Ticker on the onset of winter Snow and ice hinder public transport +++ Over 120 traffic accidents in the canton of St. Gallen +++ Chaos on many roads

Whether sun or rain, snow or storm: the weather in Switzerland is constantly changing. The developments in the ticker.

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6.17 a.m.

Zurich public transport services largely resume operations

The "Zürcher Verkehrsverbund" (ZVV) resumed operations for the most part and gradually on Friday morning. Travelers should expect longer travel times, said a spokesperson at the request of the Keystone-SDA news agency.

Initially, services will remain irregular on all lines due to snow and icy conditions, the spokesperson said early on Friday morning.

Lines 33 and 751 were particularly affected by the snowfall, according to a statement. The VBZ advised travelers to consult the online timetable before setting off. It was initially unclear how long the restrictions would last.

The ZVV had suspended bus services in the city and agglomeration on Thursday evening. The streetcar lines only ran irregularly.

5.58 a.m.

Over 120 traffic accidents after the onset of winter in the canton of St. Gallen

The onset of winter on Thursday led to over 120 traffic accidents in the canton of St. Gallen - excluding the city. Ten people were injured to varying degrees in seven accidents, as reported by the St. Gallen cantonal police on Friday morning.

Two dozen reported accidents were dealt with without the involvement of a police patrol, the St. Gallen cantonal police wrote in a press release. The main cause of the accidents was insufficient distance between the vehicles and inappropriate speed.

Some cars were found to be driving without winter tires. The road conditions were also difficult on Friday morning, warned the cantonal police.

There were also incidents because trees or branches could not withstand the snow and had to be removed from the roads. An overturned trailer also caused a two-hour closure of the A13 highway between Sargans and Trübbach early on Thursday evening, according to the St. Gallen cantonal police.

5.32 a.m.

City of Zurich and agglomeration: no buses, streetcars run irregularly

In the city of Zurich and the agglomeration, the VBZ bus network is still completely suspended due to slippery snow and ice. All streetcar lines are running at irregular intervals. This was announced by VBZ on Thursday evening; the situation has not changed.

Passengers with a "destination/departure near a city station" are advised by VBZ to use the S-Bahn.

5.23 a.m.

Bern: some buses are running - streetcars are not

In Bern, the transport companies are at least trying to get the bus lines running "as far as possible", as Bernmobil announced early this morning. Streetcars are still not running.

Guten Morgen Bern
Wir starten in den Tag, so gut es geht. Der Trambetrieb kann aktuell noch nicht aufgenommen werden. Die Buslinien versuchen wir nach Möglichkeit in Betrieb zu nehmen. Danke für eure Geduld.

— BERNMOBIL (@BERNMOBIL) November 22, 2024

5.20 a.m.

Basel: Buses partially running again - streetcars not

The Basel transport company is partially resuming bus services today. The streetcars in Basel are still not running for the time being after the onset of winter, as announced by the Basler Verkehrsbetriebe (BVB) early on Friday morning.

One of the reasons for this is that parts of the overhead line are covered in snow, according to the BVB. It was therefore not possible to drive under the line with the pantograph.

‼️ Schrittweise Inbetriebnahme des Busnetzes – Tramnetz bleibt vorerst eingestellt ‼️

Während Busse teilweise wieder verkehren, bleibt das Tramnetz aktuell eingestellt.

Weitere Infos 👉 https://t.co/aL4nFtpfmk pic.twitter.com/sCufKxm9Ju

— Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe (@BVB_BaselStadt) November 22, 2024

After the snowfall subsided after midnight, the BVB and cantonal emergency services did everything they could to at least partially resume streetcar and bus services.

However, there are still considerable disruptions and irregular services on various bus routes. Line 42 cannot be operated, according to the press release. BVB asked the public for patience and understanding.

Es ist mit Verspätungen, Ausfällen und Umleitungen zu rechnen. --> Basel - Stadt https://t.co/JixdKG4QQ5

— Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe (@BVB_BaselStadt) November 22, 2024

5.06 a.m.

