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Ice in Belgium disrupts international trains from France and Germany

Pre-Christmas rail passengers travelling on routes connecting Belgium to France, the Netherlands, Germany and Britain faced disruption and long delays Saturday because of ice on power lines.

Ice in Belgium disrupts international trains from France and Germany
Photo: Tolga Akmen/AFP

Infrabel, which manages Belgian rail infrastructure, told AFP that two trains — an international Thalys service and a French TGV — had been halted mid-route.

These services were restarted two hours later, as huge crowds built up on platforms at Brussels’ Midi Station, but passengers were warned of knock-on delays throughout the day.

In addition to the Thalys route, which connects Amsterdam, Brussels and Paris, the Eurostar service from the Belgian capital to London also faced disruption and at least one cancellation.

“Traffic has restarted, but there will be multiple delays throughout the day on international services,” an Infrabel spokesperson said.

Two Thalys services from Amsterdam to Paris via Brussels have been cancelled, the rail company said. There will also be long delays on some services to the German town of Dusseldorf and to Schiphol airport.

A passenger booked to travel on a Eurostar train from Brussels to London told AFP that he had been informed that it was cancelled and offered a chance to rebook or receive a refund.

“We have a plan for winter, including infrastructure inspections and de-icing measures, but there’s no such thing as zero risk,” the Infrabel spokesperson said.

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PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS

How Paris’s Olympic carpool lanes will work 

Throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games periods, some 185km of lanes on roads around Paris will be reserved for event-related traffic – here’s what you need to know.

How Paris’s Olympic carpool lanes will work 

Between July 15th and September 11th, ‘Olympic lanes’ will be in use along certain stretches of key roads in and around Paris.

These lanes will be reserved for use by accredited vehicles to transport athletes, accredited journalists and official delegations, as well as emergency and security vehicles, cabs, ambulances and public transport.

READ ALSO Apps, reservations and flying taxis: What to know before visiting Paris this summer

The lanes will be activated on July 15, on the following roads:

  • A1 between Roissy Charles de Gaulle and Porte de la Chapelle, until September 11th;
  • A4 between Collégien and Porte de Bercy until August 13th, then from August 30th to September 8th;
  • A12 between Rocquencourt and Montigny le Bretonneux until August 13th, and again from August 27th to September 8th;
  • A13 between Porte Maillot and Rocquencourt until August 13th, then from August 27th to September 8th;
  • Boulevard périphérique, from Porte de Vanves to Porte de Bercy, via the north until August 13th, then from August 22th to September 11th;
  • Boulevard Circulaire (La Défense) until August 13th, then from August 22nd to September 11th;
  • Lanes on certain routes in Paris.

None of these roads will be closed – lanes along these routes that are not reserved for Olympic or Paralympic Games traffic are open to road users as usual.

The lanes in question will be signposted – signs, clearly marked with the words “Paris 2024”, will be in place from July 1st, and will be removed by the end of the day on September 15h. 

READ ALSO How to use Paris public transport during the Olympics

Who can use dedicated Olympic lanes?

Only vehicles and road users that have been properly accredited by the Organising Committee of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games can travel along these lanes during the periods indicated above. 

They include:

  • vehicles of accredited persons;
  • cabs;
  • public transport vehicles;
  • vehicles designed to facilitate the transport of people with reduced mobility;
  • and emergency and security vehicles.

READ ALSO Who needs a QR code to get around Paris during the Olympics

All other vehicles are prohibited from using these lanes throughout the Olympic Games period. Any vehicle circulating on an Olympic lane without having received prior authorisation is liable to a fine of €135 and possible further prosecution.

Road users without Olympic accreditation are advised to be aware of possible travel issues, as more vehicles are filtered into the other lanes. Therefore it would be wise to allow a little extra time for your journey if you are using one of the listed roads during the Games period.

An interactive map, showing routes with Olympic lanes is available here

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