On April 10, 2025, a significant disruption struck the Lyon metro system, halting all four lines—A, B, C, and D—due to a computer system failure. This unexpected outage began at 17:42, just hours before a highly anticipated Europa League match between Olympique Lyonnais and Manchester United at the Groupama Stadium, scheduled for 21:00. The Lyon public transport authority, TCL, announced that normal operations were expected to resume by 20:00.
The interruption of services during peak hours left thousands of commuters scrambling for alternative transportation. The mayor of Saint-Priest, Gilles Gascon, expressed his frustration on social media, stating, "Four metro lines out of four at a standstill. A perfect score." His tweet highlighted the severity of the situation as commuters faced delays trying to return home or reach their destinations.
This outage was particularly unusual, as simultaneous disruptions across all four metro lines are rare. The last occurrence of such a comprehensive halt happened on October 6, 2022. In 2024, the metro system recorded 530,000 subscribers and facilitated 519 million trips, underscoring the critical role of public transport in the city.
In response to the crisis, TCL implemented partial bus relays to assist stranded passengers. These buses were set up to serve the line A route from Charpennes to Vaulx-en-Velin-la-Soie, and for line B, from Jean Macé to Gare d'Oullins. Passengers relying on line C were advised to use bus line C13, which connects Hôtel de Ville Louis Pradel to Croix-Rousse. By 18:20, TCL reported a progressive resumption of services for lines A, B, and C, while line D was expected to resume operations from Saxe-Gambetta to Gare de Vénissieux.
As the clock ticked closer to the match, the situation grew increasingly urgent. Approximately 60,000 spectators were anticipated at the Groupama Stadium for the match, and with the tramway T3 also out of service due to ongoing construction between Part-Dieu and Vaux-en-Velin, access to the stadium was severely compromised. Supporters were encouraged to utilize shuttle services arranged to transport fans from Place Antonin Poncet, near Place Bellecour, to Eurexpo, where additional shuttles would take them to the stadium.
To further complicate matters, the previous day had already seen a major disruption on line A, which was out of service from 15:00 to 17:00 due to an accident. This series of events only added to the frustration of commuters in Lyon, who rely heavily on the metro system for daily travel.
As the city braced for the influx of football fans, many were left wondering how they would make it to the match on time. The combination of a computer system failure and ongoing construction work created a perfect storm of transportation woes, making the evening's events a logistical challenge for both residents and visitors.
Despite the setbacks, TCL officials remained hopeful that services would return to normal shortly. They emphasized their commitment to resolving the technical issues as quickly as possible to minimize the impact on travelers. As the evening approached, the atmosphere in Lyon was charged with anticipation for the match, yet tinged with anxiety over the transportation disruptions.
In summary, the simultaneous halt of all four metro lines in Lyon due to a computer system failure on April 10, 2025, created significant challenges for commuters and football fans alike. With a major match looming at the Groupama Stadium, the city's transport authority scrambled to restore services and provide alternate means of travel for those affected. The situation serves as a reminder of the critical importance of reliable public transport, especially during high-profile events.
