A high-speed train of French railway company SNCF travels at low speed on the Bordeaux-Paris route in Chartres, northern France, July 26, 2024, this scene after the resumption of high-speed train services on the line between Paris and Bordeaux following suspected acts of sabotage on the country’s rail network ahead of the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. France’s rail network was paralysed by coordinated acts of sabotage that halted most of its high-speed train services just hours before the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics. French rail operator SNCF said three arson incidents occurred during the night.
French railway company SNCF said on Saturday it had made progress in partially restoring high-speed train services after three major rail lines were disrupted by acts of sabotage ahead of the Olympic Games opening ceremony on the River Seine on Friday night.
SNCF said its agents worked overnight in adverse weather conditions to improve TGV traffic from the north, east and west to Paris. By Saturday morning, normal service had resumed on the eastern high-speed line.
“On average, seven out of 10 trains on the north, Brittany and south-west high-speed lines will be delayed by one to two hours,” SNCF said.
The company said traffic on the northern axis will remain disrupted on Sunday, but conditions on the Atlantic axis are expected to improve in time for a return over the weekend. Customers are being contacted via text message and email to confirm their trains are running.
Despite the disruptions, the SNCF said all transport arrangements for Olympic teams and accredited personnel would continue as planned.
The incidents of vandalism have raised concerns about security as Paris hosts the Olympics. French authorities are actively investigating, but say no suspects have yet been identified or arrested.