A vigorous winter storm swept across Switzerland on 11 January 2026, bringing up to 30 cm of fresh snow to the lowlands and paralysing parts of the transport network. Zürich’s municipal operator VBZ suspended all bus routes inside the city and surrounding communes for several hours after multiple articulated vehicles jack-knifed on icy gradients. Tram lines continued running at reduced speed, but commuters faced lengthy detours on foot.
Cantonal police in Aargau, Thurgau, St Gallen and Solothurn logged almost a hundred weather-related collisions between Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. The majority were single-vehicle spin-outs attributed to drivers failing to adapt speed to conditions. No fatalities were reported, though insurers estimate damage claims could top CHF 2 million.
![Snowstorm paralyses surface transport: Zurich buses halted, nearly 100 road accidents nationwide]()
Travellers whose rail or flight connections were cancelled may also need to adjust the length of their stay. For anyone requiring an extension of a Schengen visa, or help securing travel documents for onward journeys, the specialist team at VisaHQ can guide the process online within minutes and liaise with Swiss authorities on your behalf; more information is available at https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/.
Public-sector employers, including the Federal Technology Institute ETH Zürich, switched Monday morning lectures to remote delivery, and several international companies activated work-from-home protocols for cross-border commuters who normally drive in from Germany and France. Logistics operators DHL and Galliker warned of potential 24-hour delays on last-mile deliveries because snowploughs are concentrating on motorways first.
With further flurries forecast, HR teams are reminded that Swiss labour law obliges employers to pay staff who cannot reach the workplace when authorities officially close roads or public transport. Companies should therefore clarify trigger points for remote work and confirm emergency phone trees.
Cantonal police in Aargau, Thurgau, St Gallen and Solothurn logged almost a hundred weather-related collisions between Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning. The majority were single-vehicle spin-outs attributed to drivers failing to adapt speed to conditions. No fatalities were reported, though insurers estimate damage claims could top CHF 2 million.
Travellers whose rail or flight connections were cancelled may also need to adjust the length of their stay. For anyone requiring an extension of a Schengen visa, or help securing travel documents for onward journeys, the specialist team at VisaHQ can guide the process online within minutes and liaise with Swiss authorities on your behalf; more information is available at https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/.
Public-sector employers, including the Federal Technology Institute ETH Zürich, switched Monday morning lectures to remote delivery, and several international companies activated work-from-home protocols for cross-border commuters who normally drive in from Germany and France. Logistics operators DHL and Galliker warned of potential 24-hour delays on last-mile deliveries because snowploughs are concentrating on motorways first.
With further flurries forecast, HR teams are reminded that Swiss labour law obliges employers to pay staff who cannot reach the workplace when authorities officially close roads or public transport. Companies should therefore clarify trigger points for remote work and confirm emergency phone trees.
