four hours late on SNCF line after “personal accident”

This Friday, November 21, early in the morning, a “personal accident” in Seine-et-Marne caused a delay of several hours on the TGV eastern line between Strasbourg, Reims and Paris. Many travelers wait two and a half hours in Reims.

A cold, dark Friday on a TGV line in eastern France. The personal accident occurred this Friday, November 21 in the afternoon in the Chauconin sector of Seine-et-Marne. Consequences: when cold weather hits the region, passengers departing from TGV Reims Champagne-Ardenne must remain on the (heated) train platform for hours before departing.

Travelers scheduled to board at 7:33 p.m., such as passengers at 8:33 p.m. and 8:40 p.m. leaving Reims at the start of the weekend, still on the TGV train platform at around 22.39. SNCF announced the departure at around 11 p.m. but on the classic lines of the railway network.

The train’s departure was recorded at 23.00, but the controller on board did not yet know exactly what time the travelers would arrive in Paris. A hypothetical one and a half hour journey is considered. Not to mention the change of drivers that occurred in Châlons-en-Champagne. That is, for departures scheduled at 20.33. from Reims, arrival is planned between 00:00 and 00:30. At least four hours later. The classic Reims-Paris TGV journey lasts 45 minutes, keep in mind.

Therefore, the arrival time at Paris Gare de l’Est has not yet been determined. “We were given a packed lunch containing a can of tuna, biscuits and a bottle of water, but the trip, which was planned to last for 45 minutes, risked dragging on.” a traveler said to us.

SNCF agent Réseau went to the location in Sein-et-Marne. Emergency services and authorities were called to the crash, but maneuvers took a long time at the scene, near Meaux. (Map below)

Travelers coming from Alsace at the end of the line who want to leave Colmar (Haut-Rhin) at 20:47. saw their train delayed until 00:47. That meant the announced four-hour delay.

During the intervention, trains will be diverted to conventional lines, with appropriate signaling installed, which again takes time. Without forgetting the late arrival at Gare de l’Est, without public transport it is possible, as most lines close at midnight.

Regarding the procedures in this type of accident, SNCF warns on its website that in the event of a personal accident, serious accident or death of a person on the track, “SNCF procedures are initiated immediately, meaning that if the person is injured they will be evacuated by firefighters. Judicial police officers conducted an investigation, made preliminary findings and interviewed witnesses. If the victim is deceased, a funeral director will be contacted. As a safety measure, traffic remained disrupted during the presence of the various speakers. On high-speed lines, it takes an average of three hours; on other lines, the average delay was two hours.

The exact cause of the accident on November 21 is not yet known. If traffic can resume, many travelers are also wondering about the possibility of travel reimbursement. Digital vouchers are issued after a thirty minute delay. By sending files.