From Monday, May 5, a call to strike could disrupt the traffic of trains in the middle of a bridge week. The extent of the mobilization begins to clarify and a transport plan will be broadcast to prepare for it.
The SNCF strike announced from May 5 worries travelers. Train trips could be complicated, while departures will be numerous with the May 8 bridge. The CGT-Cheminots, the majority union of the sector, has, in fact, launched a call for strike from May 5 for the controllers and drivers of the SNCF. Sud-Rail called for the mobilization of controllers for three days, on May 9, 10 and 11, and a strike of drivers on May 7 and maintenance agents on May 6. The union is supported by the National ASCT collective, an informal group of controllers who was initiative of very followed strikes in December 2022 and February 2024. The whole week could therefore be impacted.
“We are moving around a dark week on the May 8 bridge,” said trade unionist Fabien Villedieu, on franceinfo On April 23, no agreement having yet resulted between the unions and the SNCF. A projection confirmed by the federal secretary of the Sud-Rail union, Julien Troccaz, on Bfmtvwho believes that there is a “big chance that there are strong disruptions earlier this week but especially from Wednesday (May 7) and during the bridge”, advancing that the SNCF refuses to “open real negotiations”.
The Minister of Transport, Philippe Tabarot, guest on Bfmtv Friday, May 2, a few days before the mobilization, assures that the strike is still “avoidable”. “I don’t know if it’s going to be a week of hassle. We still have all weekends to move forward,” he detailed. The disturbances will depend on the magnitude of the mobilization. According to Bfmtvon the controllers’ side, the movement “would be very followed”, while the striking drivers would be less numerous, except in regions and particularly in Ile-de-France. According to Sud-Rail, 55% of the drivers of the RER D and R lines have filed a strike notice. The movement promises to be followed as well on the southeast TGV axis, especially on the Paris-Lyon-Marseille line, according to RMC.
How to anticipate?
More specific information should be available “on the transport plan this weekend,” said the minister. Customers whose train is already announced abolished will receive a notification, the strikers having to declare themselves 48 hours in advance. Philippe Tabarot would like to change this obligation to go to 72 hours in advance. On the SNCF Connect site, a possible disturbance is already announced throughout the week: “Due to a social movement, traffic by TGV trains Inoui and Ouigo can be disturbed between Monday May 5 and Sunday May 11. The transport plan can be adapted and confirmed the day before departure from 5 pm”. Two days before, travelers will be informed if their train has already been canceled, otherwise the information will be available from the day before at 5 p.m. Ticket exchanges and cancellations are possible before departure, even if the original note did not include these options.
This call for strike follows claims that are numerous. The CGT-Cheminots calls for an increase and overhaul of the “traction” bonus for drivers and the work premium for controllers, “important remuneration elements”. The union also criticizes the use of new tools for controllers which “participates in the degradation of relations between operators and chiefs”. Sud-Rail denounces, for its part, too many planning changes at the last minute. The union calls for a reassessment of wages, with at least one passage of level every three years against four today, as well as an increase of 100 euros per month of the work bonus. He also wants the “traction” bonus to be maintained in the event of sick leave.
Philippe Tabarot had initially considered that the claims of the controllers are “not legitimate”. These SNCF employees are “not the most ill-treated within the SNCF,” he said on Europe 1 on April 18. Wednesday, April 30, he nuanced his remarks by considering that some “claims can get along”, especially that on schedules. The SNCF is committed to this question to give visibility of six months on the rest days as well as better responsiveness to the requests for leave. It does not however intend to access the request on the levels and does not seem to want to yield to the wage demands.
19:05 – Holiday canceled trains reservations
While the threat of strike is increasingly hovering, the French are looking for alternatives. Carpooling, bus, alternative routes are privileged. According to BFMTV, a 50% increase in ticket cancellations for May 8 has already been noted. The first more precise information should fall this weekend with the implementation of a transport plan.
-12:00 – What disturbed lines? The first forecasts
“The SNCF will communicate the transport plan this weekend (…) The objective being to cancel or move as few trains as possible,” assured the Minister of Transport, Philippe Tabarot, on BFMTV, this Friday, May 2. From this weekend, certain users whose train is guaranteed to be deleted could already be notified. Otherwise, you will have to carefully follow the information 48 hours before or the day before from 5 p.m. On the TGV side, it would be the Paris-Lyon-Marseille line that could be the first impacted. In Ile-de-France, transport could also be affected, in particular RERs. According to Sud-Rail, 55% of the drivers of the RER D and R lines would have filed a strike notice.
