Arson attacks cause significant disruption to Paris rail network ahead of Olympics opening
After a series of arson attacks, France's rail network was thrown into chaos just hours before the nation officially opened the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Following the incidents, travelers have been advised to postpone their trips if possible. France's Minister Delegate of Transport, Patrice Vergriete, described the incidents as "coordinated malicious acts."
The arson attacks that occurred between 1 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. local time have affected several TGV lines (France's intercity high-speed rail service). Paris' prosecutor's office has opened an investigation.
According to France's national, state-owned railway operator SNCF, services are expected to be severely affected throughout the weekend after fires were set at various points along lines connecting Paris to the west, north and east. According to reports, the fires appear to have targeted electrical or signaling boxes.
The organization posted a statement on the social media platform X and said "Last night, SNCF was the victim of several acts of vandalism on the Atlantic, Northern and Eastern high-speed lines."
"I am thinking of all the French who won't be able to go on holiday today or those who will leave in worse conditions," said SNCF CEO Jean-Pierre Farandou in an interview with the French news network BFMTV. "It will certainly last the whole weekend because it will take a long time to fix ... it's a day of sadness."
Eurostar also faces significant disruption along the high-speed line connecting Paris and Lille. Delays are expected to extend the usual journey time by up to an hour and a half, and they've already sparked a slew of cancellations.
The Eurostar website is showing extensive delays across all its services throughout today — there are also at least 11 cancellations. The most affected services currently appear to be connections between Brussels and Paris.
"Due to coordinated malicious acts in France affecting the high-speed line between Paris and Lille, all high-speed trains going to and coming from Paris are being diverted via the classic line today, Friday 26 July," a Eurostar spokesperson said. "Eurostar's teams are fully mobilized in stations, in the call centers, and onboard to ensure that all passengers are informed and can reach their destination."
The rail company is encouraging its passengers to postpone their trips if they can, allowing them to cancel without penalty and giving full refunds. If they so choose, passengers also have the option to change the dates of their journey.
A Eurostar spokesperson told TPG that the train operator expects to cancel around 25% of its planned schedule over the weekend, with disruption stretching into Monday morning.
According to Reuters, EuroAirport Basel Mulhouse Freiburg (BSL), which is jointly operated by France and Switzerland, temporarily grounded flights and evacuated a terminal this morning following a bomb threat. It is unclear whether the incident was related to the earlier rail arson attacks; the airport has reopened.
"For safety reasons, the terminal had to be evacuated and is currently closed. Flight operations have been temporarily suspended," the airport said on X. "Passengers are requested to contact their airline for information about their flight."
Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, the French Minister of Sports and Olympic and Paralympic Games, said authorities are working to "evaluate the impact on travelers and athletes and ensure the transport of all delegations to the competition sites."
It is unclear just how long it will take to get rail services fully operational again, and there is no indication of who may be responsible for the attacks. This is a developing story, which we will update as we learn more.
Bottom line
With the opening of the 2024 Paris Olympics — one of the most anticipated international events of the year — today was supposed to be a day celebration in France. However, the event has been marred by a series of arson attacks that have severely affected French rail operations. The disruptions are expected to continue into the weekend, and rail passengers are advised to postpone their trips if possible.
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