The Gare du Nord is to undergo a €55 million makeover before the Olympics ©ITG

A Parisian railway station set to be a major thoroughfare for visitors to the 2023 Rugby World Cup and Paris 2024 Olympics has been criticised in a leaked report.

Criticisms have been made about structural and infrastructure shortcomings at the Gare du Nord, the terminal used for the Eurostar service.

French railway authority SNCF have described the 120 page report, details of which appeared in the French daily Le Parisien as "malicious."

The dossier outlined concerns over a potential fire hazard on the boarding bridge for the Eurostar service, concrete slabs falling on to Eurostar tracks and possible collapse of Transilien overground commuter lines on to the Reseau Express regional commuter service below. 

The Gare du Nord is a major terminal for Eurostar and intercity trains ©ITG
The Gare du Nord is a major terminal for Eurostar and intercity trains ©ITG

The station is expected to receive a limited makeover costing €55 million (£48.4 million/$58.3 million) to be ready in time for the Rugby World Cup in September.

This was described as a "quick adaptation," by SNCF.

Originally a more ambitious project with an initial budget of €500 million (£440 million/$530 million) had been agreed.

This was due to have tripled the size of the station but the plan was shelved in 2021 as estimates of the cost for the project spiralled.

The station had long been criticised for its shabby appearance and considered a haven for pickpockets.