A strike by railway workers in France on Wednesday disrupted the plans of some 200,000 people, forcing them to look for alternatives to the train to reach their intended destinations.
French state railway operator SNCF has canceled a third of flights scheduled for the Christmas holidays. In France, at Christmas, millions of people traditionally travel to spend the holidays with their near and distant relatives.
The strike had the greatest impact on high-speed TGV traffic, SNCF has revealed.
SNCF’s website shows that half or more of scheduled weekend train services have been canceled on major routes such as Paris-Rennes in western France or Paris-Bordeaux in southwestern France.
The train operator promises to rebook tickets for free, even for the most expensive seats, but most of the TGV trains were already fully booked on Wednesday.
The operator is also promising to refund double the ticket price for people unable to rebook tickets, but people waiting in line at train stations told AFP news agency it wasn’t a big deal. consolation for a ruined holiday.
“I understand their requests, but do they have to strike during the holidays?” A woman whose flight was canceled told an AFP reporter.
The SNCF representative announced that the train drivers’ strike, not coordinated with the union, is scandalous and unacceptable.
The French government’s press representative also condemned the Christmas strike.
Since the start of the strike, the demand for plane tickets, rental cars and other transport options has increased rapidly in France.
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