How To Handle The Pitfalls Of France’s Latest Public Transport Meltdown

The big question on my mind for days has been will my puddy tat make it back to Strasbourg from Paris. Also will Cupcake’s minder be able to make his currently overwrought trip from Strasbourg to Paris to fetch her. 

Have Cat, Will Travel Maybe Not

For this trip–booked weeks back–now falls smack bang in the latest French transport crisis. Cupcake would be among hundr of thousands of animals also affected by the current strikes over pension reform, their owners coughing up for the necessary tickets for their pets to journey with them on TGV and other Intercity or regional trains. All of which have been crippled by strike action since the “Black Thursday of public transport” on December 5. 

When people start asking whether they should be paying their monthly transport tickets at the beginning of the December you know that spells trouble. So how to escape the inescapable transport strife? “Be Prepared For Disturbances On Paris Trains, Metro, Buses’ read headlines almost daily. (You can add to that planes in and out of the French capital). 

The protests are causing absolute havoc for travelers. There would be hardly a French commuter or visitor to France right now, who did not have serious question marks hanging over their heads as to how much disruption to their planned journey the strikes will bring, let alone whether they will be able to reach their destination at all.

Cupcake is usually a great little train traveler. But this time she may well be stopped in her [+] tracks on her way home from Paris to Strasbourg.

Tamara ThiessenThe Strike Action Is Hitting Everything: SNCF Train Lines, The Paris Métro and RER Regional Paris Trains

For my friend Joseph who is going to pick up Cupcake, starting out–fingers crossed–early this evening, the trip is a minefield of potential disasters and uncertainty. To reach his destination, he will rely on all three transport systems–TGV, RER and Metro–and at least one, probably two will be entirely out of service on his arrival.

Despite all the available information on the strikes, sometimes very little of it makes sense. Why? Because the strike action is being meted out slowly, often last minute, so even ‘up-to-date’ transport information arrives only hours, even minutes, before a planned trip.

Visiting the SNCF ticketing counter at the Gare de Strasbourg on Monday, Joseph was given the clear on being able to get to Paris from the European capital by TGV. But from his arrival at the Gare de l’Est tonight at 9.30pm, he will not be able to get any further. At least not without extreme difficulty. For all of the usual RER E regional train services east to my place where he will spend the night before returning to Strasbourg Wednesday, are cancelled, along with most Metro lines. That according to the ‘live updates’ from Transilien–“Travel information for all the Paris region train and metro lines”.

PARIS, FRANCE – DECEMBER 10: Commuters squeeze into one of the few working Paris Metro lines as [+] strikes continue across France, causing transportation gridlock in the city, with 10 metro lines closed and more than 180 miles (300km) of traffic jams reported on roads around Paris on December 10, 2019 in Paris, France. President Emmanuel Macron is facing his biggest test since the Gilet Jaune or “Yellow Vest” movement as railway, transportation workers, Teachers, students, hospital employees, police officers, garbage collectors, truck drivers and airline workers join the strike called in protest to changes to France’s pension system. (Photo by Kiran Ridley/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Visit Transilien.com For Suburban Commutes On RER Lines C, D E

Transilien operates the RER lines A, C and D. The website, which is operated by the SNCF, is also available in English and Spanish and somewhat of a vital tool for travellers during and outside of strikes. ‘Remain Informed During the Strikes’ it urges amid all the exclamation mark warning signs on its landing page. Travelers can the n either ‘check out this page’ for more information on the strikes and other transport means, or plan an itinerary for a Paris region RER trip. 

This shows me that only the occasional RER E is operating during peak hours. Instead it suggests a combination of metro and bus trip to reach Le Raincy, though there is enormous ambiguity as to whether those services are actually running–with all the warnings stamped over the journey: “traffic interrupted on December 10”. 

With that hurdle far from passed, then there’s the question of whether the RER and SNCF lines will be running on Wednesday for the return trip to Strasbourg. The latter apparently yes. But reaching the Gare de l’Est by RER may be again an obstacle course.

#####IMG000000000#####

PARIS, FRANCE – DECEMBER 10: Empty platforms at Gare du Nord in Paris as strikes continue across [+] France, causing transportation gridlock in the city, with 10 metro lines closed and more than 180 miles (300km) of traffic jams reported on roads around Paris on December 10, 2019 in Paris, France. President Emmanuel Macron is facing his biggest test since the Gilet Jaune or “Yellow Vest” movement as railway, transportation workers, Teachers, students, hospital employees, police officers, garbage collectors, truck drivers and airline workers join the strike called in protest to changes to France’s pension system. (Photo by Kiran Ridley/Getty Images)

Getty ImagesFor RER Suburban Rail Lines A B Check The RATP Website

Thousands of people are being left in the dark on this. Despite a plethora of websites offering ‘the latest information’, no-one really knows. The RATP, which manages the Paris metro and RER A B lines, tells me an entirely different story. Its journey planner erroneously shows the RER E operating towards my flat twice an hour, yet warns (in French, German, Spanish and English): “Strike: in the coming days, we recommend avoiding public transport.”

The death knell has been sounded. There is little chance my friend will make it to my flat–perhaps not even to my cat–unless he walks there.

And that is precisely what a lot of locals have decided to do until things return to normal. Can you imagine the ‘saturation’ on the occasional metro lines that are running? And the crazy demand for Ubers and taxis?

#####IMG000000000#####

A man screams and an other holds a phone after rail workers gathered during a general meeting at the [+] Gare du Nord station in Paris, on December 10, 2019, on the sixth day of massive strike action over government’s plans to overhaul the pension system. – Unions have vowed to keep up the fight over the reforms, which are set to be finalised and published on December 11. Another mass demonstration is planned in Paris and other cities today, with teachers and other workers once again expected to walk out alongside transport workers. (Photo by STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN / AFP) (Photo by STEPHANE DE SAKUTIN/AFP via Getty Images)

AFP via Getty ImagesWhat Should You Do? For Major Train Journeys Check SNCF.com Or Demand A Refund 

Currently the SNCF is saying “The TGVs that are open for booking are guaranteed on 9 and 10 December”. Afterwards who knows. It also suggests you change your journey or ask for a refund at no cost via Oui SNCF. And there’s the possibility of carpooling and bus travel on BlaBlaCar , BlaBlaLines and BlaBlaBus. To check RER, Metro and TER regional train lines for Tuesday, the RATP guides you here. The latest traffic info in detail for the Metro and RER lines A B are also ostensibly available in 10 languages, but sadly only showing in French. For buses, much the same, but latest timetables are here. On Tuesday you can count on 1 in 2 bus services. Tomorrow–as for the next days– is ‘not sure’. And that just about sums up things for coming weeks for commuters in Paris.