Snow chaos in Hamburg: winter service overwhelmed in record winter!

Snow chaos in Hamburg: winter service overwhelmed in record winter!

On January 17, 2026, Hamburg will have to contend with the consequences of the heaviest snowfall in 15 years. Today, city cleaning employees are clearing ice and snow from a bus stop on Stephansplatz. The situation has overwhelmed the city and its residents. Because even if the winter in Hamburg doesn't exactly cause any surprises, the recent snowfall was a real challenge for everyone.

In their current podcast “Elbvertiefung”, the presenters Florian Zinnecker, Tom Kroll and Christoph Twickel take stock of snow clearance. Christoph emphasizes that Hamburg's winter service is well positioned in terms of organization compared to other cities, but the practical implementation is often somewhat lacking. The cycle paths that are supposed to be systematically cleared are often still buried under a blanket of snow.

Cycle paths and winter services

The winter service for cycle paths in Hamburg is based on main traffic routes with a high volume of cyclists. All cycle paths are worked on at the same time to ensure safe usability during rush hours. Different spreading methods are used depending on the type of cycle path. Only fine-grained gravel is used on structurally separated cycle paths, while wet salt is used on roadways where this is permitted by law. Hamburg.de explains that blunting grit may be used after the snowfall has stopped to increase safety.

The city cleaning winter service operations center is staffed around the clock from mid-October to mid-April. Up to 728 employees work with over 360 vehicles to secure around 4,640 kilometers of route. This includes not only bus bays and bus stops, but also countless pedestrian crossings. This goes hand in hand with a variety of application levels and spreading techniques that are carefully coordinated to keep city life going even in adverse weather conditions. The coordinated cooperation with the police, HVV and weather services ensures that the operations can always react to the current status of the weather forecasts Hamburg city cleaning reported.

Responsibility and resident obligations

The regulation surrounding winter service stipulates that residents are not obliged to clear cycle paths in front of their properties as long as they are responsible for the sidewalks. Nevertheless, it is the responsibility of residents to remove snow immediately after a snowfall ends. The deadlines are clear: the sidewalks must be cleared after 8 p.m. by 8:30 a.m. and on Sundays and public holidays by 9:30 a.m. The Hamburg Roads Act stipulates that no de-icing salts may be used on sidewalks, only dulling substances.

The coming days will show whether Hamburg's winter service can overcome the challenges and whether the city will once again become a safe place for its residents. The “Elbvertiefung” podcast will certainly continue to keep an eye on current developments and keep listeners up to date on the situation.

For further information and current weather warnings, the winter service hotline can be contacted at 040 2576-1313.