The first weekend of 2026 has been plunged into travel chaos across the United Kingdom as a severe weather warning from the Met Office disrupts millions of journeys. With a "risk to life" alert in place due to snow and ice, the nation's transport network is facing significant strain on roads, railways, and at airports.
Air Travel Grounded by Amsterdam Snow
Air passengers are facing widespread cancellations, particularly on routes to and from Amsterdam's Schiphol airport. KLM grounded dozens of UK flights on Friday and has cancelled at least 40 more on Saturday 3 January. Affected UK airports include Aberdeen, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Heathrow, Humberside, Leeds Bradford, London City, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich, and Teesside.
Budget carrier easyJet has also scrapped 20 Saturday flights between the UK and Amsterdam, impacting services from Bristol, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Luton, Manchester, Southend, and Stansted. British Airways has cancelled round-trips from both Heathrow and London City.
The disruption comes during one of the busiest travel periods of the year. Analysts at Cirium report that 42,046 flights with 7.8 million seats were scheduled to depart UK airports during the festive period from 19 December to 4 January. Major hubs like London Heathrow, Birmingham, and Manchester are expecting record passenger numbers, with Sunday 4 January predicted to see a particular surge.
Rail Network Crippled by Weather and Engineering
On the railways, a combination of severe weather and planned engineering work is causing major dislocation for travellers. The West Coast Main Line, a vital artery connecting London with the North West and Scotland, is closed in multiple critical locations.
A key junction at Hanslope is being replaced, closing the line between Milton Keynes and Rugby until 4 January, with rail replacement buses in operation. Further north in Cumbria, the line will remain shut until 15 January to allow replacement of a bridge over the M6. Avanti West Coast is diverting some services via the scenic Settle-Carlisle Railway.
Network Rail has warned that snow and ice can block points, coat power rails, and create dangerous icicles. The northernmost line from Inverness to Wick and Thurso is currently blocked. Passengers between Scotland and London are being urged to use the East Coast Main Line via London King's Cross instead.
Road and Ferry Disruption Adds to Woes
Motorists are also facing significant closures. The M6 in Cumbria is closed between junctions 39 and 40 over the weekend, with the same closure planned for 9-12 January. The M27 in Hampshire is also shut until 4am on 4 January. Traffic is expected to build significantly ahead of the return to work on Monday 5 January, with congestion hotspots anticipated on the M25, M4, M5, M6, and M60.
In Scotland, Caledonian MacBrayne ferry services are disrupted due to the severe weather, with cancellations affecting routes including Ullapool to Stornoway and some Ardrossan to Brodick sailings. However, cross-Channel services from Dover to Calais and Dunkirk are running normally, with port authorities advising drivers not to arrive more than two hours early.
As the UK braces for the return to work and school, travellers are being urged to check the latest information with their transport operators before setting out, with further updates expected throughout the weekend.
