“This is a massive attack on a large scale to paralyse the TGV network,” SNCF told AFP, adding that many routes would have to be cancelled and the situation would last, “at least all weekend while repairs are conducted”.
The operator added that around 800,000 passengers have been affected – both travellers coming to Paris and Parisians leaving the city for the summer holidays on what is one of the main getaway weekends of the summer.
The attacks have also disrupted services on the Eurostar.
The transport minister said around half of services on the affected lines would have to be cancelled. No trains were set to leave Paris’ Montparnasse station before 1pm at the earliest.
“Last night, SNCF was the victim of several connected acts … affecting the TGV Atlantic, North and East high-speed lines. Deliberate fires were set to damage our facilities,” the train operator said in a statement.
Photos of the burned cables have been published in French media.
Attaque massive visant la SNCF : un incendie volontaire sur une "artère de câbles" à Vandières paralyse le trafic des TGV Est
➡️ https://t.co/Dh5YQ9FEgB pic.twitter.com/KtDZoZEDCi— France Bleu (@francebleu) July 26, 2024
“TGV traffic on these routes is severely disrupted. We are diverting some trains onto local lines, but will have to cancel a large number of them.”
Only the south-east line was not affected, as an attempt to disrupt the network was thwarted.
Also on Friday the Franco-Swiss airport Basel-Mulhouse was evacuated for what airport bosses say were “security reasons”.
The arson attacks were an “outrageous criminal act”, Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete said.
SNCF’s CEO Jean Pierre Farandou hit out at those responsible saying the sabotage was an “attack on France and the French people”.
“It’s a sad day,” said Farandou as he apologised to the hundreds of thousands of passengers affected.
There would be “very serious consequences” for rail traffic throughout the weekend with connections towards northern, eastern and northwestern France halved, Vergriete said, while rail operator SNCF chief executive Jean-Pierre Farandou said 800,000 passengers were affected.
France’s security services are now involved in the hunt for the culprits and on Friday prime minister Gabriel Attal was hosting an emergency meeting of transport chiefs.
The biggest disruption is to trains arriving or departing at Gare Montparnasse in Paris, with Paris-Tours and Paris-Le Mans halted in both directions. Disruption will continue on these routes “at least over the weekend” according to SNCF.
Services from Montparnasse on Friday will be limited between Paris and south-west France, Brittany and Pays-de-la-Loire with passengers advised to postpone their journeys if possible.
Arson attacks have also disrupted Paris-Lille and Paris-Arras services – including the Eurostar which uses this line. High-speed TGV trains on these services have been diverted onto local train routes, adding delays of up to two hours with some services cancelled. These services are not expected to return to normal before Monday.
An attack has also affected the TGV Est routes, including services to Strasbourg, Nancy and onwards to Germany.
What services are affected?
You can find detailed information on the SNCF information page here, or on the SNCF Connect app, but here is an overview of the services affected.
North – services between Paris and Lille and Paris and Arras are severely disrupted. High-speed TGV trains are being diverted onto local lines and SNCF is predicting average delays of 1 hour 30 minutes with some services cancelled. This also affects the Eurostar. Normal services are not expected to resume until Monday.
East – the TGV Est lines which include services between Paris and Strasbourg, Nancy and into Germany are severely disrupted with delays of up to 45 minutes expected and some services cancelled. Services between Paris and the Champagne area (including Reims and Châlons) are not affected.
South-East – the LGV Sud-Est line, which links Paris with Lyon and onwards to Switzerland and Italy is not affected.
West and South-West – the TGV connections between Paris and Tours and Paris-Le Man have been severely affected with limited services and delays of at least 1 hour 30 minutes. Travellers are advised to postpone their journey if possible. Norman services are not expected to resume until Monday.
Local trains
The arson attacks have targeted the high-speed TGV routes, but there may be some knock-on disruption to local TER train services, especially in northern France where some TGV trains are being diverted onto local lines.
SNCF says that just three trains per hour will be running on the routes between Paris and Brittany and Pays de la Loire with the possibility of some cancellations.
Paris public transport
Regional public transport in Paris (the Metro, trams, buses, RER and local Transilien trains) have not been affected by the arson attacks. However security arrangements for the Paris Olympics opening ceremony on Friday mean that Metro and bus services in the city centre are severely disrupted – more details here.
Road closures in the city centre mean that people are strongly advised against driving in Paris on Friday.
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What is the most severe punishment that the non-democratic young and immature perpetrators can get when (as they will be) caught?