SHARE
COPY LINK

SNCF

Commuters in Paris urged to avoid trains as two-day rail strike begins

Paris commuters are urged to avoid travelling into the capital by train in the run up to the weekend, with regular RER and regional Transilien services cut by third, on average, due to a two-day strike.

Stationary French Transilien regional railway network trains
Photo: Eric Piermont / AFP

The CGT-Cheminots union issued a strike notice for Thursday, December 16th and Friday, December 17th, in protest at what one rail worker at Gare du Nord described as ‘excess pressure on station positions: ticket agents, information points’.

“For Thursday, December 16, we recommend that travellers limit their trips as much as possible, with an average of 2 out of 3 trains running,” SNCF said in a statement.

RER traffic forecasts for Thursday are as follows: 

RER A: normal service;

RER B: Three out of four trains will operate;

RER C: One train in three is expected to run;

RER D: 1 train out of 3 with bus between Corbeil-Malesherbes, Corbeil-Melun and Corbeil-Juvisy via Ris-Orangis. No RER D between Gare-de-Lyon and Châtelet-les-Halles. A replacement bus service has been set up between Corbeil-Essonnes and Juvisy via Ris-Orangis, between Corbeil Essonnes and Malesherbes and between Corbeil-Essonnes and Melun.

RER E: One train in two will be cancelled.

For up-to-date information on RER services in the capital, click HERE

Meanwhile, Transilien rail services will be “highly disturbed” on line R, “very disturbed” on lines N and U, and “disturbed” on lines H and P, SNCF said. 

The travel forecast is as follows:

Line H:Two out of three trains will operate. A replacement bus service has been set up between Creil and Pontoise;

Lines J and L: normal service;

Line P: Four trains out of five will run on average;

Line R: One scheduled service in three will run on average. A replacement bus service has been set up between Melun and Montereau via Héricy;

Lines N and U: One train in two will be cancelled;

Tramway T11: Trams will run every 23 minutes;

T4: normal service.

For up-to-date information on Transilien services, click HERE

RATP networks except RER B, which it runs in partnership with SNCF, are unaffected.

Arnaud Bertrand, president of the association Plus de Trains which campaigns for improved rail services, called on travellers who can telecommute to do so. “We’ll need to leave room for employees who can’t do anything else but go to their workplace,” he told Le Parisien.

“This strike comes at a time when Île-de-France mobilités is still operating a reduced service due to the health crisis.”

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

TRAVEL NEWS

The key French autoroutes to avoid during France’s long May holiday weekend

If you are planning to drive in France over the long Ascension weekend, then here are some motorways to avoid.

The key French autoroutes to avoid during France's long May holiday weekend

Workers in France have the rare opportunity this week to enjoy two back-to-back public holidays – VE Day on Wednesday and Ascension on Thursday.

As a result, French motorways will be more crowded than usual, with many people planning to take advantage of the days off to build themselves a long weekend. 

READ MORE: Travel, events, closures: What to expect over France’s double public holiday this week

In terms of traffic, roads will be particularly congested on Tuesday and Sunday, and to a lesser extent on Wednesday and Saturday, according to French traffic watchdog Bison Futé.

Here are motorways you should avoid:

The A13

As a reminder, part of the A13 motorway has been closed for works between Paris and Vaucresson, in the Hauts-de-Seine département, and it is not expected to reopen until Friday morning.

Motorists looking to get to and from Normandy from the capital region are advised to take the A14, A15 or N12 instead.

Along other parts of the motorway, there will also be slowdowns;

Wednesday – Avoid it between Orgeval and Rouen from 10 am to 5pm and between Rouen and Caen between 11am and 1pm.

Sunday – Avoid it  between Caen and Paris from 11 am to 4 pm

The A6 and A10

Heavy traffic is predicted along both motorways in the capital region on Tuesday evening, Saturday and Sunday.

The A7

Tuesday – For motorists in the Paris region, Bison Futé predicted that traffic would “remain very heavy until late in the evening”. Motorists travelling between Valence and Orange should avoid it from 5pm to 11pm.

Wednesday – Avoid it between Lyon and Orange from 11am to 5pm.

Saturday – Avoid it between Orange and Lyon from 1pm to 8pm.

Sunday – Avoid it between Salon-de-Provence and Orange from 11am to 1pm and between Orange and Lyon from 12pm to 9pm. 

The A9

Wednesday – Generally more congested than normal, be prepared.

Saturday – Avoid it between Spain and Narbonne from 12noon to 6pm

Sunday – Avoid it between Spain and Narbonne from 1pm to 6pm, and between Montpellier and Orange from 3pm to 5pm.

The A11

Tuesday – Avoid it between Angers and Nantes between 3pm to 7pm.

Sunday – Avoid it between Angers and Le Mans from 4pm to 8pm

The A25

Saturday – Avoid it between Socx and Lille, from 6pm to 9pm.

Sunday – Avoid it between Socx and Lille from 4pm to 6pm.

The A61

Tuesday – Avoid it between Toulouse and Narbonne from 4pm to 7pm.

Wednesday – Avoid it between Toulouse and Narbonne from 10am and 4pm.

Sunday – Avoid it between Narbonne and Toulouse from 3pm to 7pm.

Mont Blanc Tunnel (N205)

Tuesday – Avoid it in the France-Italy direction from 9am to 11pm

Wednesday – Avoid it in the France-Italy direction from 7am to 6pm

Saturday – Avoid it in the Italy-France direction from 1pm to 8pm

Sunday – Avoid it in the Italy-France direction from 11am to 11pm

SHOW COMMENTS