Paris-Clermont train arrives 7 hours 40 minutes late after locomotive failure strands 289 passengers
An Intercités train from Paris to Clermont-Ferrand was delayed by nearly eight hours on Monday after a locomotive broke down near Gien, stranding 289 passengers in sweltering heat before they were evacuated across fields.
Breakdown and immobilisation
The first morning Intercités of the day, scheduled to leave Paris at 06:57 and arrive in Clermont-Ferrand at 10:30, suffered a locomotive failure shortly before Gien. SNCF Voyageurs confirmed that all north-south traffic was halted as a result, and subsequent trains were diverted to bypass the incident zone. The exact cause of the breakdown has not been disclosed, but the operator stated that after attempted remote repairs by the driver with an expert team, the locomotive had to be replaced.
Hours stranded in the heat
With the air conditioning lost and no access to toilets, 289 passengers endured hours inside the stationary carriages under a blazing sun. Local civil protection teams were called to assist, and after a long wait the prefecture ordered an evacuation on foot across farmland toward a village hall. Videos shared by regional daily La Montagne showed dozens of travellers, including elderly passengers, trudging through fields. One passenger filmed herself inside the train and told reporters, “I’ve never seen anything like it in my life.”
Rescue locomotive and restart
The operator positioned a replacement locomotive from Nevers, but the operation took far longer than passengers expected. Spokesperson Stéphanie Picard questioned the delay, noting that the breakdown occurred at a known trouble spot (a change in electrical voltage near Nogent-sur-Vernisson) and that a backup locomotive is permanently stationed at Nevers. “I understand there are operational constraints, but maybe we should think about positioning rescue resources even closer,” she told France 3.
The locomotives regularly break down in the same place, near Nogent-sur-Vernisson, where there is a change in electrical voltage. It's a sector known for being problematic. That's precisely why a rescue locomotive is positioned at Nevers. The real question is why it takes so long to get a rescue locomotive there when it's not so far away.
Arrival and compensation
Once the new locomotive was attached and the train stopped briefly at Gien to distribute meal boxes, the service finally reached Clermont-Ferrand around 18:00, 7 hours and 40 minutes behind schedule. Several passengers described the ordeal as exhausting and complicated, with children on board adding to the strain. SNCF Voyageurs issued a statement regretting the inconvenience and committing to an exceptional compensation of 200% of the ticket price.
SNCF Voyageurs sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to the 289 travellers on board, who will benefit from an exceptional compensation of 200% of the price of their ticket.
A deteriorating line
The Paris–Clermont Intercités route has been plagued by frequent, sometimes very long delays for years. The rolling stock consists of Corail carriages built in the 1980s and 1990s, and the infrastructure itself is in poor condition. SNCF Voyageurs and SNCF Réseau have pledged to modernise the line and ordered new trains, which are now expected to begin entering service by the end of 2027 after multiple delays. Transport minister Philippe Tabarot recently reiterated those commitments during a visit to Clermont-Ferrand.
