‘Hard to predict the reopening’

“The site is currently congested. The seven tracks dedicated to train parking are full, everything is packed. Trains are also being diverted to Perpignan-Saint-Charles station (to be parked),” an SNCF official told local media. “It’s a tricky situation for everyone. For the companies waiting for their goods and for us. It requires a lot of forward planning to stop trains upstream.” Normally, 10 to 12 freight trains run every day between France and Spain via the Perthus tunnel.

“For the past week, traffic has been virtually non-existent,” said Petros Papaghiannakis, managing director of LFP Perthus, the company that managing the Perthus rail tunnel. “We don’t really have any visibility on when things will get back to normal. Spanish engineers are hard at work carrying out assessments. By Friday, we should have a timeline: a few days, a few weeks, or, I hope not, several months,” he added.

Local media also quoted another industry source who said the prolonged standstill of trains has raised concerns of the reliability of rail freight, underlining also that there was a risk of losing customers who had been convinced to switch from road to rail. “Today, they have no choice but to return to trucks. It’s easy to lose customers in three days. To win them back, it could take three months… or three years.”

So far, eight of the 17 derailed wagons and 15 of 34 semi-trailers were recovered. The situation is a little more complicated for the remaining ones, as they are located near a rail bridge. This operation should be completed by mid-February, allowing for the restart of traffic along one track, according to the French IM.

Six weeks until full reopening

Six weeks later, at the end of March, the full line should be back in full operation. Throughout this time, SNCF Réseau’s workers will be quite busy. They’ll have to completely rebuild the line along 530 metres, replace four catenary posts, 1,250 metres of overhead line and a switch and reinforce the infrastructure for 700 metres. These operations will involve 40 operators and three trains.

If passengers will get replacement bus services between Cherbourg and Lison, Brittany Ferries had to think outside the box to keep freight moving. The goods, which usually reach Cherbourg from the UK via ferry and then the French Basque Countries by rail, will simply continue their sea journey to Bilbao. This service is supposed to last at least until the end of January, Brittany Ferries said. It remains to be seen whether the new reopening schedule will change their plans.

“Once the lifting operation is complete, major track repair work will have to be carried out. This will mainly concern the catenary wires and their supports over a distance of more than 100 metres, as well as the rails, sleepers and structures affected over a distance of more than 500 metres.” The track repair work is expected to take at least three weeks. The diagnosis, which is still ongoing, will enable a more precise timetable for the resumption of service to be determined, the spokesperson added. One of the immediate concerns facing Brittany Ferries is the operation to return the trailers that were part of the derailed convoy to customers.

Rail highway launched only last year

Moreover, the sudden suspension of the service could have led to a build-up of trailers at the Cherbourg ‘combi’ terminal which arrived at the port aboard the ferry operator’s Ro-Ro vessels from the UK and Ireland. But this has not been confirmed. Approached by RailFreight.com, a spokesperson for Brittany Ferries said the company was not able to comment on such issues at this stage.

Clearly, the derailment is an untimely blow to a service launched less than a year ago. Brittany Ferries had also been been aiming to increase the number of weekly round trips to six or seven in 2026. The company had outlined plans too to carry fresh fruit and vegetables on the rail highway service as well as cosmetics and perfumes. While its future is hardly in doubt, the real challenge will be to retain its current customer base as well as hoping this kind of incident will not deter other road hauliers from considering a modal shift to rail.

Steady combined transport growth

As for combined transport specifically, it has been growing steadily for 15 years, with volumes doubling between 2010 and 2025. It now accounts for more than 40% of French rail freight, expressed in tonne-kilometers. “In 2025, a new traffic flow was opened almost every month, with 10 new connections provided by eight different operators, enriching an already structured network of 60 existing connections. These services cover the entire territory.” These new ‘combi’ services made it possible to avoid 60,000 lorry journeys and save nearly 40,000 tonnes of CO₂.

SNCF Réseau said growth was fully in line with the ambitions of the Ulysse Fret programme, developed jointly with the French government and the rail freight body, Alliance 4F, which plans to invest 4 billion euros by 2032 to modernise and adapt rail freight infrastructure. More than half of this programme is dedicated to increasing the capacity of the rail network and terminals to accommodate new traffic. In 2026, the new flows will represent an increase of 2%-3% in traffic, expressed in train/kilometers.

