks, courier pick-up for passports, and expedited processing options—particularly helpful when storms force itinerary changes through non-Schengen hubs or delay appointments at local immigration offices.
![Winter Storm Keeps Germany’s Mobility Sector on Alert as Snow and Ice Persist]()
For assignees and short-term business travellers the biggest headache is fragmented first- and last-mile transport. Ride-hailing surge pricing in snow-hit cities has doubled since Monday, while hotel shuttles are restricted by local authorities’ salt-conservation orders. Mobility managers should remind travellers that German rail tickets remain valid on alternative routes during weather disruption and that EU Air Passenger Rights (EC 261) apply if flights are cancelled for reasons within the airline’s control, such as shortage of de-icing fluid.
Supply-chain knock-ons are also emerging. Cold-storage forwarders in Hamburg warn that frozen-produce imports could be delayed at least 48 hours, which may affect expat relocation shipments requiring temperature-controlled handling. Companies with time-critical engineers on assignment should consider rerouting via Zürich or Vienna, where runways are clear and rail links to southern Germany remain operational.
Looking ahead, DWD expects a brief thaw over the weekend before another polar trough arrives. Mobility teams are advised to monitor airport NOTAMs, activate weather-triggered text alerts for travelling staff, and reconfirm residence-permit appointments as Ausländerbehörden often close early during severe weather.
Rail operator Deutsche Bahn reduced ICE speeds on the Hanover–Berlin high-speed line, triggering hour-long delays on services linking Frankfurt Airport (FRA) with the capital. Regional bus companies in Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate cancelled evening routes after a spike in weather-related accidents. At Frankfurt and Munich airports, Lufthansa pre-emptively cut 8 % of departures to free de-icing capacity and advised transfer passengers to allow a four-hour buffer between flights.
Amid such last-minute rerouting, travellers may suddenly find themselves passing through countries that require additional transit documents or emergency passport renewals. VisaHQ can smooth this process: its Germany platform (https://www.visahq.com/germany/) provides instant visa checks, courier pick-up for passports, and expedited processing options—particularly helpful when storms force itinerary changes through non-Schengen hubs or delay appointments at local immigration offices.
For assignees and short-term business travellers the biggest headache is fragmented first- and last-mile transport. Ride-hailing surge pricing in snow-hit cities has doubled since Monday, while hotel shuttles are restricted by local authorities’ salt-conservation orders. Mobility managers should remind travellers that German rail tickets remain valid on alternative routes during weather disruption and that EU Air Passenger Rights (EC 261) apply if flights are cancelled for reasons within the airline’s control, such as shortage of de-icing fluid.
Supply-chain knock-ons are also emerging. Cold-storage forwarders in Hamburg warn that frozen-produce imports could be delayed at least 48 hours, which may affect expat relocation shipments requiring temperature-controlled handling. Companies with time-critical engineers on assignment should consider rerouting via Zürich or Vienna, where runways are clear and rail links to southern Germany remain operational.
Looking ahead, DWD expects a brief thaw over the weekend before another polar trough arrives. Mobility teams are advised to monitor airport NOTAMs, activate weather-triggered text alerts for travelling staff, and reconfirm residence-permit appointments as Ausländerbehörden often close early during severe weather.
