There should be much less disruption than for the previous social movement at the beginning of the month. However, rail traffic will be impacted for several thousand users on this Christmas holiday departure weekend. This Saturday, around twenty TGVs will be removed out of 650, the SNCF announced.
The impact will mainly concern the TGV Atlantique (nearly 9 out of ten trains operated, including two out of three on the Paris-South-West links). “Normal or near-normal service” will be provided on the rest of the high-speed lines. Train traffic will be “slightly disrupted on certain lines” on Saturday, the day of the big departures for the Christmas holidays, due to a social movement by SNCF Réseau switchers, SNCF said Thursday in an Infotrafic point.
The public company plans a “normal or almost normal service” for the TGV East, North and South, and “nearly 9 trains out of 10 insured” for the TGV Atlantique, including “two trains out of three for the links between Paris and Bordeaux “.
The forecast for Sunday communicated on Friday
Intercités traffic was announced as “almost normal”, with however the removal of the Paris-Rodez-Albi night train. Some Transilien and TER lines could be subject to disruptions. Transport plans will be detailed on Friday before 5 p.m. Traffic forecasts for Sunday are expected to be released on Friday.
SUD-Rail had filed a notice from Thursday December 15 at 8 p.m. to Monday December 19 at 8 a.m. The SNCF had already indicated, Wednesday evening, that the circulation of trains would be “slightly disturbed” for departures during the Christmas holidays, this weekend, with only “twenty TGVs removed” Friday out of 700 planned, due to a strike on the one hand by signalmen and on the other hand by TGV Atlantique drivers.
“There will be some disturbances, and these disturbances will be concentrated on the Atlantic axis”, announced the Minister Delegate for Transport, Clément Beaune, this Thursday. But “overall, we will have trains for the main part of the French and families this weekend”, he promised.