‘Need for a leap in quality’

However, SNCF Réseau has also received criticism from a senior industry source on its service levels. Speaking at the recent annual conference of lobby group, Objectif-OFP, the head of DB Cargo France, Alexandre Gallo, said that while it was true there had been a significant improvement In train path allocations, the operational performance of the network for rail freight traffic in France was still not up to scratch based on his observations from day-to-day.

“I’m the first to support SNCF Réseau and for the work that its CEO Matthieu Chabanel and his team are doing. But the network is getting worse and worse from an operational point of view and this at a time when rail freight is showing its potential and demand is strong.” In an interview with RailFreight.com, Gallo highlighted “the need for a leap in quality to generate a sufficient shift from road to rail. Beyond the issues specific to railway companies, we are currently suffering from a failing infrastructure in France.”

He pointed to the difficulties in obtaining additional train paths on certain routes (particularly on the ‘Atlantic’ one); labour issues at SNCF Réseau, which led to strikes throughout 2025, particularly in northern Paris; operational management on the network that does not always meet required standards; and the systematic penalisation of freight trains in favour of passenger trains. “Remember, freight doesn’t vote”, he highlighted.

Gallo also drew attention to the impact of France’s ageing rail network which has led to traffic speeds on many sections being reduced. “As a result, when we (DB Cargo France) request a 120 km/h train path between Forbach, (in eastern France) and Bayonne, (on the French border with Spain) ,the actual speed is 64 km/h. This makes us far less competitive in terms of speed, our assets are under-utilised and we have to hire more drivers, which increases costs.

New investments after years of under-funding

Responding to Gallo’s criticism of the rail network’s operational performance, SNCF Réseau chief Chabanel told attendees at the Objectif-OFP conference: “I’m not going to pretend that everything is fine on the network. But there has been progress (in performance). If we look back a few years, we can see that there was a crisis situation with train paths which in no way can be compared with what we are experiencing today. We have gained more than 20 (percentage) points in the allocation of train paths to freight companies. There has also been progress in punctuality.”

He alluded to the “excellent” barometer of punctuality issued by French rail industry association, AFRA, which indicates that (only) 30% of freight trains are late because of SNCF Réseau. “This means that 70% are late for reasons other than us”. Chabanel added that the planned investments in the network after years of insufficient funding will start to pay off, enabling SNCF Réseau to offer its customers and its customers’ customers, the best possible service to attract more freight to rail.

“Basically, rail passengers couldn’t understand why freight should come first,” noted SNCF Réseau CEO, Matthieu Chabanel, during an address at a recent conference of France’s combined freight transport association, the GNTC. “When I mentioned what we had decided to do, no one among rail operators believed me. However, the fact that the maintenance project – the biggest on the French network this year – has since featured as a topic on the national TV news, has maybe given greater credence to my declarations of love for rail freight !” he quipped.

Just-in-time shipments

SNCF Réseau’s argument is that the POLT line, including the Paris-Orléans section, which is the focus of the track renovation, is an essential part of the Atlantic rail freight corridor, connecting Northern Europe to Spain. At night, it accommodates a large number of freight trains that must operate to very strict timetables, set out in cross-border agreements with European networks. These night-time services cannot be re-scheduled for day-time as they transport just-in-time shipments such as automobiles, chemicals and industrial products, as well as containerised goods.

Operational compromise

SNCF Réseau’s solution on the POLT line is a compromise which seeks to best reconcile the needs of freight traffic and rail passengers during major track maintenance. Heavy renovation operations are carried out Monday to Friday between 9:30am to 5:30pm – an eight hour-long time slot instead of the nine hours normally allotted to this kind of work. This offsets disruption to peak period passenger services for commuters in the morning and evening and also allows freight trains to operate without hindrance during nigh-time periods.

‘Balanced policy’

Braced for a future scenario where an increase in the volume of renovation and maintenance work is matched by rising traffic flow, it will be crucial for SNCF Réseau to achieve the kind of operational compromise it has succeeded in delivering on the POLT line, Chabanel observed. However, the task will be made even more difficult given that in addition to the renewal of the network, new development is also planned, for example, railway gauging work.

“This is eagerly awaited by (rail freight) operators but as we know such work has a very significant impact on traffic because it generally requires both tracks to be closed at the same time.” He added: “Implementing a balanced policy, that limits the impact on passenger transport and rail freight as the modernisation of the rail network is undertaken, is the challenge we are facing in the years to come.”

