Paris Olympics 2024: Know why French rail lines were disrupted ahead of opening ceremony?

France’s high-speed train lines faced several “malicious” acts, including arson, on Friday. According to reports, authorities describe these acts as “coordinated sabotage” aimed at disrupting travel ahead of the Opening Ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games 2024.

The state railways company, SNCF, reported that the Atlantic, Northern, and Eastern high-speed lines were affected. Several facilities were damaged, though one act was successfully stopped. 

The disruption has caused significant problems for travel on these lines. Many trains have been cancelled or diverted, and SNCF expects the issue to last the entire weekend. Repair teams are working on-site to fix the damage.

SNCF released a statement asking travellers to postpone their trips and avoid going to the station.

In addition, the Rémi Train Centre Val de Loire announced that their train lines would also face disruptions until at least Monday. A fire near the tracks in Courtalain, northern France, has caused further problems for travel to Paris.

These disruptions come just hours before the Olympic torch relay concludes and the Opening Ceremony begins.