The head of the SNCF French rail company, Jean-Pierre Farandou, announced on Saturday that train services will operate normally from Monday following emergency repairs to tracks sabotaged ahead of the Paris Olympics. The sabotage, attributed to three arson attacks on Friday, caused disruptions for approximately 160,000 of the 800,000 travelers expected this weekend.
The coordinated attacks targeted cabling boxes at junctions strategically chosen north, southwest, and east of Paris, impacting three major high-speed train lines. As of Saturday, seven out of ten trains were operational on these lines, with delays averaging one to two hours. While the eastern line to Strasbourg and Germany had largely returned to normal, traffic remained disrupted into Sunday on the northern line running to Lille and Brussels. The Atlantic route to Brittany and the southwest was also experiencing gradual service restoration.
A fourth attempt to destroy safety equipment on a line to the Mediterranean was thwarted by rail workers, highlighting the extensive nature of the sabotage. The SNCF described the attacks as a “massive attack” and confirmed that agents worked through the night under challenging conditions to improve traffic on the affected lines.
The coordinated attacks, staged early Friday at 4:00 am (0200 GMT), involved cutting and burning fiber optic cables running along the tracks, disrupting the transmission of safety information to train drivers. The attacks were meticulously planned and carried out by the same organization, according to a source close to the investigation.
The SNCF estimated that approximately 250,000 passengers were affected on Friday, with Junior transport minister Patrice Vergriete anticipating a potential impact on 800,000 travelers over the three-day period. Many travelers were en route to the French capital for the Olympics opening ceremony, while others were heading in the opposite direction to begin their summer vacations. The SNCF assured travelers that they would be notified via text message and email about the status of their trains.
