Europe

World War II bomb disrupts Paris trains


A bomb from World War II caused disruptions to morning train services in the French capital.

On Friday, the French National Railway Company (SNCF) announced that the discovery of an unexploded bomb, a remnant of World War II, led to the suspension of train traffic at the busy Paris Gare du Nord station.

In a post on “X,” the company stated that an “unexploded World War II bomb was found near the tracks.”

It added that “train services will not resume until the bomb disposal operation is completed by specialized teams from the Paris police prefecture.”

French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said that train traffic would be severely disrupted throughout the day, with only limited services resuming in the afternoon. He urged travelers to postpone their journeys.

High-speed trains remained stationary on the platforms at Gare du Nord.

According to SNCF, the disruption affected metro services, commuter trains, and both national and international rail connections.

The website of international train operator Eurostar showed that at least three trains scheduled to depart from Gare du Nord this morning had been canceled.

According to Le Figaro, the bomb was discovered at around 4 a.m. by workers carrying out drilling operations near the tracks in Saint-Denis, about 2.5 kilometers north of the station.

Bomb disposal units were deployed to the site, and their operations are still ongoing.

Gare du Nord is a major railway hub in Europe, serving international destinations north of France, such as Brussels—the capital of the European Union—and the Netherlands. It also connects to Paris’ main airport and numerous regional destinations.

According to SNCF, approximately 700,000 people pass through the station daily.

Unexploded bombs from World War I and World War II are regularly discovered across France, but finding one in such a crowded location is extremely rare.

In other European cities, unexploded bombs continue to be found regularly, nearly 80 years after the end of World War II.

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