French transportation strike starting 13 Nov. 2007
Nov 12th, 2007, 11:00 AM
#1
Original Poster
French transportation strike starting 13 Nov. 2007
The strike starts at 8pm and is renewable every 24 hours.
SNCF plans to run about 20% of trains. Service on Eurostar and Thalys 'normal' but trains will probably run late. 92 TGVs running out of 750. Very few if any regional trains. Many Paris suburban lines will be completely closed, including the line to CDG. The SNCF has chartered 1000 private buses to provide some service to areas with no trains at all. 1000 temporary employees have been recruited to hand out brochures with a list of trains running. The brochures are being printed tonight.
RATP (Paris metro and buses) is planning on 10% service. This will probably completely close the majority of lines while keeping others running at around 20-30%. Automated line 14 will run normally.
Metro and bus service in other cities of France will be operating normally.
No updates from me for at least 24 hours, as I will be flying across an ocean. Constantly updated information will be available at www.sncf.com and www.ratp.fr as soon as the strike starts.
SNCF plans to run about 20% of trains. Service on Eurostar and Thalys 'normal' but trains will probably run late. 92 TGVs running out of 750. Very few if any regional trains. Many Paris suburban lines will be completely closed, including the line to CDG. The SNCF has chartered 1000 private buses to provide some service to areas with no trains at all. 1000 temporary employees have been recruited to hand out brochures with a list of trains running. The brochures are being printed tonight.
RATP (Paris metro and buses) is planning on 10% service. This will probably completely close the majority of lines while keeping others running at around 20-30%. Automated line 14 will run normally.
Metro and bus service in other cities of France will be operating normally.
No updates from me for at least 24 hours, as I will be flying across an ocean. Constantly updated information will be available at www.sncf.com and www.ratp.fr as soon as the strike starts.
Nov 12th, 2007, 12:16 PM
#3
Original Poster
For those who wonder about tipping practices in France, I absolutely should not mention that I received a $2000 cash tip last month. (But then again, 75 of us received the same amount.)
Nov 12th, 2007, 05:44 PM
#5
Kerouac,
Thank you ... glad you didn't drop those of us desperate for info after your other thread turned political.
Have a great trip to the US.
Am leaving for Paris on Friday with my 17-year-old daughter (her birthday gift) and have been very appreciative of your help on many Paris threads here and esp. regarding the strike.
gruezi
Thank you ... glad you didn't drop those of us desperate for info after your other thread turned political.
Have a great trip to the US.
Am leaving for Paris on Friday with my 17-year-old daughter (her birthday gift) and have been very appreciative of your help on many Paris threads here and esp. regarding the strike.
gruezi
Nov 13th, 2007, 01:58 PM
#7
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almost midnight and I just got in via METRO at Palais Royale. 12 min between trains, not bad, but definetly slower. Word with those I spoke with this evening is a few trains may run, but it is not something to count upon - tomorrow we walk...
Nov 14th, 2007, 12:17 AM
#9
Original Poster
Actual situation 14 Nov:
The Paris metro is running a little better than expected. Most lines are operating partially after all.
The SNCF service is as predicted.
The unions are negotiating with the government.
The Paris metro is running a little better than expected. Most lines are operating partially after all.
The SNCF service is as predicted.
The unions are negotiating with the government.
Nov 14th, 2007, 06:57 AM
#12
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Does anyone know how long the strike is expected to last? I am JUST about to book my flight and apartment to visit on 11/25 but obviously dont want to drag my poor husband to paris if there is no metro and museums are not open (he has never been and dont want him to get the wrong impression).
thanks
thanks
Nov 15th, 2007, 05:14 PM
#14
Original Poster
As I am not on the scene at the moment, I cannot really describe public reaction. Yes, most people are against the strike -- that is easy to say. However, whenever one takes the time to explain the issues, support wavers. But as I have said in the past, this is not the place for the political debate.
It appears that, just as in the October strike, the transportation situation is not great, but it improves fractionally every day (no salary for days on strike, so some workers can't afford to remain on strike). But we are still 5 days from the 'big' strike or 20 November, and I would imagine that most strikers want to hold out until that date.
Tonight, my hotel doesn't have wifi but I managed to convince the receptionist to obtain the wifi code from the hotel across the parking lot, so I should be able to provide a quicker update tomorrow.
It appears that, just as in the October strike, the transportation situation is not great, but it improves fractionally every day (no salary for days on strike, so some workers can't afford to remain on strike). But we are still 5 days from the 'big' strike or 20 November, and I would imagine that most strikers want to hold out until that date.
Tonight, my hotel doesn't have wifi but I managed to convince the receptionist to obtain the wifi code from the hotel across the parking lot, so I should be able to provide a quicker update tomorrow.
Nov 18th, 2007, 12:21 PM
#15
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Kerouac,
Sorry you are not here at the moment. W.e really enoyed are your info re;the strike and Paris before we came here. We walked for the first few days and then on Saturday were taking the metro to places further afield. Just more crowded
and less often, but we got to where we needed. We are taking the metro tomorrow and then leave on Tuesday--the day you return. Thanks for all the help and to take stress out of our visit.
Sorry you are not here at the moment. W.e really enoyed are your info re;the strike and Paris before we came here. We walked for the first few days and then on Saturday were taking the metro to places further afield. Just more crowded
and less often, but we got to where we needed. We are taking the metro tomorrow and then leave on Tuesday--the day you return. Thanks for all the help and to take stress out of our visit.
Nov 19th, 2007, 07:33 AM
#16
We just returned from Paris and had a wonderful trip in spite of the strike. Our trip into the 6th from the airport on Friday morning took over an hour by cab due to lots of traffic. We had a great location to see so many things that we walked just about everywhere. There were a few times our feet were just worn out so we took cabs and though they were hard to find we were usually successful within 15 minutes or so. Saturday we took the metro from Sacre Coer back to the 6th and service was fine - crowded on both the 2 and 4 lines but less than 5 min wait at each.
Most museums and churches had shortened hours opening later and closing earlier. We had no problem getting into the Louvre, D'Orsay, ND, San C., and Rodin and seeing everything we wanted to even with the limited hours. Had the Eiffel tower Friday night to ourselves basically.
No dinner reservations necessary and no lines anywhere... a little silver lining to the cloud...
Kerouac - thanks again for your updates and for all your great Paris info on this board. I just can't wait to go back - had a really perfect weekend!!!
Most museums and churches had shortened hours opening later and closing earlier. We had no problem getting into the Louvre, D'Orsay, ND, San C., and Rodin and seeing everything we wanted to even with the limited hours. Had the Eiffel tower Friday night to ourselves basically.
No dinner reservations necessary and no lines anywhere... a little silver lining to the cloud...
Kerouac - thanks again for your updates and for all your great Paris info on this board. I just can't wait to go back - had a really perfect weekend!!!
Dec 11th, 2007, 12:17 PM
#19
Original Poster
A 24-hour metro strike was scheduled for tomorrow and a 24-hour SNCF strike was scheduled for the next day, but they have both been called off by the unions.
However, Paris is disrupted all this week by the presence of the President-Dictator of Libya over whom our president Sarkozy is fawning to get as much money as possible (10 billion euros in contracts so far). Motorcades of 100 cars are blocking the streets of Paris, which are filled with thousands of police for this joyous occasion.
Frankly, I prefer a strike.
However, Paris is disrupted all this week by the presence of the President-Dictator of Libya over whom our president Sarkozy is fawning to get as much money as possible (10 billion euros in contracts so far). Motorcades of 100 cars are blocking the streets of Paris, which are filled with thousands of police for this joyous occasion.
Frankly, I prefer a strike.
