Bomb discovery disrupts Paris railway network

Friday 07 March 2025 - 10:34

By: Zahouani Ilham

Bomb discovery disrupts Paris railway network

A significant disruption occurred at Paris’s Gare du Nord, one of Europe’s busiest stations, on Friday morning following the discovery of an unexploded World War II bomb in the Saint-Denis area, approximately 2.5 kilometers from the station. The explosive was found during overnight construction work on Thursday to Friday. Consequently, no trains, including TGV, Eurostar, RER, or TER services, were operating. The suspension will continue until the demining operation, being coordinated by Paris police, is completed.

Passengers in the RER section of the station expressed frustration as they faced long delays. Corinne Schiavenato, a 55-year-old administrative worker, shared her disappointment after waiting since 6:00 AM for an RER train to Goussainville, unable to board the overcrowded replacement buses. Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot confirmed the disruption would last throughout the day, with hopes of partial service resumption in the afternoon.

The situation was particularly challenging for Eurostar passengers heading to London, as long queues formed and alternative transportation options were either scarce or prohibitively expensive. Some passengers, like Marion, 43, who had planned to visit friends in London, expressed their distress due to the halt of RER B services to Charles-de-Gaulle Airport.

The SNCF, the French national railway company, deployed staff to manage the situation, though it was confirmed that the disruptions were ongoing and with an uncertain timeline for resumption. Travelers were advised to postpone their journeys, as multiple lines were severely impacted, with services redirected to different stations. For example, Eurostar trains were rerouted to depart from Marne-la-Vallée.

This incident marked another case of a World War II bomb halting the Paris rail network, as such discoveries have occurred during construction work in the past. A similar disruption took place in 2019 when an unexploded shell found in the Hauts-de-Seine area affected services between Gare Saint-Lazare and western Paris suburbs.

The Gare du Nord handled over 226 million passengers in 2023, making it one of Europe’s most traveled stations. Despite the ongoing chaos, the SNCF assured that services would return to normal soon, though exact timing remained uncertain.