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TRAVEL NEWS

French train strike leaves many thousands stranded for Christmas

Some 200,000 holidaymakers in France were scrambling on Wednesday for alternatives to their cancelled trains as a rail strike caused mayhem in the run-up to Christmas.

French train strike leaves many thousands stranded for Christmas
A woman carries her suitcase as she walks on the platform by two TGV trains in France (Photo by STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP)

National rail operator SNCF cut one third of scheduled trains for the Christmas weekend at a time when millions of French people traditionally travel for family gatherings.

The worst affected services were high-speed TGV lines, the mainstay of long-distance rail travel in France, SNCF said. 

According to the SNCF website, half or more of scheduled trains were cancelled for the weekend on key itineraries such as Paris to Rennes, western France, or Paris to Bordeaux, in the southwest.

The rail operator promised re-bookings free of charge, including for more expensive seats, but most TGVs were already fully booked on Wednesday.

It also offered to pay out twice the original ticket price to people unable to rebook, but travellers queueing at railway stations said that was not much of a consolation for a ruined holiday.

“I understand their demands but do they have to go on strike during the festivities?” said Isabelle Barrier, holder of a ticket from Paris to Toulouse, in France’s southwest, standing in line for a refund after her train got cancelled. 

“It’s hard on children and families,” she said, adding that she would now travel a day early by coach, a trip of eight hours. “It’s quite annoying,” she said.

SNCF’s travel division boss Christophe Fanichet earlier Wednesday called the strike action by travel inspectors — launched without union backing — “scandalous” and “unacceptable”.

READ MORE: French rail operator will reimburse double ticket price if train is cancelled at Christmas

“You don’t strike at Christmas,” agreed government spokesman Olivier Veran.

Demand for air tickets has surged four-fold since the strike was announced, according to travel site Liligo.

Carshare platforms and car rental companies also reported a sharp increase in bookings.

Mathilde, a 38-year old Parisian whose train to Bordeaux was cancelled, said she was tempted to get on another train even without a ticket.

“I might try to force my way onto a train, although I’m not sure that will work,” she said, adding: “I don’t expect the SNCF to be very understanding.”

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PARIS 2024 OLYMPICS

How Paris’s Olympic carpool lanes will work 

Throughout the Olympic and Paralympic Games periods, some 185km of lanes on roads around Paris will be reserved for event-related traffic – here’s what you need to know.

How Paris’s Olympic carpool lanes will work 

Between July 15th and September 11th, ‘Olympic lanes’ will be in use along certain stretches of key roads in and around Paris.

These lanes will be reserved for use by accredited vehicles to transport athletes, accredited journalists and official delegations, as well as emergency and security vehicles, cabs, ambulances and public transport.

READ ALSO Apps, reservations and flying taxis: What to know before visiting Paris this summer

The lanes will be activated on July 15, on the following roads:

  • A1 between Roissy Charles de Gaulle and Porte de la Chapelle, until September 11th;
  • A4 between Collégien and Porte de Bercy until August 13th, then from August 30th to September 8th;
  • A12 between Rocquencourt and Montigny le Bretonneux until August 13th, and again from August 27th to September 8th;
  • A13 between Porte Maillot and Rocquencourt until August 13th, then from August 27th to September 8th;
  • Boulevard périphérique, from Porte de Vanves to Porte de Bercy, via the north until August 13th, then from August 22th to September 11th;
  • Boulevard Circulaire (La Défense) until August 13th, then from August 22nd to September 11th;
  • Lanes on certain routes in Paris.

None of these roads will be closed – lanes along these routes that are not reserved for Olympic or Paralympic Games traffic are open to road users as usual.

The lanes in question will be signposted – signs, clearly marked with the words “Paris 2024”, will be in place from July 1st, and will be removed by the end of the day on September 15h. 

READ ALSO How to use Paris public transport during the Olympics

Who can use dedicated Olympic lanes?

Only vehicles and road users that have been properly accredited by the Organising Committee of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games can travel along these lanes during the periods indicated above. 

They include:

  • vehicles of accredited persons;
  • cabs;
  • public transport vehicles;
  • vehicles designed to facilitate the transport of people with reduced mobility;
  • and emergency and security vehicles.

READ ALSO Who needs a QR code to get around Paris during the Olympics

All other vehicles are prohibited from using these lanes throughout the Olympic Games period. Any vehicle circulating on an Olympic lane without having received prior authorisation is liable to a fine of €135 and possible further prosecution.

Road users without Olympic accreditation are advised to be aware of possible travel issues, as more vehicles are filtered into the other lanes. Therefore it would be wise to allow a little extra time for your journey if you are using one of the listed roads during the Games period.

An interactive map, showing routes with Olympic lanes is available here

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