This photo taken on 29 March 2018 shows a TGV (train a grande vitesse) at Lille train station. French railway company SNCF suffered a massive attack of sufficient magnitude to paralyze its TGV network on the night of 25 July 2024 to 26 July, the group told AFP and TGV traffic on the Atlantic, North and East routes will be very disrupted, a few hours before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. (Philippe Huguen/AFP)
France’s high-speed rail network was hit by “malicious
acts” including arson attacks that have disrupted the transport system,
train operator SNCF said Friday, hours before the opening ceremony of the Paris
Olympics.
“This is a massive attack on a large scale to paralyse
the TGV network,” SNCF told AFP, adding that many routes will have to be
cancelled and the situation would last “at least all weekend while repairs
are conducted”.
“SNCF was the victim of several simultaneous malicious
acts overnight,” the national train operator said, adding that the attacks
affected its Atlantic, northern and eastern lines.
“Arson attacks were started to damage our
facilities,” it said, adding that traffic on the affected lines was
“heavily disrupted”.
Trains were being diverted to different tracks “but we
will have to cancel a large number of them”, the statement said.
The southeastern line was not affected as “a malicious
act was foiled”.
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SNCF urged passengers to postpone their trips and stay away
from train stations.
The attacks were launched as Paris prepares for the opening
ceremony, with 7 500 athletes, 300 000 spectators and an audience of VIPs.
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