The second is a 4 billion-euro rail freight expansion project co-financed by the French State and the EU, named Ulysse Fret. Running until the next decade, it encompasses service lanes, marshalling facilities, capillary lines, digital technology, gauges, capacity and intermodal terminals. However, not everything has been settled yet with regard to funding, with some uncertainty over the financial input from regional authorities at a time of budgetary constraints, Chabanel noted.

8-12 new traffic flows, improvements in train paths

“This year we will have seen the launch of between eight and 12 new traffic flows – almost one per month – a ‘historic’ performance for (French) combined transport. What stands out is that more than half of these new traffic flows are operating from either a new terminal or one that has undergone expansion”, Chabanel stated.

Maintaining such momentum and allocating satisfactory train paths for these new traffic flows, is crucial, he underlined. The initial results for the 2026 allocation show a significant improvement on the current year, especially in terms of the adequacy rate – train paths obtained which more or less match the requests from freight train operators – which have reached a record level.

This is a result of a collective effort with operators requesting train paths which are feasible, allowing SNCF Réseau to make things he revealed. “There has also been a lot of work done to address the issue of overbooking. This has been greatly reduced, enabling us to run trains faster and with better quality.”

Private investment in terminals and longer concessions

The SNCF Réseau chief went on to comment on the prospect of private sector investment in ‘combi’ terminals. In October last year, the government announced a ‘national master plan’ which made provision for more than 20 new facilities by 2032 and the extension and modernisation of several existing ones at an estimated cost of 1.1 billion euros.

“It is clear that there is a willingness to invest in combined transport terminals – a sector that can attract private capital and which is remunerated by the operation of the facility itself.” Working with the GNTC and 4F, the rail freight alliance, SNCF Réseau has met with private investors and sees its task as keeping them onside and creating the conditions which facilitate their involvement in investment projects.

He also underlined the importance of responding to expressions of interest at new locations and being ready to carry out work to connect them to the rail network. This would happen by “relaxing a number of rules, particularly those relating to the duration of the concessions in these terminals”. An example would be the Paris-Valenton terminal that SNCF Réseau has leased out for 22 years instead of the usual five, he added.

Chabanel also remarked on terminals that have been built on land that does not belong to SNCF Réseau, citing two ”very successful examples” – the Terminal Ouest Provence, in Miramas, near Marseille and the Combronde terminal near Clermont Ferrand.

Just last week, ‘block everything’ protests across France, called by left and far-left activists opposed to French government policies, brought disruption to the schedules of around 15 trains operated by DB Cargo France. It was possible that today’s action would hit the company’s operations harder than on 10 September but a clear picture would only emerge as the day unfolded, Gallo observed. “Between the train paths that will be cancelled and the trains that will be delayed en route, it’s difficult to predict what the impact will be.”

Contacted by RailFreight.com, a spokesperson for SNCF Réseau said the national day of action was likely to lead to disruptions in rail freight operations. The SouthEast, Greater Paris and Rhône-Alpes regions, as well as international traffic, will be most affected. Our teams are currently working to adapt train paths in order to limit the impact on rail freight. Customers are being kept informed of developments in real time.” For its part, no one at Rail Logistics Europe (RLE), which groups all of SNCF’s activities in the rail freight sector, was immediately available to comment when approached by RailFreight.com.

Passenger traffic given priority

Gallo claimed that that in the event of strikes, it was customary for SNCF Réseau’s focus to be on ensuring that traffic control and signalling stations remained open at peak times for passenger trains but not during night-time periods when most freight trains operated. “Once again, this day of action will demonstrate that passenger traffic has a priority over freight.”

SNCF is looking to maintain 90% of passenger services on its long-distance, high-speed TGV network but only 50% of trains on inter-regional services. As for regional and local services, on average, three out of five trains should be running on Thursday but the situation could be worse in the Greater Paris area.

Workers at SNCF are set to be joined in their action by staff from the health, education, and aviation sectors, with unions denouncing “brutal” State budget cuts announced this summer. The authorities are expecting over 400,000 people to demonstrate across the country, while unions claim the turnout of protesters could reach one million.

Legal action

Just under a year ago, nine rail freight operators took legal action against SNCF Réseau before the Paris Commercial Court, claiming that it had abused a force majeure clause to avoid compensating them for train cancellations during strikes in 2023 .

