Trains services disrupted

Some trains affected strikes by rail unions - passengers are advised to check at stations

TRAIN services are being disrupted as main rail unions go on strike.

The SNCF said they expect about 75% of TGVs to be running, 50% of regional TER trains and 60% of Transilien services in the Ile-de-France.

Officially workers will walk out from until 8.00 on Wednesday.

An SNCF spokesman said: “We are advising each traveller to check specifically if their service is going to be affected. A list of which trains will be running will be put up in each station.”

He added: “Anyone who prefers to just cancel any tickets for journeys in this period will be able to do that at the ticket desks, whatever kind of ticket it is.”

Rail unions have several concerns, calling for higher salaries and voicing dissatisfaction over the way the SNCF is allegedly “breaking up” its activities into separate branches, damaging its traditional unity.

The rail strikes are in the context of a national day of action, being called for by the eight main French unions.

The CGT union said last week May 26 should be “a day of decentralized action of different kinds depending on the local situation, aiming at a maximum participation,” such as protests, walkouts, meetings or petitions.

Photo: Sebastien Terfloth