Unexploded device found near northern Paris station disrupts Eurostar and French rail services
Rail services at Paris’s Gare du Nord, including Eurostar connections from London and high-speed domestic trains, were brought to a halt after a World War II bomb was discovered on nearby tracks.
The 500kg unexploded device was unearthed during overnight maintenance in St-Denis, about 2.5km from Gare du Nord. It was buried two metres underground in an area known for wartime remnants. Minesweepers were swiftly deployed, and a 1km security perimeter was established. Despite the disruption, no evacuations were necessary.
Paris police suspended all rail traffic at France’s busiest station while specialists worked to neutralise the device. The station serves around 700,000 passengers daily and connects to Belgium, the Netherlands, and Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot assured the public that security procedures were in place, stating that while the situation was under control, delays would persist throughout the day. He expressed hope that some services could resume in the afternoon.
Eurostar urged travellers to rebook for another day, confirming that no trains would run between London and Paris on Friday. Services to Brussels and Amsterdam remained unaffected. Meanwhile, some northern regional trains were redirected to the Gare de Lyon, with TER estimating operations in the Hauts-de-France region would not restart until mid-afternoon.
