At 07:33 on 24 September, a signalling fault at Paris Gare du Nord forced SNCF Réseau to suspend RER B and D services in both directions. RER B is the main rail artery between Charles-de-Gaulle airport and central Paris; during the two-hour outage, airport buses and taxis faced gridlock on the A1. Paris Aéroport reported up to 55-minute passport-control queues as flight crews arrived late. Service resumed at 09:40 but with delays exceeding 90 minutes while trainsets were repositioned. Business travellers were most affected: meetings in La Défense and the 9th arrondissement started late, and at least one US investment bank postponed a closing scheduled for 09:00. The incident underscores the fragility of the sole heavy-rail link to France’s largest airport ahead of next week’s national strike. SNCF plans resiliency drills next Monday, including the opening of an emergency turn-back at Parc-des-Expositions, but completion of the CDG Express fast link has slipped to late 2027. Companies with frequent flyers should evaluate private-shuttle contracts or encourage use of the Roissybus coach as a backup. Under EU passenger-rights Regulation 1371/2007, travellers delayed more than 60 minutes may claim 25 % of the ticket price; however, many corporate travellers ride under Navigo passes that do not qualify for cash compensation.
Source: Le Parisien
