Railway Strike Disrupts Travel Across France on September 18
PARIS, FRANCE – A nationwide railway strike is causing meaningful disruption to train services across France today, september 18, following a previous mobilization on September 10. Transport Minister Philippe tabarot acknowledged an “important mobilization” among railway workers, leading to widespread cancellations and reduced service on high-speed TGV, Intercités, and TER regional lines.
The strike, protesting ongoing labor and pension reforms, is impacting commuters and travelers nationwide. SNCF reports substantial reductions in service, with approximately half of intercités trains running and even fewer TER trains operating in some regions. This disruption comes as France prepares for potential economic impacts from ongoing social unrest and rising energy costs, adding strain to daily life for citizens and businesses alike.
In the Hauts-de-France region, more than half of TER GV trains are cancelled, with traffic considerably slowed on lines in Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy, where onyl one in three to one in two trains are running. The Paris region is also heavily affected, with RER D and E lines operating at roughly 50% capacity, and even lower service-as little as one in five trains-during peak hours on certain sections. Transilien lines N, R, and U are also experiencing significant reductions, with approximately half of scheduled trains in service.
Further south, in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, the SNCF has announced a severely reduced timetable on most lines, especially impacting routes like Lyon-Saint-Étienne and Grenoble-Valence. Occitanie and Center-val de Loire are also experiencing widespread cancellations, notably on the Montpellier-Toulouse, Nîmes-Perpignan, and Orleans-Tours lines, and also the bourges-Virgin route, where only half of scheduled trains are expected to operate.
The strike coincides with a major mobilization at the RATP, impacting Paris’s metro, bus, and tram systems. Travelers are urged to check the SNCF Connect website and regional TER websites for the latest updates and to consider choice transportation options.
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