Arson attacks cause French travel chaos hours before Olympics open - as Eurostar cancels one in four trains 800,000 customers will be affected with disruption expected all weekend due to "malicious acts" aimed at paralysing the system.
It comes hours before the opening ceremony for the Paris Olympic Games.
Several high-speed TGV lines have been hit to the west, north and east of Paris and queues have formed at Gare Montparnasse station in the city.
A number of trains have been cancelled and SNCF has warned that the situation could last "at least all weekend while repairs are conducted".
Stay with us as we bring you live updates.
Three lines disrupted after vandalism, including arson, SNCF says
Hours ahead of the Olympic Opening Ceremony in Paris, the French railway company SNCF says it's been hit by a series of "malicious acts" aimed at paralysing its high speed network.
"Last night, the SNCF was victim of several acts of vandalism on the Atlantic, Northern and Eastern high-speed lines. Fires were deliberately set to damage our installations," the SNCF said in a statement.
French high-speed rail vandalised before Olympic
French rail company SNCF says its high-speed network has been targeted by "malicious acts" aimed at paralysing the system.It comes hours before the opening ceremony for the Paris Olympic Games.
Several high-speed TGV lines have been hit to the west, north and east of Paris and queues have formed at Gare Montparnasse station in the city.
A number of trains have been cancelled and SNCF has warned that the situation could last "at least all weekend while repairs are conducted".
Stay with us as we bring you live updates.
Three lines disrupted after vandalism, including arson, SNCF says
Hours ahead of the Olympic Opening Ceremony in Paris, the French railway company SNCF says it's been hit by a series of "malicious acts" aimed at paralysing its high speed network.
"Last night, the SNCF was victim of several acts of vandalism on the Atlantic, Northern and Eastern high-speed lines. Fires were deliberately set to damage our installations," the SNCF said in a statement.
Summary
- A series of fires has hit French high-speed rail lines, hours before the Paris Olympics opening ceremony
- Rail company SNCF says it's a "massive attack aimed at paralysing the network"; France's transport minister condemns the "co-ordinated malicious acts"
- Some 800,000 customers will be affected with disruption expected all weekend, the rail firm says
- One in four Eurostar services across its entire network will be cancelled until Monday
- For BBC Sport's build-up to the Olympics, follow our separate live coverage here
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