A chartered train carrying members of the European Parliament and their teams on their way to Strasbourg took an unexpected detour, landing them at Disneyland Paris, due to a signaling error. This unplanned visit to the magical world of Disney left hundreds of European Parliament members and staff with a view of rollercoasters instead of the intended destination.
The train’s journey began in Brussels with Strasbourg as its scheduled stop. However, a signaling error led to an amusing diversion. Officials on board quickly shared their lighthearted take on the situation through social media.
German MEP Daniel Freund humorously quipped, “We are NOT a Mickey Mouse Parliament,” on X.
Dutch lawmaker Samira Rafaela shared a photo captioned “Team Disneyland.”
Some suggested that this incident highlighted the need for EU lawmakers to reconsider their monthly four-day plenary sessions in Strasbourg, a journey that takes nearly four hours, in favor of staying in Brussels.
Unfortunately, the visit to Disneyland Paris was too short for the MEPs to disembark and enjoy the park’s attractions. French railway company SNCF explained that a track signaling error caused a 45-minute delay as the train missed an interconnecting line it was supposed to take in the greater Paris region. It was eventually rerouted to the correct high-speed track bound for Strasbourg.
