The Intercités train that left Paris at 6:57 a.m. Monday for Clermont-Ferrand arrived “nearly 8 hours late” following a “locomotive breakdown in the Loiret,” said SNCF Voyageurs, which is committed to compensating passengers “up to 200%” of the price of their ticket.
The train broke down shortly before Gien and traffic was then interrupted in the North-South direction, the following trains having been diverted to bypass the area of the incident, indicated SNCF Voyageurs. The cause of the outage was not detailed. “After attempting a repair by the driver with a team of remote experts, the train’s locomotive had to be replaced,” added SNCF Voyageurs.
During this period, the passengers were able to descend onto the embankment and be taken care of by local civil protection for assistance. The La Montagne newspaper account on social media shows dozens of passengers walking across fields, including elderly people, to be briefly restored locally, before the train restarts.
Long day for Paris-Nevers-Clermont users. Having left the capital at 6:57 a.m. in the direction of Clermont-Ferrand, the Intercités was blocked for a long time in the Loiret. The train was evacuated and then was able to leave around 1:30 p.m.
➡️ https://t.co/ni6ubOokjW pic.twitter.com/p01NXJLmru
— La Montagne (@lamontagne_fr) June 15, 2026
I manage my choices I authorize
On the way back, the train made a stop in Gien where meal boxes were distributed to passengers. “SNCF Voyageurs sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to the 289 travelers on board who will benefit from exceptional compensation of up to 200%,” indicated SNCF Voyageurs.
Oars dating from the 1980s
For years, the Intercités Paris-Clermont line, operated by Corail trains dating from the 1980s and 90s, has suffered frequent locomotive breakdowns and delays, sometimes very long, due to the obsolescence of the rolling stock and the poor condition of the network. The collective of Clermont-Paris Train Users asked Monday evening for “explanations” from the SNCF “to justify such a delay in transporting the reserve locomotive based in Nevers knowing that the breakdown occurred near Gien”.
The Collective recalls that 200% compensation is “a specific provision” for this damaged line, “in force for more than a year”: “any delay greater than 4 hours generates 200% compensation”.
Finally, the Association warns travelers that the Paris-Clermont line will experience other problems linked to the intense heat expected at the end of the week, with the cancellation of two trains per day in each direction from Thursday (traffic stop), the air conditioning system not being able to withstand the excessive heat.
SNCF Voyageurs and SNCF Réseau have undertaken to modernize the line, in particular through work on the tracks, and an order for new trains, Oxygène, the first of which should begin to arrive in operation from the end of 2027, after many delays. The Minister of Transport, Philippe Tabarot, recently reiterated the SNCF’s commitments during a trip to Clermont-Ferrand.
