Strikes in France - train travel

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jamesgilbert
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Strikes in France - train travel

Post by jamesgilbert »

I'm sure most people are aware of the current strikes in France, I just wanted to post a heads up for anyone hoping to make use of trains as part of French tours for the next 3 months.

Strikes are taking place on 2 out of every 5 days. On the "strike days" services will be minimal, and on some lines no trains will run. Trains that are running are likely to be very full and bikes will not be particularly welcome... On the other 3 "non-strike" days, services should run as normal.

The details of which trains are running are only being published at 5pm the day before each strike day, on the SNCF website.

If you already have tickets booked for one of the affected dates, you can transfer them to another day free of charge (but you won't be guaranteed a seat or space for the bike) or get a full reimbursement.

For more information (in French) and the affected dates: https://aide.trainline.fr/article/93-gr ... boursement
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Audax67
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Re: Strikes in France - train travel

Post by Audax67 »

For your further entertainment, the strikes also mean that train crews are being left in the wrong places to start their next scheduled shifts, so services are disrupted even on days where there aren't strikes.

Oh, and if you're thinking of flying instead of the Eurostar, you might not want to choose Air France:

http://www.lemonde.fr/les-decodeurs/art ... 55770.html
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mercalia
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Re: Strikes in France - train travel

Post by mercalia »

seems like France a place to miss for the next 3 months or so, unless you have your own car
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mjr
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Re: Strikes in France - train travel

Post by mjr »

mercalia wrote:seems like France a place to miss for the next 3 months or so, unless you have your own car

I think that's going a bit far. People haven't avoided south-east England for months because of the various tube and train strikes, although most of our train operators seem worse than SNCF in making you wait until the day itself before letting you know what trains they think will run. Just don't expect everything to run as slickly as usual and ideally re-time your travel for non-strike days.

Going by car seems an even worse idea than usual because presumably people who have to travel and can't re-time their travel will be going by car, increasing congestion in busy places.

Cycling where possible is of course the best solution ;-)
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foxyrider
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Re: Strikes in France - train travel

Post by foxyrider »

mjr wrote:
mercalia wrote:seems like France a place to miss for the next 3 months or so, unless you have your own car

I think that's going a bit far. People haven't avoided south-east England for months because of the various tube and train strikes, although most of our train operators seem worse than SNCF in making you wait until the day itself before letting you know what trains they think will run. Just don't expect everything to run as slickly as usual and ideally re-time your travel for non-strike days.

Going by car seems an even worse idea than usual because presumably people who have to travel and can't re-time their travel will be going by car, increasing congestion in busy places.

Cycling where possible is of course the best solution ;-)


I'll put money on 'strikes' affecting Calais ferries over the upcoming Bank Holidays - the fishermen will be out in 'support' blockading the port so even getting across the Channel will be a BA. The French are already carrying out extra customs checks on travellers already checked in the UK because doing everything twice helps keep us all safe - not. The ATC's will join in closing French airspace so don't expect to fly there either.
Of course it'll all be over by the first weekend in June so it doesn't affect the TdF :lol:
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Cyril Haearn
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Re: Strikes in France - train travel

Post by Cyril Haearn »

Germany is good, the trains usually run. On time
Or Belgium if one wants to speak French :wink:

I read that 'oui-bus' would be running many more coaches than usual

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roberts8
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Re: Strikes in France - train travel

Post by roberts8 »

I have changed my plans to avoid French trains and will stick to Brittany Ferries as I am sure Calais will be a target as it usually is. What a shame there are no Ferries from Kent to Holland as there were a few years ago.
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