On the opening day of the Olympic Games in Paris, the French railway company SNCF reported a "massive attack" on the express train network. Multiple TGV high-speed train connections had to be cancelled, SNCF said. About 800,000 travelers were affected.
The statement to the media said that France had been the "victim of several simultaneous malicious acts" on Wednesday evening. The "arson attacks" were apparently launched to damage the facilities. The train operator recommended "all passengers to postpone their journey and not go to the train station".
Train operator Eurostar also advised customers planning to travel to France on Friday to postpone their journey: "Due to a problem with the power supply, we advise you to postpone your journey today as your train is likely to be delayed due to infrastructural problems", the company told "The Times".

Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete commented on the incident via X. "I strongly condemn these criminal acts, which will jeopardize the holidays of many French people," said a post. He further said that "all the elements show that it was deliberate, everything was done at the same time." Everything points to the fact that it was actually arson."
Another SNCF source told Le Parisien: "Strategic points have been targeted. On the Atlantic axis, for example, the crime was committed just before the crossing in Brittany and the Atlantic coast, which is inevitably very unfavorable. If you have simultaneous actions on different roads, these are very suspicious incidents.” The source is sure: "These are sophisticated and coordinated actions." Among other things, some cables were "cut and then burned".
At least, according to the newspaper, an attack on the southeast axis has been prevented, says a source in the Ministry of Transport: "It was the maintenance workers who prevented a group of people who were ready to take action".
"Cnews" reports from anonymous sources that SNCF is prepared for such sabotage crises. Therefore, two similar scenarios played out in May.
Crews should already be on site to assess the situation and begin repair work. However, "the situation is likely to last at least throughout the weekend until repairs are carried out," SNCF warned.
It is expected that rail operations will not be able to resume normal operations until Monday at the earliest.