Electrical Fault Causes Major TGV Delays South of Bordeaux

High-speed train services in southwestern France faced severe disruptions on Thursday evening and into Friday morning following an electrical power failure. The incident, which occurred in the Ychoux sector south of Bordeaux, impacted TGV INOUI and OUIGO services operating between Bordeaux and Hendaye, Tarbes, and Arcachon.

Two TGV trains traveling to Paris experienced exceptionally long delays. The TGV 8544, which departed Hendaye at 4 p.m. Thursday, was not scheduled to arrive in Paris until 8:30 a.m. Friday, accumulating a delay of 11.5 hours. This train was only able to leave Bordeaux at 2 a.m. Friday and faced further delays as it had to travel on the classic line between Bordeaux and Paris due to overnight work on the high-speed line.

Similarly, the TGV 8584, which left Tarbes at 4:32 p.m. Thursday and was likely coupled with the first train, encountered the same issues, facing a delay of approximately 10.5 hours. Passengers on these routes endured a difficult overnight journey.

SNCF Voyageurs indicated that significant delays, service modifications, and cancellations were anticipated. However, the company expressed confidence in a normal resumption of services by early afternoon Friday. Teams from SNCF Réseau are actively engaged in repair work to resolve the electrical supply issue.