Zurich Airport does not expect any major disruptions due to snow

Zurich Airport is not expecting any major disruptions on Friday due to the snowfall of the past few hours. The runways were ready for the start of operations at 06:00, as an airport spokesperson told the Keystone-SDA news agency.

The airport's winter services had worked through the night and cleared the runways, among other things, the spokesperson said early on Friday morning. Apart from two flights to Amsterdam, no cancellations were known.

The first snowfall on Thursday affected air traffic as well as road and rail traffic. Numerous flights from Zurich Airport had to be canceled, especially in the early evening, according to information on the airport website.

5.03 a.m.

Sections of the A2 closed to trucks

The A2 between the Giornico heavy traffic center and the Gotthard tunnel is closed to trucks until further notice due to snowfall.

#A2 - Chiasso -> Gotthard - zwischen Raststätte Schwerverkehrszentrum Giornico und Gotthard-Tunnel bis auf weiteres gesperrt für LKW, Schneefall (Ungefähre Zeit: bis auf weiteres)

— TCS Verkehr Gotthard (@TCSGotthard) November 22, 2024

4.37 a.m.

Rail traffic also restricted today due to snow

The continuing snowfall will also lead to restrictions in rail traffic on Friday. Delays and train cancellations are still possible, as SBB announced on X early Friday morning.

Der anhaltende Schneefall führt weiterhin zu Einschränkungen im Bahnverkehr. Grund dafür sind unter anderem Fahrleitungsstörungen, Fahrzeugstörungen oder vereiste Weichen.
Verspätungen und Zugausfälle bleiben daher weiterhin möglich.

— SBB Medienstelle (@sbbnews) November 22, 2024

The reasons for the restrictions include disruptions to overhead lines and vehicles as well as icy points. SBB is working at full speed to rectify the faults as quickly as possible, an SBB spokesperson said.

Several hundred emergency personnel were doing their utmost to prevent the effects of the cold. The railroad company apologized to passengers and asked them to check the online timetable before departure.

According to the rail company, prolonged snowfall, freezing wet conditions and prolonged cold spells with sub-zero temperatures are particularly demanding for rolling stock.

Friday, November 22, 2024, 2.51 a.m.

Over 20 centimetres of snow in places in the lowlands

The snow cover grew to over 20 centimetres in places in the lowlands on Friday night. The federal measuring stations in Zurich Fluntern and Binnigen BL, for example, registered 27 centimeters of snow at 02:00.

In Wädenswil ZH, there was a snow cover of 29 centimeters at 02.00 a.m., as the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology (MeteoSwiss) announced on X.

Schon fast schweizweites #Winterwonderland. Praktisch aus allen Landesteilen erreichen uns #Schnee #Meteomeldungen. Teils ist die Schneedecke auf > 20 cm angewachsen ➡️ Karte der automatisch gemessenen Schneehöhen von 02 Uhr .📷 aus Basel, Bern und Zürich. pic.twitter.com/dES0xouTCz

— MeteoSchweiz (@meteoschweiz) November 22, 2024

The measuring station in the city of St. Gallen recorded 25 centimetres of snow. In Zollikofen BE, there were 21 centimetres of snow at the time of the measurement, as the measured values on the MeteoSwiss website showed.

The snowfall down to the lowlands caused disruption to road, rail and air traffic on Thursday. SBB is also expecting disruptions on Friday, as it announced late on Thursday evening. According to the MeteoSwiss forecast, there are likely to be isolated snow showers in the lowlands on Friday.

23.58 hrs

The first snow paralyzes traffic in many places

The first snowfall down to the lowlands caused traffic disruptions on Thursday. At the Gotthard, cars were temporarily unable to travel south. Flights and bus services were also affected. SBB also expected disruptions on Friday.

