Nouvelle-Aquitaine warns of ongoing rail and coach disruptions as Gironde and Landes fires damage infrastructure

The Nouvelle-Aquitaine regional transport authority (Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine) issued an updated bulletin late on Wednesday, 29 July, confirming that extensive forest fires have badly damaged power and signalling equipment on two strategic rail corridors: Bordeaux–Arcachon and Bordeaux–Morcenx. All TER services on the 160-kilometre coastal stretch remain suspended, while numerous regional coach routes are being diverted or curtailed because several departmental roads are still closed to non-emergency traffic. SNCF Réseau engineers regained access to the tracks only on the morning of 30 July after firefighters declared adjacent zones safe. Thermal inspections and debris clearance are under way; if no structural damage is found, partial reopenings could start "within days," but the infrastructure manager warns that heat-warping of rails and overhead lines is a real possibility that would require lengthier repairs. Travellers holding TER or intercity tickets dated between 26 July and 2 August are entitled to full refunds or free re-booking. Employers with commuters in the Bordeaux, Arcachon Basin and Landes tourism belt are advised to activate remote-work arrangements and allow additional travel time for essential site visits. Logistics firms routing time-critical cargo through Bordeaux’s Saint-Jean freight hub are switching to the Montauban–Pau axis to avoid road-rail interchange bottlenecks. The prefectures of Gironde and Landes have reiterated public-safety advice to "defer all non-essential journeys" in the affected sectors, underscoring that fire crews may still require rapid road closures. Businesses planning corporate events in the popular Atlantic-coast resorts of Lacanau, Biscarrosse and Hossegor should verify venue accessibility 48 hours in advance and ensure that evacuation procedures are clearly communicated to attendees. With France’s main summer holiday change-over weekend approaching, the regional authority is publishing real-time updates via its Modalis app and social-media feeds. Mobility managers are encouraged to subscribe to push alerts so they can reroute travellers quickly if further closures are ordered.