The Paris Gare du Nord train station in France has had its traffic halted after the discovery of an unexploded World War II bomb on the tracks leading into the busiest terminal in the country, according to officials. The bomb, found during maintenance work in Saint Denis, a suburb of Paris, was confirmed to originate from World War II by the RER B suburban train line as reported on social media platform X.

The maintenance team discovered the bomb, which dated back to the second World War, at approximately 4 a.m. on Friday during excavation work 1.5 miles (2.5km) away from the Gare du Nord. Minesweepers were dispatched to the site shortly after the discovery.

Bombs from World War I and II are frequently unearthed in various parts of France, but finding them in such heavily populated areas is highly unusual.

In response to the discovery, all train services to the Gare du Nord, including Eurostar trains from London, as well as high-speed and local services were temporarily halted. The Gare du Nord, situated in northern Paris and the country’s most bustling rail terminal, usually serves around 700,000 people daily as per SNCF.

French Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot assured the public that the situation was being managed and that while there was no immediate danger, established procedures were being followed carefully. He anticipated that some train services might restart by the afternoon, but advised that disruptions would likely continue throughout the day.

Eurostar issued advice for passengers to reschedule their tickets for another day. Alternative arrangements were also made, with some French regional trains, particularly those heading to northern destinations, using the Gare de Lyon instead.

For passengers originally planning to travel to Charles de Gaulle Airport, a bus service was suggested as an alternative, departing from Opéra.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/07/eurostar-services-halted-after-ww2-bomb-found-near-gare-du-nord-in-paris