Already on Thursday afternoon, the Bernmobil transport company had to suspend bus services in the federal city. Streetcar line 3 was also taken out of service. The other streetcar lines were running as well as possible, as Bernmobil media spokesman Rolf Meyer told the Keystone-SDA news agency.

This meant that many commuters were forced to walk during rush hour. It happens occasionally in winter that the Bern buses have trouble on steeper sections during heavy snowfall and spin their wheels. On Thursday, bus services were temporarily suspended on the entire network - also for safety reasons. Later that evening, Bernmobil announced on X that it was "suspending operations on the entire route network with immediate effect". So there were no more streetcars running either.

There was also chaos on the roads in Zurich: Due to slippery snow and ice, the Zurich transport company also suspended bus services in the city and surrounding area towards the evening. The streetcar lines only ran irregularly. Passengers departing or arriving near a city train station were advised to use the S-Bahn.

Later in the evening, the Basel transport company also announced that it was suspending public transport services on buses and streetcars until the end of the day - for safety reasons. The weather conditions were "very precarious". Some points are icy or even frozen and can no longer be set. In addition, various gradients were no longer passable for buses. Several roads are also impassable due to blocked cars.

23.50 hrs

No getting through on the Gotthard

According to the TCS, the roads on the stretch between the Gotthard tunnel and Biasca TI were covered in snow in both directions. Driving conditions were difficult, it said. It was recommended to fit snow chains.

Shortly before 3 p.m., traffic on the A2 highway in the southbound direction had to be stopped due to the heavy snowfall and the snow removal work, as the Uri cantonal police wrote in a statement on Thursday evening. Traffic is now flowing again on the A2 southbound.

Due to the heavy snowfall, especially in the Uri Oberland, several reports of stuck vehicles have been received, according to the Uri cantonal police. The cantonal roads in Uri are passable. However, the section from Meien to Färnigen has been closed since 7 p.m. due to the risk of avalanches.

Some more snowfall is expected on Friday, the police wrote.

11.48 p.m.

Winter impressions from Ticino

Almost the whole of Switzerland is packed in absorbent cotton. In the very south too, as this picture from a reader reporter in Ticino shows.

22.56 hrs

SBB also expects disruptions on Friday after snowfall

Rail traffic in Switzerland has been severely affected by the snowfall - for example due to overhead line disruptions, vehicle malfunctions or icy points. SBB is still expecting disruptions on Friday and will provide further information at 04.30 am. This was announced by SBB. SBB apologizes to customers for the inconvenience.

According to the statement, SBB is doing everything it can to rectify the disruptions as quickly as possible: "The operational teams are working all night to restore the infrastructure. Nevertheless, disruptions are still to be expected tomorrow."

Weather-related disruptions could occur despite preparations, it said. Particularly challenging for rolling stock and infrastructure are prolonged snowfall, freezing wet conditions or prolonged cold spells with sub-zero temperatures.

Der starke Schneefall führt derzeit zu betrieblichen Einschränkungen wie Fahrleitungsstörungen, Fahrzeugstörungen oder vereisten Weichen. Für die Unannehmlichkeiten entschuldigen wir uns bei den Kundinnen und Kunden.

— SBB Medienstelle (@sbbnews) November 21, 2024

10.33 p.m.

Bernmobil suspends operations completely

Bernmobil has announced on X that it is suspending operations "on the entire route network with immediate effect".

Aufgrund der Strassenverhältnisse stellt BERNMOBIL den Betrieb auf dem ganzen Liniennetz per sofort ein. Wir danken für Ihr Verständnis und hoffen, Sie gelangen sicher und gut nach Hause.

— BERNMOBIL (@BERNMOBIL) November 21, 2024

The transport company was already forced to suspend bus services in the federal city on Thursday afternoon. Streetcar line 3 was also taken out of service. The remaining streetcar lines were running as well as possible, Bernmobil media spokesman Rolf Meyer told the Keystone-SDA news agency.

