The picture is very impressive. On the afternoon of Sunday 16 November, a tram from line T3a lay off the rails, its driver’s cabin mostly damaged a few meters away from a bus from line 27, whose body and rear window had heavy impact marks.
The scene took place at the intersection between Porte d’Ivry and Maryse Bastié stations, in the 13th arrondissement of Paris, RATP confirmed. The cause: a pile of dead leaves that caused the tram to lose control.
There were no injuries to report
Based on the first information provided by RATP, the accident occurred at around 18.15. The tram, when descending a hill, would skid over a carpet of dead leaves, causing part of the driver’s cabin to slide.
Major incident in Porte d’Ivry: tram T3A derailed after slipping in a pile of dead leaves while going down a hill, hitting the back of bus line 27. Traffic was completely disrupted. Fortunately, there were no injuries even though the impact was very strong.#RATP pic.twitter.com/6aJ3CmZCoA
— Ahmed Berrahal (@berrahalAhmed93) November 18, 2025
Out of control, the train then hit the back of bus 27 which was just finishing crossing the tracks. Despite the force of the impact, no injuries were reported, the railway group said. Homecomers who are present in the two vehicles are directly taken care of by the respective bus and tram drivers.
Both officers were tested for alcohol and drugs, and the results were negative. They were then looked after by their management, according to the Paris transport authority.
Three hours of distraction
The impact on traffic can be felt directly. T3a traffic was completely interrupted between Porte d’Italie and Porte de Charenton stations from 18:17. to 9:57 p.m., or nearly three and a half hours. Replacement buses have been deployed in the affected sections to allow users to continue their journey. Maintenance teams were deployed to return the tram to the tracks and restore traffic “as quickly as possible and with complete safety”, RATP explained.
The incident angered Ahmed Berrahal, a representative of the RATP trade union, who published images of the accident on social networks. And after slipping, we pretend to find the problem? “Colleagues have warned, no one is moving,” he criticized in a second publication.
Meanwhile, RATP claims to have “conducted an internal investigation to understand the true circumstances of this accident” and apologized “for any inconvenience caused”.
While this phenomenon may make you smile, every fall, streetcar operators must face seasonal challenges that require increased track maintenance and increased vigilance from drivers. Full of moisture, the leaves quickly turn into “vegetable paste” which greatly reduces the adhesion between the wheels and the rails. Result: skidding when accelerating and especially long braking distances, potentially dangerous.
