France’s high-speed train lines were targeted by multiple “malicious” acts including arson on Friday, in what has been described as “an attack on France” and “coordinated sabotage” to disrupt travel ahead of the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.
The French state railway company SNCF said in a post on X that “a large number of trains were diverted or canceled,” and asked “all travelers who can to postpone their trip and not go to the station.” By Friday afternoon its services had partially resumed though widespread disruption continued.
The operator said the Atlantic, Northern and Eastern high-speed lines were impacted, with damage caused to several of its facilities, adding that one of the acts was “foiled” in the east after SNCF agents scared off several individuals. The Atlantic line services the west and southwest of France from Paris, the Northern line takes travelers from the French capital to Lille and the Eastern line journeys from Paris to Strasbourg.
SNCF CEO Jean-Pierre Farandou told journalists on Friday that cables – which are there to ensure the security of train drivers – were set on fire and taken apart but that authorities “don’t know who is behind it.”
An intelligence source told CNN that French intelligence services are “fully mobilized” to find those responsible. The source added that “these methods have been used by the far-left in the past” but “there is no evidence to tie today’s actions to them.”
The Paris prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into the attack and detailed four separate charges, relating to the damage of state property and taking part in organized crime. Some of the crimes listed are punishable by up to 20 years’ imprisonment and a fine of €300,000 ($325,000). Outgoing French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said on Friday afternoon he was not aware of any arrests so far.
Following emergency repairs, most trains on the eastern network were running with delays of about an hour by Friday afternoon but only a third of trains were running on the Atlantic side, regional SNCF director Frank Dubourdieu told reporters in a news conference.