At rush hour, many commuters were forced to walk. The fact that Bern's buses have trouble on steeper sections during heavy snowfall and spin their wheels happens occasionally in winter.

21:57

Winter impressions from Zurich

Like the surrounding city, Zurich's "Christmas Avenue" not far from the main railway station is completely covered in snow. The visitors must have been pleased.

21.44 hrs

Heavy snowfall in Degersheim

It continues to snow incessantly in many places in eastern Switzerland, like here in Degersheim in the canton of St. Gallen.

21.27 hrs

Delays of up to 80 minutes at Bern station

The display board at Bern station makes the Swiss snow chaos abundantly clear. Due to the capricious weather, no train can leave the important rail junction on time, as pictures show.

21.12 hrs

Basel's public transport operators suspend services

Nothing is working any more at the public transport company in Basel. As announced in the evening, operations will be suspended until the end of the day "for safety reasons". BVB has left it open as to whether streetcar and bus services can be resumed as planned on Friday morning.

"BVB regrets the current situation and is doing everything it can to ensure that public transport services can be resumed as quickly as possible," the statement said. Further details will be communicated on Friday morning, the BVB announced.

However, the "sometimes very precarious road and rail conditions" left no other choice. Switches are icy or frozen, and routes with steep gradients are also making bus travel difficult. In addition, there were always blocked cars in the way.

9 p.m.

Police inform about several road closures

The onset of winter in Switzerland is taking its toll. The police forces of several cantons have reported that road closures are causing traffic disruptions in many places.

Among other things, the Schürbergstrasse between Seon and Gränichen in Aargau has been closed since the evening due to slippery snow.

Schneeglätte: Schürbergstrasse zwischen Seon und Gränichen gesperrthttps://t.co/7LRI2zNT3l

— POLIZEI-SCHWEIZ.CH (@POLIZEI_SCHWEIZ) November 21, 2024

The cantonal road between Kaisten and Frick is also currently impassable due to snow. There are also obstructions in the canton of Bern, where the main road between Krauchthal and Oberburg is currently closed following an accident.

20.26 hrs

Snow and no end in Uzwil SG

According to SRF Meteo, the heavy snowfall is likely to continue in many places. Even in the eastern foothills of the Alps, there is currently no end in sight, as pictures show.

20.20 hrs

Snow chaos also affects air traffic

The heavy snowfall and fog also affected air traffic in Switzerland. Numerous flights from Zurich Airport had to be canceled, especially in the early evening, according to information on the airport website. Both Swiss and other airlines such as Air France and Finnair were affected.

8.11 p.m.

Long-haul routes also severely delayed

SBB's long-distance trains are also currently running with long delays in some cases, as a glance at the departure monitor at Zurich main station shows.

20.01 hrs

Traffic chaos in the city

Traffic is backed up in many places in the city of Zurich. Due to the snow, progress is limited, as pictures show. Even shortly after 8 pm, there are still numerous traffic jams.

The public transport system has already partially collapsed. Buses have not been running since the early evening and streetcars are also limited.

7.28 p.m.

Luxury cars crash in the snow chaos

Two luxury cars collided in the snow in Hugelshofen TG on Thursday. Two people were injured.

7.20 p.m.

Snow in Ticino too

Switzerland's sunniest region was also hit by snow on Thursday. This is shown in pictures taken by two blue News reader reporters. Here for example in Caslano.

Even in Minusio TI at only 300 meters above sea level, the snow spread on Thursday, as the picture of a blue News reader reporter shows.

7.14 pm

Buses no longer running in Bern and Zurich

Bus services in the city of Bern have been completely suspended since the early evening. The picture taken by a blue News reader reporter shows a long queue of buses parked at the side of the road. Due to the snowfall, services could no longer be maintained.

In the city of Zurich, the buses are already in the depot. Here, too, the heavy snowfall means that nothing can be done and VBZ bus services have been completely suspended.

