Several hundred TER and TGV passengers were stranded for several hours in the Landes during the night from Friday to Saturday after an electrical outage on the network, we learned from the SNCF on Saturday. Two hundred passengers of a TER, which left Hendaye at the end of the afternoon bound for Bordeaux, were first stuck in their wagons towards Ychoux, in the north of Landes, after a catenary break, according to the SNCF.
Around 12:30 a.m., the TER passengers were transferred to a Hendaye-Paris TGV, stopped at Morcenx-la-Nouvelle station, 40 km to the south.
Emergency services mobilized on site
Police and firefighters were deployed to support the railway operator's emergency services.
The 600 passengers were all dropped off at Bordeaux station at 3:00 a.m. in the night, with up to 9 hours late for TER passengers. SNCF apologized to affected travelers. She offered them a night in a hotel and a new ticket for the next day. In addition, compensation equivalent to 150% of the price of their ticket will be granted to them. In total, several trains and “nearly 1,000 passengers” were delayed by this electrical index, restored overnight, Minister Delegate for Transport François Durovray indicated on RTL on Saturday.
A mobilization welcomed by the Minister of Transport
“Obviously, I associate myself with the difficulties that have been experienced by users. It is always very painful. And on the other hand, you imagine the mobilization of all the actors of the SNCF, the prefectures, civil protection ( …). What I can assure you is that there is a total mobilization of services,” added François Durovray.
According to the SNCF, which apologizes, all affected travelers were offered a night in a hotel and a new ticket for Saturday. They will also receive compensation of “150% of the price of their ticket”.
