Train traffic at Paris’ Gare du Nord station came to a standstill after an unexploded World War II bomb was discovered on the tracks leading to France’s busiest rail hub, officials confirmed.
The explosive device was found overnight during routine maintenance work in the Saint-Denis suburb, according to the French national railway company, SNCF. The suburban RER B train service stated on X (formerly Twitter) that the bomb dated back to World War II.
Gare du Nord, a key European transit hub, connects France to international destinations such as Brussels and the Netherlands, as well as Paris’ main airport and several regional routes.
Following the discovery, authorities immediately suspended all train services to and from the station, including high-speed TGV and Eurostar operations. With approximately 700,000 passengers passing through daily, the shutdown caused significant disruptions as police and bomb disposal teams worked to neutralize the threat.
According to Eurostar’s website, at least three morning departures were canceled as a precaution, leading to major delays for travelers heading to London, Brussels, and other destinations.
While officials have not yet confirmed the bomb’s origins, unexploded ordnance from World War II is occasionally unearthed in Europe during construction and maintenance projects.
French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot warned that train traffic would remain “severely disrupted” throughout the day, with only limited service expected to resume in the afternoon. He advised travelers to delay their journeys if possible.
The bomb was discovered around 4 a.m. by workers conducting earth-moving operations near the tracks in the Seine-Saint-Denis area. Minesweepers were deployed to the site, and their work remains ongoing. Stranded passengers gathered at the station as it reopened on Friday.
Although unexploded bombs from both World Wars are frequently found in France, it is rare for them to be discovered in such a densely populated area.
Speaking on Sud Radio, Tabarot reassured the public that there was no immediate risk of explosion, emphasizing that established safety protocols were in place for defusing and removing such devices.