19.02 hrs

Snowball fight in the city of Zurich

Schneeballschlacht in der Stadt Zürich. pic.twitter.com/dkhyFV7lY6

— Sven Ziegler (@_svenziegler) November 21, 2024

A spontaneous snowball fight has broken out on Albisriederplatz in the city of Zurich, as blue News editor Lea Oetiker was able to observe.

6.22 pm

Bobsledders in the middle of District 3

In the middle of the city of Zurich, nothing works anymore. Bobsledders have now taken over in District 3, as this picture taken by a blue News reader reporter shows.

6.14 pm

Bus service in Zurich suspended

Bus services in the city of Zurich have been completely suspended. Due to the onset of winter, operations can no longer be maintained, according to VBZ.

6 p.m.

SBB app no longer works

The uncertain weather situation is also affecting passenger transport. And the sudden onset of winter is not only causing problems for SBB because of the snowfall on the tracks. Now the SBB app has also collapsed.

It is currently not possible to buy tickets or call up current connections. The reason for this is apparently a server problem. It is currently unclear when it will be possible to use the app again without any problems.

5.40 pm

Bern buses can no longer run due to snow

Due to the snowfall on Thursday afternoon, the Bernmobil transport company had to suspend bus services. Streetcar line 3 was also taken out of service. The other streetcar lines were running as well as possible, as Bernmobil media spokesman Rolf Meyer told the Keystone-SDA news agency.

During rush hour, many commuters were forced to walk, as one eyewitness reported. In the late afternoon, Meyer was unable to say anything about accidents and body damage, as the situation was still too unclear. The transport company is now hoping that the city's winter road clearance service will be able to clear the roads as quickly as possible.

It happens occasionally in winter that Bern's buses have trouble on steeper sections when there is heavy snowfall and the wheels spin. On Thursday, bus services were temporarily suspended across the entire network. This was also for safety reasons.

The first real snowfall of the season began in Bern on Thursday afternoon.

5.22 pm

Cars covered in snow

Numerous cars have been snowed in since Thursday afternoon and have to be freed on the way home.

The situation is even more extreme in Spiez BE. Here, an entire parking lot is covered in snow - including all the cars.

5.08 p.m.

Accidents on snow-covered roads in the canton of Bern

There were numerous accidents on the snow-covered roads in the canton of Bern on Thursday afternoon. In many cases, the damage is likely to have been minor. It was still unclear on Thursday afternoon whether there were any serious accidents.

In the Bern region, a total of 14 accidents were recorded between 2 p.m. and 4.30 p.m., as a spokesperson for the Bern cantonal police told the Keystone-SDA news agency. There were 12 in the Bernese Oberland, 12 in the Mittelland, Emmental and Oberaargau regions and 9 in the Seeland and Bernese Jura.

In Bern, buses in particular struggled with snow and icy conditions. The Bernmobil transport company had to suspend bus services in the afternoon. There were also traffic restrictions at Bern railroad station due to the weather-related track conditions, according to Railinfo. Delays are to be expected.

16.59 hrs

Passengers shiver in Herisau

Passengers waiting in Herisau AR on Thursday evening will need a lot of patience and a thick winter jacket. The trains are running late and the tracks and platforms are covered in snow.

4.47 pm

Difficult conditions on the roads

A look at the TCS road map shows that in many places, traffic is making slow progress. Although this is not unusual at closing time, it is more pronounced today than usual. The reason is the snow-covered roads, which are causing difficult conditions in many places. The A2 is partially closed. According to the TCS, a lorry has also turned over on the A2 between Basel and Lucerne at Dagmersellen, which is also causing a traffic jam.

16.35 hrs

Truck spins out - A2 closed

The A2 between Amsteg and the Gotthard tunnel is currently completely closed. According to the Uri cantonal police, the reason is a truck that has spun on the snow-covered road.

4.30 p.m.

