TGV InOui 6177 came to a halt amid soaring temperatures approaching 30 degrees Celsius, trapping passengers inside increasingly stifling carriages before railway staff eventually allowed them to step onto the tracks for safety reasons. Emergency responders, including firefighters and gendarmes, were deployed to the scene and distributed water to distressed passengers as temperatures continued to rise.
The disruption unfolded as France experienced unusually intense early-summer heat, with several regions recording exceptionally high temperatures over the weekend. Paris registered 31.9 degrees Celsius, marking one of the hottest May periods in recent years and intensifying concerns over transport infrastructure resilience during extreme weather conditions.
🔴 🚄 Coup de chaud dans les trains. Des passagers ont souffert dans un Paris Nice, immobilisés sur les voies en plein soleil pendant près de 4h. Les voitures n'étaient pas climatisées. Les passagers ont dû descendre du train pour pouvoir respirer. #JT20H pic.twitter.com/VRd4CLv41O
— Le20h-France Télévisions (@le20hfrancetele) May 25, 2026
After remaining immobilised for several hours, the train was eventually rescued by a diesel locomotive and continued its journey to the French Riviera. The delayed service finally arrived in Nice more than seven hours behind schedule, causing severe inconvenience for travellers.
The incident rapidly gained attention online, where social media users compared the disruption to railway operations in India, often regarded as more accustomed to operating under intense heat conditions. However, critics argued that such comparisons ignored significant differences in climate adaptation, infrastructure design, and operational standards between the two countries.
French national railway operator SNCF confirmed that compensation and refunds would be provided to affected passengers in line with existing delay policies for long-distance rail services.
The incident has intensified scrutiny of France’s transport systems as rising temperatures and increasingly frequent heatwaves place additional pressure on critical infrastructure, raising broader concerns about passenger safety and operational preparedness during extreme weather events.
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