A World War II bomb discovered in Saint-Denis, just north of Paris, has caused significant disruptions in the city. Transport services, including the RER B and D lines, are halted, with long-distance trains at Gare du Nord canceled. Road traffic is also affected, with sections of the Paris ring road and A1 motorway closed. Access to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport is limited, although the Roissy Bus is operating free of charge. Demining efforts are ongoing, delaying service restoration.
Bomb Discovery Causes Major Disruptions in Paris
A World War II-era bomb has created significant chaos in the heart of the French capital this Friday, March 7. Discovered late Thursday night at a construction site in Saint-Denis, just north of Paris, the 80-year-old shell is situated near busy tracks and roadways that are essential for daily commuters, leading to serious traffic complications.
Transport Services Severely Affected
From the break of dawn, operations on the RER B and D lines, which run through the Gare du Nord, have been halted. The northern segment of the RER B is currently restricted to Aulnay-sous-Bois, while the RER D has been cut off from proceeding south of the Stade de France station. Additionally, the K and H lines of the Transilien, which also operate from the Gare du Nord, are experiencing complete disruption. These lines now either start or end at Aulnay-sous-Bois and Saint-Denis. Fortunately, the RER E, which approaches Gare du Nord via Magenta, continues to run as scheduled.
As for the restoration of services in time for the evening rush hour, hopes are dwindling. Earlier today, Minister of Transport Philippe Tabarot expressed optimism for a gradual traffic resumption by 4 PM. However, the demining process is lengthy. According to SNCF, no services are expected to resume until later in the evening, and disruptions are anticipated to last throughout the day.
Long-distance train travel to northern France is currently fraught with challenges. Since this morning, the Gare du Nord has seen no arrivals or departures of long-distance trains, resulting in widespread cancellations of TGV, Intercités, and TER services. Nevertheless, some TGV InOui trains to and from Lille, Dunkirk, or Boulogne-sur-Mer are still operational, departing from the Gare de Lyon, located a few kilometers south.
Meanwhile, Eurostar has suspended its entire French network for the day, impacting routes to the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany. The company has announced it will resume services between Paris and London, as well as Paris and Brussels on Saturday. They plan to operate two additional trains: one from London to Paris in the morning and another from Paris to London in the afternoon, as stated in their communication to AFP.
In addition to rail disruptions, road traffic has also been affected. The police prefecture has announced the closure of specific sections of the Paris ring road and the A1 motorway near the bomb site. The ring road is closed between “Porte d’Aubervilliers and Porte de Clignancourt,” and the A1 is shut down between “Porte de la Chapelle and the ramp to the A86” until further notice.
Traveling to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport has also become a challenging task. With the A1 motorway and RER B line unavailable, access to the airport is limited. Fortunately, the Roissy Bus, which typically departs from Opéra in the city center, is currently available to all travelers “at no additional charge.” Alternatively, travelers can take the RER B from Aulnay-sous-Bois to reach the airport.