Surprise train strike to hit Normandy this weekend
Close to 40% of trains to destinations such as Evreux, Caen, and Rouen cancelled on Friday
A surprise last-minute strike by railway workers in a Parisian station is set to cause disruption to several rail lines to Normandy over the weekend.
Services will be disrupted out of Paris’ Gare Saint-Lazare and to destinations in the region between Friday (July 31) and Sunday (August 2), state rail operator SNCF said in a social media post on Wednesday.
Nomad-Résa trains on the Paris-Caen-Cherbourg, Paris-Rouen-Le Havre, and Paris-Trouville/Deauville lines will all see disruption, as will the Nomad Paris-Vernon-Rouen and Paris-Evreux lines.
A total of 67 trains have been cancelled on Friday, but SNCF said that 62% of trains will still be running that day.
However, more strike notices may be filed today (July 30) for the weekend, leading more services to be cancelled.
Notices must be filed 48 hours in advance, meaning those filed today would only impact services on Saturday or later.
Travellers are advised to check train timetables the evening before they plan to travel to see if their train has been impacted. They should check at 17:00 or later, using the SNCF Connect website or the local Normandy alternative NOMAD.
“Trains that are running will be much more crowded. It is advisable to put off your trip to ensure everyone's comfort,” the operator said.
Those who have already purchased tickets can exchange their ticket for free, or have it fully reimbursed.
Anger over changes to work schedules
The strike, organised by SUD-Rail, is expected to see around 80% of drivers on routes from Paris Saint-Lazare (the city’s hub for trains to and from Normandy) walk out.
Strike action is primarily being taken over changes to work schedules that drivers believe are unfair.
“We have a local management team implementing a productivity-driven and authoritarian agenda,” one train driver told France3.
“That is the environment we’ve been working in since the start of the year. We are having to prop up a railway network that is on its last legs.
“When I was a driver in Sotteville (Manche) I could drive both local TER trains and long-distance lines, like the Paris-Le Havre route. That’s over now; the division by activity segments the work. Every driver works on the same line, day in, day out.”
