France’s high-speed rail network suffered coordinated arson attacks early Friday, severely disrupting travel for hundreds of thousands of passengers just hours before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
A source close to the investigation described the incidents as deliberate acts of “sabotage,” aimed at paralyzing the TGV network. The national train operator, SNCF, confirmed that “several simultaneous malicious acts” had occurred overnight, affecting its Atlantic, northern, and eastern lines.
“This is a massive attack on a large scale to paralyse the TGV network,” SNCF told AFP, adding that many routes would be cancelled.
SNCF reported that arson attacks had caused significant damage to their facilities, resulting in “heavily disrupted” traffic that would continue throughout the weekend as repairs were undertaken. SNCF chief executive Jean-Pierre Farandou estimated that 800,000 passengers were impacted by the sabotage.
Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete condemned the attacks as an “outrageous criminal act” with “very serious consequences” for rail traffic. He noted that connections towards northern, eastern, and northwestern France would be significantly reduced.
The southeastern line remained operational as a “malicious act was foiled” there. However, SNCF warned that many trains would have to be cancelled, urging passengers to postpone their trips and avoid train stations.
The attacks coincided with heightened security in Paris for the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics. The event is set to draw 300,000 spectators, including numerous VIPs, to a unique parade along a six-kilometre stretch of the river Seine. This marks the first time a Summer Olympics has opened outside the main athletics stadium, a decision made amid heightened concerns over terror threats.
At Paris’s Montparnasse train station, passengers faced delays of over two hours, with display boards indicating that normal traffic would not resume until Monday, July 29. Loudspeakers announced more flexible conditions for ticket exchanges and refunds.
Among the affected passengers was Katherine Abby, a 30-year-old graphic designer, who clung to the hope that her trip to Biarritz, a popular southwest beach resort, would only be delayed and not cancelled. “It’s my only vacation of the year,” said Abby, who was travelling with her husband. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for a year. I would be pretty demoralised to have to cancel this trip, especially when you see what Paris looks like with the Olympic Games.”
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