SNCF has canceled 71 Intercités long-distance trains across southern and central France to prevent equipment failures during a severe heatwave [1].
The move highlights the vulnerability of France's rail infrastructure to rising temperatures, as extreme heat can cause critical systems to fail and immobilize trains.
The cancellations are effective from Thursday, June 18, through Monday, June 22 [2]. SNCF officials said potential air-conditioning failures were a primary reason for the decision [3]. High temperatures can lead to the overheating of cooling systems, making travel conditions unsafe or unbearable for passengers.
Beyond the trains themselves, the heat poses a risk to the physical tracks. A transport specialist said that rails and catenaries expand during periods of intense heat [4]. This dilation can lead to structural warping or power failures, increasing the risk of derailments or total line blockages.
The impact is most severe in the south. Approximately 50% of journeys on the line between Bordeaux and Marseille have been canceled for the weekend [5]. On the Paris-Orléans-Limoges-Toulouse route, 31 trains were removed from the schedule [6]. These disruptions coincide with forecasts predicting temperatures as high as 40°C [7].
The sudden loss of service has drawn criticism from passenger advocates. The president of a federation of transport users said the equipment should have been replaced 20 years ago [8]. This suggests that the current crisis is not merely a result of the weather, but a symptom of aging rolling stock and deferred maintenance.
SNCF has not provided a specific timeline for the modernization of these specific Intercités lines, but the current measures are intended to ensure safety until the heatwave subsides on Monday [2].
“The rails or the catenaries expand in case of strong heat”
This incident underscores a growing tension between aging European infrastructure and the increasing frequency of extreme weather events. By proactively canceling services to avoid catastrophic failures, SNCF is prioritizing safety over reliability, but the reliance on such drastic measures suggests that the rail network lacks the climate resilience necessary for modern temperature peaks.
