Upcoming Transportation Strikes in France 2023: Info & Best Tips

Planning a trip to Paris soon? Go on reading this article on Transportation Strikes in France 2023, with the upcoming transportation strikes in Paris and France and our best tips to deal with them.

This article does not cover the strikes by foreign companies traveling to France (e.g., Deutsche Bahn, British Airways).

France Strike Update & Paris Strike Update

The strikes shown in this article are strikes officially confirmed. No rumors, no guessing, only planned strikes. Unfortunately, some strikes in France are confirmed at the very last moment (only 24 hrs in advance) when negotiations with the French State fail. This is why it is important to check this article from time to time if you plan to visit France soon.

If you are traveling to France, we recommend checking this post (especially chapter #3) a few days before your trip and the day before your departure for any updates.

» General and National Strike | strikes have been taking place in France since mid-January to prevent the Government’s pension reform from coming into force. The unions expect a “massive mobilization” with the participation of all sectors.

After a fifth strike on 16 February 2023, the leaders of the eight main unions confirmed their call for a new General Strike on 7 March 2023, and they are ready “to harden the movement” and to “put the country on hold on 7 March 2023” if the government and Parliament “remain deaf” to the mobilizations. The National General Strike will continue on 11 March 2023 and 15 March 2023.

Unsurprisingly, the executive’s choice to draw article #49.3* of the French Constitution this Thursday, 16 March 2023, to have its pension reform adopted aroused the ire of the opposition and the unions. The unions quickly met and decided on a new day of National General Strike on Thursday, 23 March 2023, 28 March 2023, Thursday, 6 April 2023, and Thursday, 13 April 2023.

*The 49.3 article of the French Constitution allows the government to adopt a text immediately and without submitting to the vote of the deputies. When triggered, it directly leads to the suspension of debates in the National Assembly on the reform.

After 12 mobilizations at the call of an inter-union, the CGT decided to call alone for two new days of mobilization on Thursday, 20 April 2023, and Friday, 28 April 2023. However, in its press release, the trade union organization does not mention the word “strike.” If social movements are organized, they will be organized by the federations (sector of activity).

The inter-union calls the French to a new day of General Strike to protest against the pension reform on Tuesday, 6 June 2023. This movement comes 2 days before the vote in the National Assembly on a bill to repeal the pension reform.

If the next day of a national strike is set for 6 June 2023, nothing says that the social movement will remain suspended until then. Moreover, even without a call for a national and inter-professional strike, some unions do not rule out the possibility of organizing movements confined to certain sectors, such as energy or transport.

TRAIN STRIKE DESCRIPTION:

Nothing to report on the General National Strike on 6 June 2023 for the moment. Keep clicking for the latest updates.

Generally, SNCF informs about the trains or train lines impacted 1-2 days before the strike date. Passengers are invited to double-check the train circulation the day before their train trip.

Clarification: when we write, for example, “2 trains out of 3 on average,” it means that 2/3 of the usual trains for that day will be working.

• National TGV and INOUI trains: waiting for information. Passengers on canceled trains are usually warned by email or SMS.
  • Axe Nord TGV:
  • Axe Est TGV:
  • Axe Atlantique TGV:
  • Axe Sud Est TGV:
  • TGV InOUI:
  • Province to province:

• International Trains: Waiting for information. The SNCF strike could impact international lines.
  • Eurostar:
  • Thalys:
  • Lyria trains:
  • Connections with Germany:
  • Connections with Italy:
  • France – Spain:
• TER trains: Waiting for information. For more details, please check directly on the regional site (“info traffic,” then “grève”):
  • Hauts de France
  • Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
  • Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
  • Bretagne
  • Centre-Val de Loire
  • Grand Est
  • Normandie
  • Occitanie
  • Nouvelle Aquitaine
  • Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur
  • Pays de la Loire
• Intercities: Waiting for information. Passengers on canceled trains are usually warned by email or SMS
• Transilien: Waiting for information. For more details, please check Transilien’s website
• RER Trains (part of the line managed by SNCF): Waiting for information.
• Night Trains: Waiting for information
• Tramway lines: Waiting for information.

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4b. What to Do During a Train Strike in France

Are you traveling to/ from Paris by train during an SNCF strike? Here are our recommendations:

» First of all, check on the SNCF website the France train strike schedule, if your train is canceled or not. To do this, click on “Train Number,” enter your train number (you can find this information on your train ticket), and then add your travel date. The system will tell you immediately the status of your train.

