Date: July 26, 2024
Paris, France – France’s high-speed TGV rail network has been hit by multiple “malicious acts,” including arson attacks, causing significant disruption just hours before the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics 2024. The state-owned SNCF reported that arsonists targeted installations along the lines connecting Paris with the western, northern, and eastern regions, severely affecting travel.
Described as “coordinated sabotage,” the attacks aimed to disrupt travel ahead of the Games. The incidents impacted some of the busiest rail lines in the country, including travel to and from London beneath the English Channel and to neighboring Belgium.
SNCF announced that numerous trains were diverted and canceled, with team members deployed to oversee repairs. The company urged all travelers to postpone their journeys as traffic would be severely affected throughout the weekend.
“The SNCF was the victim of several acts of vandalism on the Atlantic, Northern, and Eastern high-speed lines. Fires were deliberately set to damage our installations,” SNCF stated.
The scale of the attack has been described by the SNCF as an attempt to “paralyze the TGV network,” affecting around 800,000 passengers. Eurostar services between London and Paris were also disrupted, causing several cancellations and extended journey times.
“Due to coordinated acts of malice in France, affecting the high-speed line between Paris and Lille, all high-speed trains going to and coming from Paris are being diverted via the classic line today, extending the journey time by around an hour and a half,” Eurostar said in a statement.
The railway company confirmed that several trains had been canceled, and repairs were underway to restore normal service as soon as possible.
