If you are heading to France over coming weeks, there is a good chance you will encounter train travel strife. The strikes which bring national and local train services frequently to a standstill are almost a French byword. This time round, the strikes have been running since October 21, and caused chaos as usual.
One TGV in three for example was operating this week to TGV Atlantic destinations. All routes on this network have been highly disrupted: the high speed trains linking Paris to Bordeaux and beyond, as well as to Brittany and the Loire Valley region. Anyone heading to much of southwest France by train risks running into trouble. The strikes have crippled services to dozens of coastal and inland cities: from Nantes and La Rochelle, Bayonne and Biarritz to Tours and Poitiers.
It is not all smooth sailing right now on the TGV Atlantique network. Only one in three high speed … [+]
All of this comes down to a protest by 200 railway maintenance workers in a warehouse in Greater Paris. Their grievance: a move by the state-owned SNCF to deprive them, without consultation, of 12 extra rest days agreed to in a local deal. So, without the official nod from unions, they took things into their own hands in organizing this latest strike. The result: a 70% drop in traffic on the affected lines.
A reversal of the controversial decision has not changed their resolve. Indeed, the strikers’ demands have now widened. “We can no longer accept to work with wages close to the SMIC (minimum wage),” they said in a statement. The group added they were “ashamed to see how the SNCF plays with the safety and comfort of travelers”, for questions of profitability.
The best laid plans of holiday makers are of little concern to the SNCF. Nor to the RATP which manages Paris Metro, bus and suburban train lines. The strikes have timed in nicely with the All Saints’ school break in France, from October 19 to November 3. The situation is set to improve somewhat for the All Saints’ Day long weekend, just underway. Eight in ten TGV trains will operate between Paris and western and southwestern France.
A railway worker speaks with press outside the headquarters of the state-owned SNCF about the … [+]
But now a host of strikes leading up to Christmas are being forecast. From November 4, a priority will be put on peak hour trains according to France Info. Just when commuters thought it was safe to go back to the French train station however, another strike–against pension reform–is planned on December 5th, and will hit both the RATP and SNCF. Through to December 5, “some railway workers have suggested that other ‘wildcat strikes’ could take place,” the station reports.
Media stories proliferate right now offering tips to locals on “how to survive the strikes”. What can uninitiated visitors do to limit the damage inflicted by the fickle French rail system?
1) Make Sure You Know In Advance
Check traffic status on the SNCF website. Or, as the national rail itself calls it, check for potential “disruption information”. Its Traffic Information website shows both national and suburban Île-de-France lines in its network. For Paris Metro and RER, check traffic info on the RATP’s website.
2) Download the SNCF App
If you are around for a while, or even a few days, it’s worthwhile downloading the App available fully in English. The SNCF will notify you by SMS or email of delays and cancellations.
3) Ask For A Refund
If you have booked ahead, on a TGV or Intercités (intercity ) train that is cancelled, also check online for cancellation and refund policies.
4) Look To The Alternatives
During the train strikes, BlaBlaCar has a field day reminding French commuters to “think carpooling”. The company also offers bus trips to some 300 destinations, having recently purchased Ouibus–ironically from the SNCF.
Other than that, you are in France. And as frustrating as it is, train strikes are almost impossible to avoid. They generally occur on a weekly or monthly basis, and are, alas, pretty much as French as a baguette or Camembert.