» If your train is not canceled, don’t worry! There may be some disruptions or delays, but you should be ok.

» If your train is canceled, SNCF proposes different solutions:

• You can exchange your train ticket at no extra cost. Just follow the instructions on the page and – very important –, verify before the last click that you don’t have to pay anything.
• You can cancel your trip and get a refund. If, for any reason, your ticket is stated as “non-refundable” or the website does not propose you a total refund (please verify this before the last click), contact them directly with your ticket reference number.
• If you booked your train with Ouigo trains, contact them directly for an exchange or refund.

» If your TGV, Intercité, or OuiGO train is delayed because of a train strike, you are entitled to compensations ranging from 25% to 75% of the ticket price depending on the length of the delay (minimum delay to request compensation is 30 minutes).

The requests for compensation for delayed TGV and Intercité trains are treated on this site: https://garantie30minutes.sncf.com/s/?language=en_US

AIRPORT STRIKE DESCRIPTION: strike by the DGAC (Direction Générale de l’Aviation Civile) from Monday, 5 June evening to Wednesday, 7 June, 6 am. Air traffic will be disrupted to /from the airports of Paris-Orly, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse, Bordeaux, and Nantes. Flight delays and cancellations are to be expected.

A kind reminder that the last strikes by air traffic controllers on 31 January 2023, 7 February 2023, and 16 February 2023 meant the impression of 20% of flights at Orly Airport and other French airports. Flights to France Overseas departing from Orly Airport aren’t concerned in the name of “territorial continuity.”

AIRLINE STRIKE DESCRIPTION: Nothing to report for the moment. But, if there’s a strike in the French airports, air companies flying to /from France will be impacted. Keep clicking for the latest updates.

Customers affected by canceled flights are usually notified individually, by SMS, e-mail, or via the airline application.

For more information on flight delays or cancellations, check out Chapter 5d here below.

GOOD TO KNOW: Usually, all airlines flying to /from France or flying over French airspace are impacted by the air controllers’ strikes. Additional disruptions can be expected depending on the mobilization of pilots, stewards, and hostesses, within the various airlines.

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5a.What to Do during Air France Strikes

GOOD TO KNOW: Many Air France flights operate on share code with other air companies (HOP!, KLM, Delta…). Air France flights operated by an aircraft and a crew other than that of Air France might not be affected by this Air France strike.

On the other hand, if one of these other companies (HOP!, KLM, Delta…) is operating on a share code with Air France and using Air France crew or Air France aircraft, these flights could be impacted.

Check your e-ticket to understand what air company is operating your flight. Is it Air France? Perhaps another air company on shared code with Air France? Check their website, and if your flight is affected, see what re-booking  /cancellation options they offer.

YOU HAVE NOT BOOKED YOUR FLIGHT TO PARIS WITH AIR FRANCE YET

» Be flexible with your travel dates. If you were thinking about flying to Paris with Air France but did not book your flights yet, avoid traveling to Paris during Air France strike dates.

» Consider other air companies to avoid eventual delays or cancellations.

During Air France strikes, you can anticipate, postpone, and cancel your trip easily online. With Air France, you can even change your origin or destination, and if you decide to do this, you will get a voucher valid for 1 year that can be used on AIR FRANCE, KLM, or HOP! flights.

This chapter is dedicated to French air companies (other than Air France) flying from /to France.

Each flight company manages airstrikes differently, but the process to follow in case of strikes is always the same: visit its website, check if your flight is affected, and if so, follow its instructions for a change or refund.

In other words: French Air Traffic Control Strikes mean chaos!

What to do during a French Air Traffic Control Strike in Paris or France? We recommend following the France strike news, monitoring your flight on the air company’s website, and considering their proposed options to change /refund your tickets.

Airlines are not always obligated to offer compensation following a strike because strikes are usually considered ‘extraordinary circumstances.’ These are situations beyond the airline’s control and can include adverse weather conditions and certain strike actions.

But when a flight is delayed or canceled due to strike action taking place by the airline’s own employees (e.g., pilots, airline staff), the airline must pay compensation to passengers.

