Four years of rail disruption ahead
85% of train times will be revised in December as SNCF enters 'particularly delicate' phase in engineering work
MAJOR engineering work will disrupt train services in France until at least 2015, the SNCF has warned.
Some 85% of train times are due to be revised when the new winter timetable comes into effect on December 11, to meet the regularity requirements set by the state while allowing enough time for works to be carried out.
The timetable changes will range from a few minutes to a quarter of an hour on some journeys. SNCF president Guillaume Pépy said some connections would be "destroyed" and others created.
The overhaul is necessary because the SNCF is entering what it calls a "particularly delicate" phase in its improvement works.
Track operator Reseau Ferré de France is spending €13bn on replacing ageing tracks, many of which are more than 25 years old. The works are mostly carried out overnight, late in the evening and at weekends.
A complete rethink of the current timetable has also been prompted by the launch of a new "Rhine-Rhône" TGV link from Mulhouse to Lyon later this year, which will have a knock-on effect on other rail services across several regions.
The changes will be supported by a €10m advertising and information campaign this autumn.
