christmas Travel disrupted as Train Breakdown Causes Widespread Delays in France
A technical fault with a Trenitalia train near Vianges, Côte-d’Or, brought significant disruption to rail services across France on Thursday, December 25th, impacting both domestic and international routes.
Travelers hoping to reach their destinations on Christmas Day faced lengthy delays as the breakdown cascaded through the network,affecting high-speed TGV lines and regional services. According to a company release,”Train FR6147 is currently at a standstill due to a technical intervention on the train,” with the issue first reported around 7:40 a.m. local time.A second Trenitalia train, FR6650, was also halted due to the same intervention, resulting in delays of approximately 50 minutes for passengers on both services as of 9:00 a.m.
The disruption wasn’t limited to Trenitalia services. France’s national rail operator, SNCF, confirmed that its TGV Inoui trains between Paris and Lyon were also experiencing significant delays. The 9:10 a.m. TGV Inoui 6603, scheduled to arrive at Lyon-Perrache, was delayed by an hour and 20 minutes, according to the SNCF website consulted at 10:30 a.m. In the opposite direction, the 9:50 a.m. departure from Lyon-Perrache to Paris, TGV Inoui 6612, was running 55 minutes behind schedule.
Further compounding the issue, othre Inoui and Ouigo trains traveling to Paris from cities including Marseille, Saint-Étienne, Geneva, and Perpignan were also affected by the ongoing disruption. `.
The incident highlights the fragility of interconnected rail networks and the potential for localized technical issues to have far-reaching consequences, particularly during peak travel periods. While authorities worked to resolve the issue and minimize further disruption, the Christmas Day breakdown served as a frustrating setback for many travelers.
The technical fault, initially affecting Trenitalia trains FR6147 and FR6650 near Vianges, stemmed from a problem with the overhead power line supplying electricity to the trains. SNCF technicians worked throughout Christmas Day to repair the damage. By late afternoon, the power line was restored, and services began to return to normal, though residual delays persisted into the evening. SNCF reported that all major lines were operating at near-normal capacity by 8:00 p.m. local time,and apologized for the inconvenience caused to passengers. The cause of the initial power line failure is under investigation.
