[PhilipHart]

For anyone planning on travelling by train in France, here is a calendar showing the strike dates for the next 3 months.

(I think Eurostar is exempt, but they will probably advise on their website)

[Alex McWhirter]

SNCF is not taking reservations for trains on the April strike days. Passengers are advised to postpone their travel plans. It is too early to predict the situation in May and June, said an SNCF spokesperson.

https://www.ouest-france.fr/economie/transports/sncf/la-sncf-ne-prend-plus-de-reservations-pour-les-jours-de-greve-en-avril-5633231

Some Eurostar services may be affected. There are a few cancellations today and Eurostar is saying that those trains that will run are now fully booked.

The main SNCF strike starts on April 3. It is unclear whether or not Eurostar services to Brussels and Amsterdam (it launches on April 4) will be affected. Both routes operate through France.

[AMcWhirter]

Just one in eight TGVs will be running on April 3. The news was announced late this afternoon in France.

https://www.capital.fr/entreprises-marches/greve-a-la-sncf-environ-un-tgv-sur-huit-circulera-mardi-3-avril-1280747?utm_content=buffer4553e&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=Twitter_Capital

The strikes are causing a major problem for Thello (the overnight service linking Paris with Venice).

On April 2 and April 3 Thello passengers will have a bus replacement service provided between Paris and Milan. That’s a mammoth distance compared to what UK rail passengers have to endure.

https://www.thello.com/en/paris-venice/traffic-information/

[Alsacienne]

Please note that if you are looking to find and book a train just before a strike date (and on strike dates themselves) on the SNCF website, the train will probably show ‘complet‘ … full. This may not infact be the case, as my local station told me yesterday, but that the computer will not permit access to the real time situation (either by computer or by personal visit to a train station booking office) until 17H00 before the day of travel. At this time, SNCF will confirm which trains are running from 19H00 prior to the strike day, AND will permit access to book tickets on trains that will not be affected by the strike.

In my personal case, the late evening train from Strasbourg to Paris was running, and my guest’s reservation was still valid. It even waited for the late arriving connecting train from Basel!

If your train is cancelled because of the strike, you can claim a refund, but if you decide to change your train ‘for safety’ and that train still runs, you will not get a refund!

This strike, coupled with the 3-zoned school holidays, is likely to have a large impact on domestic travel in France. Please have a plan B at hand!

[capetonianm]

I need to travel to Brussels later this week from France. I had hoped to go by train but it shows as ‘complet’. My plan B, as wisely suggested above, is an air ticket. If I won’t know until 1700 the day before travel if I can travel by train or not, the rail option is not much use to me because booking an air ticket at the last minute, if I were to wait, would be very expensive.

In South Africa, commuters are burning trains in protest against the inadequate services caused by lack of trains.

In France, ‘workers’ are striking for better employment benefits by sabotaging the resources which generate their employment benefits.

You have to be pretty damn stupid in either instance.

[christopheL]

Dear Capetonianm,
I’m both asthonished and grateful to realize that you are visiting France despite the numerous warnings we have been sent.
Thank you so much for supporting us during this hard but necessary days.
As for your trip to Brussel, you should consider using the new Macron buses : very cheap (even for last minute tickets) and comfortable if not fast.
3 main companies (ouibus, flixbus and isilines) operate buses from almost everywhere in France and I am sure you will be able to reach Paris from where Thalys operates there trains to Brussels almost as usual.

[capetonianm]

I’d rather walk than travel on a Macron Bus whatever that is.

I am not travelling through France to support the French, I can assure you. The place just happens to be in the way, and I mean IN the way, not ON the way. Subtle difference which I hope you will appreciate.

[christopheL]

As anybody can understand very easily when reading my posts I am not able to appreciate the “subtle difference” between in the way and on the way. I am not one of those who were lucky enough to be born/educated in the UK.
Victory without risk brings triumph without glory

[Author]

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