France|Train operator SNCF says that delays in train traffic will continue throughout the weekend.
of Paris train traffic is in chaos on Friday morning before the opening of the Paris Olympics, say a French newspaper Le Figaro and news agencies AFP and Reuters.
According to Le Figaro, train traffic heading north and east has been stopped since 5:15 a.m. local time, i.e. 6:15 a.m. Finnish time.
According to the train operator SNCF, the long-distance TGV rail network has been attacked. According to Le Figaro, fires were set along three different tracks, which have damaged the railway signaling systems.
According to Le Figaro, SNCF also says that one “act of vandalism” was successfully prevented.
According to SNCF, its employees are at the scene of the fire conducting investigations and starting system repair work. It’s not clear if some tracks are still burning near them.
Specially At Montparnasse station, one of the largest in Paris, there are major disruptions in train traffic.
“This is a massive attack on a large scale with the aim of paralyzing the TGV train network,” SNCF told AFP on Friday morning.
Eurostar trains between London and Paris had to be canceled on Friday morning. Eurostar said in its announcement, according to Reuters, that the trains will be diverted to an alternative route on Friday, which will increase the travel time by about an hour and a half.
of SNFC numerous trains will have to be canceled completely. The company says that fixing the problems will take at least this weekend.
Paris train traffic has been reported to experience delays of half an hour to an hour and a half on Friday, depending on the region and route, Le Figaro reported.
As well as the French Minister of Sports Amélie Oudea-Castera that the Minister of Transport Patrice Vergriete have condemned the “attack”. According to Le Figaro, Oudea-Castera has called the disturbances “sabotage” on French television.
Opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics start Finnish time at 20:30 on Friday.
Correction 26.7. 10:17 a.m.: Contrary to what was erroneously stated earlier in the story, the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games starts at 8:30 p.m., not at 7:30 p.m.
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