RER B and D Traffic Severely Disrupted in Paris Following Gare du Nord Power Outage
Paris, August 18, 2026 – Commuters on the RER B and D lines faced significant delays and cancellations throughout Tuesday, August 18, 2026, after a power outage at Gare du Nord brought services to a halt. The incident, which occurred just one day after the lines reopened following three weeks of maintenance work, caused widespread disruption across the Parisian transport network.
The power failure at Gare du Nord made it impossible for trains to traverse the central Paris section of both RER lines. The RATP confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that traffic was initially interrupted between Gare du Nord and Châtelet-les-Halles in both directions on the RER B. The RER D also experienced disruptions, with services halted between Gare de Lyon and Gare du Nord.
Repairs More Complex and Lengthy Than Anticipated
Initially, service resumption was projected for 3:00 PM, but this was repeatedly pushed back to 7:00 PM and then 8:00 PM. SNCF officials told Le Parisien that “repairs are underway but are more complex and lengthy than initially expected.” Traffic eventually resumed shortly after 8:00 PM but remained heavily disrupted for much of the evening.
The incident comes on the heels of a three-week closure for maintenance work on these crucial RER lines. From July 25 to August 17, the RER B was closed between Gare du Nord and Bourg-la-Reine, extending to La Croix-de-Berry and Robinson from August 7. The RER D was also cut between Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon during this period. These extensive works involved replacing 40 switches installed when the tunnel, one of Europe’s busiest, first opened in 1981.
No Link to Recent Maintenance Work
Despite the timing, SNCF assured Le Parisien that the power outage at Gare du Nord had “no connection with the work carried out in recent weeks.” The railway company also clarified that the incident occurred in a section of the tunnel managed by the RATP.
The RATP stated that its teams were “fully mobilised” to resolve the problem. “Reinforcements were deployed to inform and guide travellers, particularly at Gare du Nord and Châtelet. Line 4 services were also strengthened to help manage the increased passenger load,” a RATP spokesperson explained.
The disruption left thousands of commuters stranded and highlighted the fragility of Paris’s public transport infrastructure, especially during peak travel times. Authorities are expected to conduct a thorough investigation into the cause of the power outage to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
