Paris, France — Traffic on France’s high-speed TGV trains began to stabilize on Saturday following a series of sabotage attacks that severely disrupted services on the opening day of the Paris Olympic Games.
The vandalism, which targeted signal stations and cables across the high-speed rail network, led to widespread travel chaos as thousands of passengers were affected.
The coordinated attacks occurred in the early hours of Friday, targeting infrastructure along key rail routes connecting Paris to major cities including Lille, Bordeaux, and Strasbourg. A planned attack on the Paris-Marseille line was thwarted by the French rail operator SNCF.
The immediate aftermath of the attacks saw a significant reduction in train services. SNCF reported that by Saturday morning, traffic on the Eastern high-speed line had resumed to normal, with operations restarting at 6:30 a.m.
However, services on the North, Brittany, and South-West lines continued to experience delays, with 7 out of 10 trains running 1 to 2 hours behind schedule.
SNCF indicated that disruptions would persist into Sunday, particularly on the North axis. The rail operator assured that transport arrangements for Olympic teams would be prioritized and guaranteed despite the “massive attack.”
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal condemned the sabotage, calling the acts “prepared and coordinated” and emphasizing that intelligence services and law enforcement were mobilized to locate and hold the perpetrators accountable.
Attal’s statement was made on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), highlighting the seriousness of the disruption.
The attacks came at a particularly inconvenient time, coinciding with one of France’s busiest holiday travel weekends. The Eurostar, which operates high-speed services between London, Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam, also experienced significant disruptions.
The company canceled approximately a quarter of its trains on Friday and anticipated further cancellations and delays throughout the weekend.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was among those affected by the disruptions, opting to fly to the Olympic opening ceremony instead of taking the high-speed train.
Despite the challenges, four special trains carrying Olympic athletes, including members of the US team, were able to reach Paris.
SNCF stated that around 250,000 passengers were affected by the initial disruptions on Friday. Junior Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete warned that the total number of impacted passengers could rise to 800,000 over the course of the weekend as the repairs continued.
The attacks were carried out at approximately 4:00 a.m. local time (0200 GMT). The perpetrators targeted fiber optic cables essential for transmitting safety information to train drivers and controlling rail switches.
SNCF Chief Executive Jean-Pierre Farandou described the attacks as “highly sophisticated,” noting that specialized equipment was used to access and damage the cables.
Gerard Due, the mayor of Croisilles in northern France, one of the affected sites, reported that the attackers used flammable liquid on the cables.
Vergriete added that the saboteurs were seen with vans and incendiary devices were discovered at the scenes of the attacks.
In response to the attacks, Paris prosecutors have opened an investigation into the matter, classifying it as an assault on “the fundamental interests of the nation” and criminal conspiracy. The investigation aims to uncover the motives behind the sabotage and identify those responsible.
As repair efforts continue, SNCF has deployed thousands of staff to restore services and minimize further disruptions.
The rail operator is working around the clock to repair the damaged infrastructure and get the high-speed train network back to full operational capacity.
The sabotage highlights vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure during major international events and underscores the challenges faced by security and transport authorities in ensuring the smooth operation of essential services.
With the Paris Olympics underway, the focus remains on restoring normalcy and supporting the influx of visitors and athletes arriving in the French capital.
The French government and rail authorities are expected to provide further updates on the situation as the investigation progresses and repair work continues.
The priority remains to ensure the safety and efficiency of the rail network as France hosts one of the world’s most prestigious sporting events.
