French Railways Issues Major Update Following "Massive Attack"

Paris:

Rail workers have successfully thwarted an attempt to destroy safety equipment on a fourth line, following what SNCF described as a "massive attack." This comes a day after coordinated overnight arson attacks targeted cabling boxes at key junctions north, southwest, and east of Paris, which had paralyzed much of the train network as the Olympic Games began in the city.

On Saturday, seven out of ten French high-speed trains are expected to operate on three major routes, though delays of one to two hours are anticipated. SNCF reported that its agents worked overnight in challenging conditions to restore service.

SNCF stated that while traffic disruptions are expected to continue on the North axis through Sunday, improvements are anticipated on the Atlantic axis for weekend returns. Passengers will receive updates via text and email regarding their train schedules.

The sabotage affected approximately 250,000 passengers on Friday, and junior transport minister Patrice Vergriete warned that up to 800,000 could be impacted over the next three days. The attacks occurred at around 4:00 am (0200 GMT) Friday.