For those of you who are going to and from France and its major transport hubs, you’ll have noticed that getting around France on the train has been more vexing than not (as I found on Saturday when I was in Paris).
The action caused by CGT and Sud-Rail has caused major interruption to services, impacting the TGV network, TER regional service and RER services within Paris.
TGV service at Gare Du Nord – Image GhettoIFE
Conditions have been especially bad on RER B – which connects Orly Airport and Charles De Gaulle to the centre of Paris.
SNCF is aiming to operate 7 out of 10 trains nationally, whilst within Paris
- RER B that serves the two airports will have a seven-minute service .
- RER C and E will be operating a 50% service on both lines one out of two trains
- RER D will operate a train every ten minutes
- Paris Metro remains unaffected.
RER Service arriving at Antony station – Image GhettoIFE
Now, the bad news is that the original strike action was for twenty-four hours… a week ago. The unions have decide to roll the strikes into 24 hours at a time until their demands are met regarding the management and reform of SNCF.
Suffice to say if your destination is indeed Paris, you’ll need to either allow a lot of extra time to get to the airport if you’re taking RER B – or you’ll need to switch to the coach services operated by “Les Cars Air France” or RoissyBus.
Nothing like a strike to leave another good impression of a place…