Numerous public transport services restricted

Due to the heavy snowfall, there are severe disruptions to the public transport network in the evening. In Bern, lines 10, 11, 12, 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28, 29, 31 and 32 are completely suspended. There are delays, detour and cancellations on the rest of the streetcar and bus network. Operations in Zurich are also restricted. Line 39 is not running at all, while line 83 is only serving part of the route.

16.21 hrs

This Dalmatian pelican doesn't like it at all...

Not everyone seems to like the sudden onset of winter. On Thursday afternoon, a blue News reader photographed a Dalmatian pelican at the Dälhölzli zoo in Bern, which seems to find the snow more of a horror than a pleasure.

4.16 pm

White blanket of snow in Herisau AR

A thick blanket of snow has now also fallen in Herisau. This is shown in a picture taken by a blue News reader. Within a few hours, the landscape has been transformed into a winter wonderland.

3.36 pm

Porsche gets stuck

In Granges-Paccot FR, the heavy snowfall has already led to the first incidents on the road. As the video from a blue News reader shows, road workers had to free a Porsche that got stuck early on Thursday afternoon. Fortunately, the police do not have to be called in this case.

2.46 pm

Snow on the Uetliberg

Now the snow wave has also reached the Zurich region. A fine, white layer has already accumulated on the Uetliberg, as a glance at the webcam shows. In the city, however, the snow has not yet settled.

3.12 pm

Fine layer in Erlinsbach

A fine layer of snow has now also formed in Erlinsbach, as the picture of a blue News reader shows.

Here we go

The low snow level has reached Switzerland. In Bern, thick flakes are already falling from the sky and the ground is already white. Now the snow clouds are slowly moving eastwards and should reach the Zurich region within a short time.

11.05 a.m.

Confederation now warns of "great danger of snow"

In some regions, the federal government has issued a level 4 warning and thus a high risk of snow. In the upper Basel area and Laufenthal, there is a high risk of snow from 3 pm. The warning level has also been raised in large parts of the Jura.

According to the federal government, road, rail and air traffic may be affected. There is also a risk of branches breaking and trees falling under the weight of the snow, as well as disruption to the power supply and/or telephone lines.

Thursday, November 21, 2024, 5.50 a.m.

A "significant snowfall event for the end of November"

According to MeteoSwiss, a "significant snowfall event for the end of November" appears to be on the horizon, particularly in the central and eastern midlands and in north-western Switzerland. Heavy snowfall is expected on Thursday afternoon and evening and during the night into Friday.

Erster #Wintergruss ❄️Aktuell sind einige #Schneeschauer unterwegs, so z.B. im Raum Bern. Ab Donnerstagnachmittag erwartet uns dann v.a. im zentralen/östlichen Mittelland sowie in der Nordwestschweiz ein markantes Schneefallereignis: https://t.co/rfQq595BSQ
Bild: Meteomeldung/App pic.twitter.com/VGymM1Gy6P

— MeteoSchweiz (@meteoschweiz) November 20, 2024

With moderate to occasionally even high snowfall intensities, especially in the evening hours, 10 to 25 centimetres of fresh snow are likely to fall by Friday morning, especially in the central and eastern midlands and in northwestern Switzerland, even at the lowest altitudes, and even up to 30 centimetres in some areas.

According to MeteoSwiss, up to 40 centimetres are possible at altitudes above around 800 meters. Towards Schaffhausen and the Lake Constance region, the amounts should tend to decrease again.

In the transitional area between rain and snow, there could also be occasional grains of ice or, locally, possibly freezing rain.

1.30 pm

Direction of the low pressure system is a guarantee for larger amounts of snow

According to Meteonews, the aforementioned direction of the low pressure system with an air mass boundary over Switzerland is a guarantee for large amounts of snow. Practically all record snow events in the lowlands have been caused by a similar weather situation. The prime example of this is March 5, 2006, when there was 53 centimetres of fresh snow in Zurich and 49 centimetres in Basel. Such extreme amounts of snow are not to be expected at the moment, but there are between 10 and 20 centimeters of fresh snow in German-speaking Switzerland.

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