Snow and Ice Continue to Disrupt Travel Across Belgium
Belgium is bracing for continued winter weather disruptions as snow and ice impact travel throughout the country. Following a cold snap after New Year’s Eve, conditions have led to flight delays, train cancellations, and hazardous road conditions, particularly affecting commuters.
While a gradual thaw is expected by the weekend, the potential for further snowfall remains, according to forecasts as of . Several regions are already experiencing significant impacts.
At Brussels and Liège airports, ground handlers reported de-icing queues twice the seasonal norm on . Aircraft are currently requiring an average of 14 minutes for glycol spraying – double the usual time.
Rail travel has also been affected. Infrabel, the rail infrastructure manager, has imposed a speed cap of 20 km/h on exposed tracks in Wallonia, adding up to ten minutes to inter-city journeys and complicating connections for Eurostar and Thalys services at Brussels-South station.
Highway operator Viapass reported a spike in minor accidents on the E40 near Namur, highlighting the widespread impact of the icy conditions. Disruptions also extended to air and rail travel in parts of France, with flights and train service canceled or suspended as of .
A nationwide yellow alert was issued on as snow and sleet swept eastwards from the coast, according to Belgium’s Royal Meteorological Institute (RMI). The warning remains in force for Liège and Luxembourg provinces until , with temperatures expected to drop below freezing in the Ardennes and hover at 2–4 °C elsewhere.
Brussels Airport advised passengers to closely monitor flight status, noting that de-icing procedures can add 60–75 minutes to turnaround times. Eurocontrol cautioned that up to 6 cm of snow could affect Brussels operations overnight, mirroring conditions that caused over 500 flight cancellations at Amsterdam Schiphol.
Road mobility is also strained. The Federal Police reported multiple minor accidents on the E40 and E411 motorways, while the mobility app Touring Mobilis showed average highway speeds dipping below 55 km/h as drivers navigated slippery lanes. SNCB, the public-transport operator, said rail delays were limited but deployed standby crews to handle points failures if temperatures fall further.
On , a bus became stuck after failing to navigate snowy conditions, blocking access to parking areas at Charleroi Airport.
The wind is moderate, with gusts reaching up to 55 km/h, and potentially higher speeds in the northern regions. Coastal areas could see stronger gusts of up to 65 km/h. Cloud cover will remain variable and occasionally heavy heading into the weekend, with a continued risk of wintry showers or snow.
For companies moving staff or goods on , contingency measures are advisable: allowing extra check-in time at Zaventem, instructing drivers to carry blankets and high-visibility jackets, and verifying whether courier services have invoked severe-weather clauses.