Providing an update on the case, Gallo, who is also president of French rail body, AFRA, said: “We have received the dates for the preliminary hearings. It will be a lengthy process. Compensation as such is not necessarily the issue, what we are challenging is SNCF Réseau’s systematic application of the force majeure clause whenever national cross-industry industrial action takes place.

“Through this joint action, we are pushing SNCF Réseau to maintain freight traffic in the same way as passenger trains.”

This was in response to what SUD Rail representative for the Paris Nord sector, Anasse Kazib, described as “a clear attack on our jobs and working conditions, which would lead to a considerable loss of safety. In the case of the removal of the Villemomble signalman, the consequences are clear: management wants us to do the same job with one agent instead of two as is currently the case.”

Associations take SNCF Réseau’s side

On Thursday, 17 July, the union signed an agreement with SNCF Réseau which would include the abandonment of almost all of management’s proposals. Moreover, it would pause any plans to cut signalling staff jobs across the entire Le Bourget freight yard for the three years. However, when contacted to confirm that an agreement had been reached with the union branch to end the strike, no one at SNCF Réseau was immediately available to comment.

Alexandre Gallo, president of AFRA and head of DB Cargo France confirmed to RailFreight.com that the strike is over, adding: “From the outset, railway companies and their customers have supported SNCF Réseau’s management in their firm stance. We cannot give in to the constant blackmail of a handful of politicised individuals whose goal is certainly not the development of rail freight.

“That’s why, earlier this week AFRA, Alliance 4F and GNTC (the three largest associations in France) issued a joint statement to affirm our determination and, once again, our support for the management of SNCF Réseau. It is high time that the French rail network, which is an inalienable public asset, was no longer held hostage by such actions and that we were able to operate freely on it”, Gallo concluded.

Steel and chemical sectors to benefit

First-phase work has already been carried out over the last few months at yards in Woippy, in eastern France and Le Bourget, in the Paris region and subsequent phases are scheduled to run until 2027. “Marshalling yards are essential for single wagonload transport, an important segment of the rail freight market,” explained Matthieu Chabanel, head of SNCF Réseau.

“This will contribute to the decarbonisation of freight transport, but also to the competitiveness of key industrial sectors in our country (France), such as steel and chemicals”, he added. Single wagon transport accounts for around 24% of rail freight in France, with annual traffic totalling 8 billion tonnes-kilometres. The four terminals benefitting from the funds are essential infrastructure for this mode of transport, handling close to 80% of this traffic.

The four yards in focus

With a total of 160 kilometres of track, the one in Woippy is the largest facility of its kind in France. Its geographical location means it is a focal point for international freight traffic with Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. A substantial proportion of international single wagon traffic passes through Woippy.

The Miramas yard currently has an annual sorting capacity of 98,000 wagons per year and the potential to handle a further 125,000-142,000 additional wagons. In order to ensure the site’s long-term future and meet forecasts for the growth in traffic, an initial phase of work began in 2021 to upgrade certain facilities.

The Le Bourget yard is situated at the heart of a network handling national and international rail freight traffic transiting through or leaving the Paris region, France’s principal economic zone. It also offers opportunities for development given its available land reserves. This facility is currently facing significant disruptions due to strikes.

As for the Sibelin yard, located south of Lyon, with a direct rail connection to the Paris-Lyon-Marseille line and France’s‘ Chemical Valley.’ It is also located at the European crossroads of the Mediterranean and North Sea-Mediterranean rail corridors. Its strategic position will be strengthened by its link with major rail projects currently under development, such as the Lyon-Turin line and the Lyon eastern bypass.

“DB Cargo France is again impacted by the closure of line, again cut for more than a week, after being closed for 18 months. Since the reopening we are struggling to have the volumes from the previous years back, and this episode is not good news. SNCF Réseau is announcing to resume the operations this week-end, we are scheduling to have our trains back on track on Monday”, added DB Cargo France CEO Alexandre Gallo.

Damages also on the Italian side

Other than the issues in France, there were some flooding events on the Italian side of the railway as well. On 1 July, the railway near Bardonecchia, 20 kilometres from Modane, was temporarily closed, but has since been reopened. These kinds of extreme weather events are occurring in a more frequent and violent manner in many European places.

This area between Italy and France specifically saw a massive landslide closing the railway between August 2023 and March 2025. This development has had terrible consequences for the Italian industry and economy in general, and a great impact on the European economy as well. The situation should improve once the Turin-Lyon new link opens, but that will be well into the 2030s.