In addition to flight delays, here’s the list of all the airplane passengers’ rights to compensation, according to the European Union. https://www.europe-consommateurs.eu/en/travelling-motor-vehicles/air-travel/air-passenger-rights.html

RATP RER Trains: Waiting for information.

The RER B train is the train that travels to Paris Charles de Gaulle and Paris Orly –> see chapters 6 and 6a of this post to understand how strikes on this line work.

• RER A: 3 trains out of 4 on average. The interconnection RATP /SNCF at Nanterre-Préfecture is kept
• RER B: traffic almost normal. The interconnection RATP /SNCF at Gare du Nord (to go to the airport) is kept (there’s no need to change trains at Gare du Nord on the surface to continue the journey ) –> check out chapter 6a
• Traffic almost normal on RER C, traffic almost normal on RER D, traffic almost normal on RER E
• OrlyVal: normal traffic.

Bus: normal traffic. However, beware that traffic may be disrupted /itineraries modified due to the protests on the streets.

Tramway: Normal traffic on all the tramway lines.

• Line T1: 
• Line T2:
• Line T3a:
• Line T3b: 
• Line T5: 
• Line T6: 
• Line T7: 
• Line T8: 

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ALLOW EXTRA TIME TO TRAVEL FROM PARIS TO THE AIRPORT

During a transportation strike, Paris will be served by fewer trains, tramways, and buses running. Also, the train interconnection (RATP – SNCF) at Gare du Nord might be suspended.

In any case, expect the working trains or buses to be cramped to the point of letting them go and wait for the next one.

Check RER B’s schedule and the specific metro line or bus line schedules during the strike before leaving your hotel and allow extra time to reach the airport.

CONSIDER PRIVATE /SHARED AIRPORT TRANSFERS

During the last Paris transport strikes, taxis were working just fine, but the taxi request was much higher than the offer, and it was necessary to book their services well in advance.

Get ready for higher prices on services like Uber. During the transportation strike of 13 September 2021, the prices for both Kapten and Uber were reported as 2-2.5 x the normal rate when people could secure rides.

Sleeping in hotels near the airport eliminates the stress of waking up early in the morning and the transportation hassle during a strike day in Paris.

Another advantage of hotels close to Paris airports is that they usually offer very competitive prices because most tourists opt for a hotel located in the city.

Finally, most of these hotels also provide a free airport pickup /drop-off if you book it in advance.

Here’s the list of our favorite hotels near the Paris Airports, all with FREE airport shuttle service.

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» Is the interconnection SNCF – RATP suspended? You will find this information at the beginning of chapter 6. When the interconnection is suspended at Gare du Nord, there is always SNCF or RATP staff wearing yellow vests (but these are kind people!) to tell travelers where to go to proceed with their journey. Sounds complicated? Not really, but it isn’t very pleasant to go upstairs or downstairs, especially if you are carrying big suitcases or backpacks.

» Is the closest metro station to your hotel open? During transportation strikes, some metro stations may be closed, so make sure you know where to stop to reach your hotel before taking the metro.

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BE FLEXIBLE

Fewer trains will run during a Paris Metro strike, so the waiting time between trains will be longer, and the metro platforms will be more crowded.

If you are traveling around Paris during Paris Metro strikes, be flexible AND patient. Avoid transportation peak hours (from 8.30 am to 9.30 am and from 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm) and open your mind to other transportation options or change your sightseeing plans.

CONSIDER A GUIDED TOUR OUT OF PARIS WITH PRIVATE TRANSPORTATION

What to do in Paris if you cannot move around? If you were considering seeing something other than Paris, a guided day tour with transportation could be a great idea during a day of transportation strike in Paris.

All the city tour companies cover the most popular day trips from Paris, so prices are usually very competitive. Also, some guided tours come with pick up /drop off at your hotel.

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There are no transportation strikes in France or Paris directly linked to Gilets Jaunes, but some streets of Paris or roads around Paris might be blocked to transit because of the Gilets Jaunes. What does it mean?

» It means that the Paris bus services and especially the bus services to the airport might be disrupted and the itinerary slightly modified to avoid the blocked streets or roads.

» It means that some central metro stations in Paris (e.g., Concorde, Champs Elysées) might be closed during these demonstrations in Paris.

TIP: Allow more time for your travels inside Paris but especially on the way to the airport

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