FAQs
Shortly before the Olympic opening ceremony in Paris, unknown assailants carried out arson attacks on the French railway network. What exactly happened? And what impact will the attack have on the games? What is known so far.
Just a few hours before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris, unknown assailants set several arson attacks on the high-speed train network in France. The French national railway company SNCF reported that there had been severe disruption. Athletes were also affected by the consequences of the incidents.
The trains on the eastern route towards Strasbourg and further to Germany are due to run as scheduled again from Saturday. This was announced by the state railway SNCF. This also means that the trains between Paris and Frankfurt/Main and Stuttgart will run as normal.
What exactly happened?
According to the railway, several arson attacks were carried out on the high-speed train network during the night. Among other things, the perpetrators set fire to signaling systems and severed cables. High-ranking politicians such as Prime Minister Gabriel Attal spoke of acts of sabotage. The impact on the railway network on the day the Olympic Games opened was massive and serious, Attal wrote on X. The secret service was called in to find the perpetrators.
What is known about the perpetrators?
It is still unclear who is behind the attacks and whether they are politically motivated. Apparently no one has been hurt so far. There are no reports of derailed trains or other accidents that could be linked to the sabotage.
Is there any other information about the background?
The head of the SNCF railway company, Jean-Pierre Farandou, spoke of possible planned attacks. “We can assume that the attacks were planned and calculated,” said Farandou. This is also supported by the fact that the fires were set at track forks.
The attacks also kept the Paris public prosecutor's office busy. Among other things, an investigation has been launched into the suspicion of damage to property “that serves the fundamental interests of the nation,” the authority said.
Which railway lines are specifically affected?
According to SNCF, there were fires on three axles:
- the eastern axis leading from Paris to Strasbourg,
- the northern axis, on which the Eurostar travels towards the English Channel and London, and
- the Atlantic axis from Paris to the southwest.
According to railway boss Farandou, another suspected act of sabotage southeast of Paris was prevented. Employees noticed intruders and alerted the police.
From Saturday, most trains heading towards Germany will run according to schedule again.
Which restrictions is there for passengers?
According to SNCF, rail traffic around Paris was severely affected in some areas. 800,000 people had to accept train cancellations. Every second train heading east and north and every fourth express train heading towards Bordeaux were affected at one point, said Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete. There was chaos and massive disruption at many French train stations. Thousands of travelers were stranded in the stations and sometimes did not know what to do for hours.
The railway is working hard on the repairs. However, restrictions are to be expected over the weekend – especially on TGV express trains. As the company announced, connections to and from Stuttgart and Frankfurt are also likely to be affected. SNCF recommends that travelers check online whether the train they have booked is actually running or whether there are any deviations.
The trains on the eastern route towards Strasbourg and further to Germany are due to run as scheduled again from Saturday. This was announced by the state railway SNCF. This also means that the trains between Paris and Frankfurt/Main and Stuttgart will run as normal.
On the northbound route, which takes trains to Cologne, Brussels and London, 80 percent of the scheduled trains will be running from Saturday, but with a delay of one to two hours. This is because the express route cannot yet be fully used again.
From Saturday, two out of three trains will run towards the southwest and Brittany, also with a delay of one to two hours. Disruptions are still expected on the northern route on Sunday, while an improvement is expected for return traffic towards the southwest.
Are German travelers also affected?
Deutsche Bahn assumes that the attacks will have little impact on train traffic within Germany. However, there may be restrictions on trains traveling to or from Strasbourg or Paris. On its website, Deutsche Bahn advised people to find out more before traveling.
Three German Olympic show jumpers had to change their plans today. They actually wanted to travel to Paris, but because of the expected long delay, the equestrian athletes cancelled their trip. They will therefore not be attending the opening ceremony.
What impact will it have on the Olympic Games?
The route to the Stade de France in the north of Paris – where rugby matches and athletics competitions take place – was also severely affected by the attacks. However, direct restrictions on the sporting events were limited because there was no training or competition scheduled.
As for the opening ceremony tonight, the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, assured that there would be no restrictions, according to broadcaster BFMTV: “It is unacceptable what happened, but it will not affect the ceremony tonight,” she said.
The SNCF stressed that the transport of all teams and accredited persons for the Olympic Games will be guaranteed.
What about the security of the Opening ceremony?
IOC President Thomas Bach also appeared composed. “We have complete confidence in the French authorities,” said the President of the International Olympic Committee. All necessary security measures have been taken. The French authorities are also supported by 180 other secret services from around the world, explained Bach. Around 45,000 security forces will be deployed at the opening ceremony on the Seine in Paris.
Meanwhile, the railway has stepped up its surveillance measures. Around 1,000 maintenance staff have been mobilized for checks. In addition, around 40 teams from the railway safety authority and around 50 drones are monitoring the network.
What reactions are there from the German side?
The German government condemned the acts of sabotage against the French railway. “This is something that is absolutely to be condemned. Disturbing such a celebration of peace with acts of violence can never be accepted and requires the most decisive rejection,” said Chancellor Olaf Scholz during a visit to the German embassy in Paris. He hopes “that the French authorities will soon be successful in identifying the perpetrators,” said the SPD politician.
According to Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, the incidents also show “how serious the threat situation currently is in Europe and how important the strong security measures are to protect the Olympic Games.”
The SPD politician stressed: “Security is the highest priority in these times – this applies to the Olympic Games in Paris just as it did to the European Football Championship in Germany.”
Before the Olympic Games, the police and military had massively increased their presence in Paris. France declared the highest terror alert level in March. At the end of May, investigators foiled plans for an Islamist terrorist attack on a football match during the Olympic Games.
