The Paris to Aurillac night train, part of the Intercités service, faced several setbacks but is expected to resume normal operations this weekend, according to Amandine Thomas-Commin, the director of Intercités. Since its recent launch, the train has experienced multiple breakdowns, particularly on the rail link between Brive-la-Gaillarde and Aurillac due to issues with the locomotive. Passengers were forced to take a bus for this segment of the journey.

Amandine Thomas-Commin explained that the missing thermal locomotive will be back in service at the beginning of next week. Initially, there were enough thermal locomotives to operate the non-electrified section between Aurillac and Brive, but these locomotives are leased from Akiem, which experienced maintenance delays for one of them.

Despite the setbacks, 23 out of 28 trains operated as scheduled, and they have been well-received by the public. The SNCF recorded over 2,200 passengers since the reintroduction of the Paris-Aurillac night train, with an average occupancy rate of six out of ten seats. The mayor of Aurillac, Pierre Mathonier, expressed disappointment with the issues and has shared his concerns with the Minister of Transport, Clément Beaune, and the CEO of SNCF, Jean-Pierre Farrandou.

The night train, which was out of service for twenty years, resumed operation on December 10, 2023, and was inaugurated by the Minister of Transport, Clément Beaune. The commitment is to provide a daily round trip during school periods and trains on Friday and Sunday evenings outside of these periods.