Public transport strike to cripple Paris

Tourists and commuters in Paris are warned to avoid travelling around the city unless absolutely necessary on Friday, when the public transport system is set to be crippled by strike action.

All unions on the Paris transport network have declared that walkout in an ongoing protest over plans to reform the pension system.

The capital's public transport operator RATP, which runs the Metro, bus and RER rail services, has made contingency plans - but warned of serious disruption and said that it may be forced to make further changes to its already heavily cut timetables once the full extent of the strike action became clear.

It said commuters and visitors to the French capital should seek alternative means of transport where possible. For more information on these alternatives, including one-off one-day offers with service providers such as Cityscoot, Zebpark, Kapten, Jump, click here

Although buses will still run on most lines, two out of three services across the capital will be cut on Friday, RATP said.

Meanwhile 10 Metro lines will be completely closed, with no trains running. Those lines are: 2, 3, 3bis, 5, 6, 7bis, 10, 11, 12 and 13.

Lines one and 14 - which are automated - will operate as normal but are expected to be much busier than normal as commuters look for alternative ways to work.

On line 8, a reduced service of one train in three will operate between Créteil Pointe du Lac and Reuilly Diderot stations. All other stations between Balard and Faidherbe-Chaligny will be closed.

One in three scheduled services will run on line 4, while the following stations will be closed: Montparnasse, Odéon, Strasbourg-Saint-Denis, Barbès-Rochechouart, Marcadet-Poissonniers, Gare de l'Est, Réaumur Sébastopol.

One in three scheduled services will run on line 7, while the following stations will be closed: Place d'Italie, Jussieu, Opéra, Chaussée d'Antin-Lafayette, Gare de l'Est.

One service in four will operate on line 9 between Pont de Sèvres and Franklin D Roosevelt, and between Nation and Mairie de Montreuil; all stations between Saint-Philippe du Roule and Rue des Boulets (other than Franklin D Roosevelt and Nation), Michel-Ange Auteuil and Trocadéro stations will be closed..

RER rail service on lines A and B will be badly hit - with no services at all between 9h30 and 17h. One train in three will operate on Line A, and one in five on Line B at peak times (06h30-09h30 and 17h-20h) on Friday.

Tram services have also been severely reduced.

Lines T1, T2, T3a, T6, T7 and T8, will have no trams during off-peak hours (9h30 to 17h20) and one tram in three of the normal services during peak hours. T3bis and T5 lines are expected to run all day, but with only half the normal number of trams.
The Montmartre Funicular will also be closed for the day.

For regularly updated information, click on the RATP website here