Train to resume long-distance traffic towards the Baltic Sea - Winter storm Leonie halts Germany's long-distance trains in icy shutdown

Winter storm Leonie has caused widespread disruption to Germany's rail network. Heavy snow and ice brought long-distance services to a halt in northern regions on Monday. Deutsche Bahn has now announced plans to restore connections by Tuesday morning.

The storm hit hard on Monday, January 26, 2026, freezing switches and overhead lines across northern Germany. As a result, no long-distance trains operated on the Berlin-Stralsund or Berlin-Rostock routes. Passengers faced cancellations and delays throughout the day.

By evening, ICE and Intercity services in the Rhine-Main area and around Hanover were still affected. Deutsche Bahn confirmed that hundreds of staff remained on duty, working to clear snow and ice from critical infrastructure.

Conditions gradually improved as the day went on. In an evening update, the rail operator reported progress in restoring services. Full operations to the Baltic Sea region are set to resume with the first trains on Tuesday morning.

Despite the improvements, Deutsche Bahn has warned that some delays and cancellations may persist. The focus remains on clearing remaining ice and ensuring safe travel. Services to the Baltic coast are expected to return to normal from the start of operations on Tuesday.