Saturday 07 / September / 2024
Paris Mayor Sabotage Anne Hidalgo said Friday that the crippling of France's high-speed TGV rail network would have "no impact on the ceremony" opening the Paris Olympics later that evening.
She spoke hours after the country's high-speed TGV rail network was struck by "malicious acts," including arson attacks, that have disrupted the transport system, the national rail operator SNCF said.
Later Friday, millions of eyes will be on the French capital as the Paris Olympics get underway.
Hidalho labeled the sabotage "unacceptable" but said it was having "no effect on the transport network" in the French capital, where hundreds of thousands of people will be gathering for the opening ceremony.
"Following this massive attack aimed at paralyzing the high-speed line network, a large number of trains were diverted or canceled," SNCF tweeted.
The operator added that the situation would last "at least all weekend while repairs are conducted."
By mid-morning, the company said some 800,000 passengers were affected.
SNCF said three arson attacks overnight had destroyed cabling boxes at strategic junctions.
Traffic on the high-speed line between Lille and Paris was stopped after "a malicious act in the Arras area." On the route between Paris and eastern France, the company said vandalism between Metz and Nancy was seriously disrupting traffic.
Traffic was also cut on the Atlantic line, after sabotage where the tracks divide for Brittany and southwestern France.
There were also thwarted sabotage attempts on the southeastern line from Paris.
Train operator Eurostar meanwhile said it would cancel a quarter of all services on its network on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, asking passengers to postpone travel when possible.
Passengers in other EU countries stranded
Commuters and holidaymakers trying to reach Paris from other European countries were caught up in the delays after their rail services were also hit by cancellations or delays.
Rodger Dalton was transiting through Brussels from New Zealand to try and watch his niece compete in the Olympics on Saturday when he learned his train was canceled.
"We're trying to figure out our next best step," he told DW. "We've got family there already so we're trying to get there .. hopefully we can get there in time!"
Jolie, a mother of four trying to get her family back home to Paris after vacationing in Brussels, saw her train delayed. "It's difficult with the kids," she said. "We don't have a choice, we'll just have to wait."
Charles, an American tourist trying to travel from Amsterdam to London, saw his train canceled due to the fallout of disruptions in France.
"We should be able to get out of Brussels and get back to London, but we're still waiting to see if we can catch another train," he told DW.
Who might be behind the disruption?
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal wrote on the social media platform X that the country's intelligence services had been mobilized to track down the perpetrators.
He characterized the vandalism as "acts of sabotage," which were "prepared and coordinated."
