The Czech Hydrometeorological Institute (ČHMÚ) issued a fresh nationwide alert on the morning of 28 January 2026, warning that a fast-moving cold front will deposit 5–10 centimetres of wet snow across most regions and up to 15 centimetres in parts of South Bohemia, the Vysočina Highlands and western Moravia. The warning is in effect from 02:00 until 17:00 local time on Thursday, with forecasters emphasising that snowfall will create hazardous driving conditions well beyond the areas under the highest alert.
Transport operators have begun contingency planning. The Road and Motorway Directorate (ŘSD) said it will stage additional ploughs and gritters on the D1 and D3 motorways—key arteries for freight heading from Prague to Brno and to the Austrian border—and has asked haulage firms to avoid scheduling high-volume convoys during the morning peak. Czech Railways (ČD) has activated its winter operations centre and is preparing de-icing trains for problematic inclines on the Plzeň–České Budějovice and Brno–Jihlava lines. Václav Havel Airport Prague is advising passengers to arrive at least two hours earlier than usual, noting that snow clearance on taxiways can lengthen turnaround times even if the main runway remains open.
Corporate mobility managers are being urged to alert business travellers and assignees scheduled to fly in or out of Prague, Brno or Ostrava on Thursday. Fly-in expatriate employees should monitor live flight feeds and consider overnighting near the airport to avoid missed connections. HR teams with drivers on assignment are advised to refresh winter-driving protocols, including mandatory snow chains for trips into mountain regions.
![Heavy Snowfall Warning Threatens Travel Disruptions Across Czechia]()
In light of these travel uncertainties, businesses may also find value in leveraging specialized visa facilitation services. VisaHQ, for example, can expedite Czech visa applications, arrange secure courier pickup of passports, and provide real-time status updates through its online platform (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/), sparing travelers from extra consular trips precisely when snow and ice are making roads treacherous.
The timing is awkward for companies aiming to meet first-quarter immigration deadlines. With the Interior Ministry’s new Foreigners Information System now requiring in-person biometric appointments for residence-permit pickups, any weather-related no-shows risk pushing renewals beyond statutory cut-off dates. Law firms recommend keeping stamped evidence (train or flight cancellations, motorway closure bulletins) should clients need to prove that adverse conditions prevented them from attending scheduled appointments.
Looking ahead, meteorologists caution that a second Mediterranean low may track northward next week, potentially repeating the pattern. Businesses with large assignee populations are therefore mapping alternative travel corridors—such as routing through Vienna or Dresden airports—and reviewing remote-work policies to minimise exposure to weather-related delays. While seasoned Czech commuters are no strangers to winter, the convergence of a digitised immigration regime and a congested post-pandemic travel landscape means that this week’s snow carries higher-than-usual operational stakes for global mobility programmes.
Transport operators have begun contingency planning. The Road and Motorway Directorate (ŘSD) said it will stage additional ploughs and gritters on the D1 and D3 motorways—key arteries for freight heading from Prague to Brno and to the Austrian border—and has asked haulage firms to avoid scheduling high-volume convoys during the morning peak. Czech Railways (ČD) has activated its winter operations centre and is preparing de-icing trains for problematic inclines on the Plzeň–České Budějovice and Brno–Jihlava lines. Václav Havel Airport Prague is advising passengers to arrive at least two hours earlier than usual, noting that snow clearance on taxiways can lengthen turnaround times even if the main runway remains open.
Corporate mobility managers are being urged to alert business travellers and assignees scheduled to fly in or out of Prague, Brno or Ostrava on Thursday. Fly-in expatriate employees should monitor live flight feeds and consider overnighting near the airport to avoid missed connections. HR teams with drivers on assignment are advised to refresh winter-driving protocols, including mandatory snow chains for trips into mountain regions.
In light of these travel uncertainties, businesses may also find value in leveraging specialized visa facilitation services. VisaHQ, for example, can expedite Czech visa applications, arrange secure courier pickup of passports, and provide real-time status updates through its online platform (https://www.visahq.com/czech-republic/), sparing travelers from extra consular trips precisely when snow and ice are making roads treacherous.
The timing is awkward for companies aiming to meet first-quarter immigration deadlines. With the Interior Ministry’s new Foreigners Information System now requiring in-person biometric appointments for residence-permit pickups, any weather-related no-shows risk pushing renewals beyond statutory cut-off dates. Law firms recommend keeping stamped evidence (train or flight cancellations, motorway closure bulletins) should clients need to prove that adverse conditions prevented them from attending scheduled appointments.
Looking ahead, meteorologists caution that a second Mediterranean low may track northward next week, potentially repeating the pattern. Businesses with large assignee populations are therefore mapping alternative travel corridors—such as routing through Vienna or Dresden airports—and reviewing remote-work policies to minimise exposure to weather-related delays. While seasoned Czech commuters are no strangers to winter, the convergence of a digitised immigration regime and a congested post-pandemic travel landscape means that this week’s snow carries higher-than-usual operational stakes for global mobility programmes.
