Commuters in the Île-de-France region face severe disruptions at the start of the week after violent thunderstorms swept through the area, with the SNCF warning that the chaos on several key lines is likely to persist for days. The severe weather, which delivered dramatic lightning and gusty winds following an exceptional heatwave, caused significant damage to railway infrastructure.
Extensive Damage to Electrical Installations
The national rail operator reported that lightning struck electrical installations in the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines sector. Compounding the problem, a cluster of around ten large trees crashed onto the tracks at Vilenne in the Yvelines department. This incident severely damaged the overhead catenary equipment over a stretch of several hundred meters.
Affected Lines and Service Adjustments
>The damage has led to reduced frequencies and partial interruptions on lines N, U, C, and J5. The most severe impact is on the J5 line, where traffic is completely halted between Poissy and Les Mureaux. To mitigate the disruption, the SNCF has deployed rail shuttles running between Mantes-la-Jolie and Les Mureaux, as well as between Poissy and Paris Saint-Lazare. Direct trains will also operate between Mantes-la-Jolie and Paris via Conflans-Sainte-Honorine. Passengers who normally use the J5 line are being advised to take trains on the J6 line instead.
On the C line, which runs between Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines and Versailles Chantiers, the majority of trains are being exceptionally terminated and originated at Versailles station, with a reduced frequency in service. For lines N and U, passengers should expect only one train every half hour during peak times on the Rambouillet-Paris Montparnasse and La Verrière-La Défense routes, respectively. Off-peak service is expected to operate normally.
Repairs to Last Until July 5
The SNCF has indicated that these disruptions are expected to last until July 5 to allow for the completion of essential repair work. The network was already stressed by the record-breaking heatwave of the past week. While the red heatwave and orange thunderstorm alerts have now been lifted for all Île-de-France departments, the aftermath of the extreme weather continues to cause significant travel headaches as temperatures dropped sharply overnight from Sunday to Monday.
