People from the Netherlands travelling to Paris for the opening of the Olympic Games on Friday face longer journeys following overnight sabotage on several sections of the French high-speed railway system.

Eurostar trains between Paris and the Netherlands are taking up to 90 minutes longer after being diverted to old, slower tracks while the damage is repaired, news website Nu.nl said. The problems are likely to last all weekend.

French train company SNCF says that 800,000 customers have been affected and it is looking at mobilising hundreds of personnel to fix the network as quickly as possible.

The problems affect the Atlantique, Nord and Est lines of the TGV network.

The games will be formally opened on Friday night with prime minister Dick Schoof, the king, queen and three princesses in attendance.

Schoof is reportedly flying out to Paris for the opening ceremony because it fits in better with his schedule, while the royals will break off their Greek holiday to be there.