France: National transportation strikes March 21-23 /update 4

Event

Significant transportation disruptions are expected on Thursday, March 22, due to various national strikes; lesser disruptions are also anticipated on March 21 and March 23. Air, rail, and public transit services will all be affected.

Air traffic controllers will be on strike from 19:00 (local time) on March 21 until 06:00 on March 23. This strike is expected to result in the cancelation of 30 percent of flights operating out of airports serving Paris, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Marseille, Lyon, and Nantes. Associated flight delays are also likely. Furthermore, a strike by Air France/Joon pilots, cabin crew, and ground staff is taking place on Friday, March 23. It is currently unclear how much of an impact the strike will have on flight operations.

Employees at the SNCF, the national rail operator, will be on strike all day March 22. According to the SNCF, 60 percent of high-speed trains (TGVs), 75 percent of intercity trains, 50 percent of regional trains (TERs), and 70 percent of trains in the Île-de-France (Paris) region will be canceled. Delays and overcrowding on available services are to be anticipated. The strike will also affect international Thalys and Eurostar services; at least four London-Paris Eurostar and three Paris-Brussels Thalys trains have been canceled.

Public transportation will be affected due to a strike running from 21:00 on March 21 to 08:00 on March 23. However, relatively normal services are expected on Paris metro, bus, and tram services; three out of four trains are expected to run on the RER A and B commuter lines. Regardless, increased road congestion is likely in the Paris region.

At least 140 associated protests with the potential to result in traffic disruptions are expected to take place on March 22 throughout the country. In Paris, a march by rail workers will begin at 10:00 and run from the Gare de l'Est train station to Place de la Bastille.

Advice

Individuals in France are advised to confirm their travel itineraries and to allow for extra time to reach their destinations.