11:40 – The still avoidable strike? A decisive weekend
Uncertainty still reigns a few days before the start of the strike launched by two SNCF unions. This weekend will be decisive. According to the Minister of Transport Philippe Tabarot on BFMTV this Friday, May 2 in the morning, it is still “avoidable”. “We have all weekend so that things are moving forward,” he still hopes. For their part, the unions argue that there are no “real negotiations”, while the minister assures that there have been “more than thirty meetings, discussions and negotiations”. “We can still negotiate this weekend. The management has our phone number, he calls us this weekend, we have a real negotiation meeting and there will be no strike next week,” said Fabien Villedieu, federal secretary of South Rail.
04/30/25 – 11:45 am – How do you know if your train is maintained?
From the day before, the strikers will have to manifest themselves. This will allow you to know the extent of the movement. Two days before, if your train is canceled, the SNCF will inform you by SMS or email. However, it can still be canceled afterwards. Most traffic information will be available the day before at 5 p.m. If you have not received news from your trip, it is recommended to check the information on your train before going to the station. Go to the site on SNCF-Connect.com and enter the number of your train to find out what it is. If the circulation of your train is disrupted, the exchanges and cancellations are “possible before the initially planned departure, even on non -exchangeable and non -refundable tickets” and free of charge, the SNCF said for this period. For TGVs, tickets will not be automatically canceled: you must cancel them yourself to be reimbursed. On the other hand, the exchange is possible for a traffic date up to 7 days of your initial travel date.
04/30/25 – 11:31 – The confidence of travelers lost in the event of a strike?
The president of the SNCF, Jean-Pierre Farandou, addressed the railway workers in an open letter, as reported by BFMTV. He reveals all the measures implemented and to come there: wage increases “greater than inflation”, negotiation of a new mode of wage progression, agreement on early cessations of activity … He also deplores a loss of confidence of travelers if the strike is maintained: “These strike movements, targeted on the May bridges, will penalize thousands of customers and relatives that they left with our trains. The dissatisfaction of the French, even their anger, will be great. He also fears the financial impact, while the SNCF faces competition. “With these strikes, the image of the SNCF will be harshly affected,” he added. The mail was not well received by the union: “railroad workers and railway workers want something other than a letter,” reacted the organization.
04/29/25 – 15:02 – Users prepare B plans
As May 8 approach, users become suspicious. Fearing that they have no trains, they are looking for solutions. At Flixbus, reservations are increasing, as BFMTV reports: +29% compared to 2024 on the Caen-Paris journey, +25% for Lyon-Marseille and +27% for Marseille-Nice. The plane option is still possible, but it should not be long in booking so as not to come across already complete flights. Otherwise, when it is possible, there is always the car, but the traffic could be dense on the roads during this extended weekend.
04/29/25 – 13:22 – notice can still be lifted
If a call for strike was launched by the CGT from May 5, notice can still be suspended. This is in any case what Sophie Binet, secretary general of the CGT, said at the LCI microphone. However, it puts the condition that railway workers are “satisfied” by then. “We can spare this by negotiating, I call the management of the SNCF to negotiate immediately with the trade union organizations to ensure that this strike does not take place, satisfying the claims. It is still possible and it is necessary,” she insisted. In particular, it deplores bonuses “which are not contributed” as well as the work rhythms of train drivers deemed “very restrictive”.
04/28/25 – 16:04 – A dark week feared by the French
While the bridge of May 8 can allow some French to take a few days off, they fear “a dark week” in transport following the strike notice filed. In a CSA survey for the JDD, Europe 1 and CNews, 65% of French people are favorable to the prohibition of strikes during the May bridges. This figure is up three points compared to the end of 2024.
04/28/25 – 15:03 – “TGV trains traffic Inoui and Ouigo can be disrupted between Monday May 5 and Sunday, May 11”
On the site SNCF Connecton traffic forecasts, the SNCF already alerts that “due to a social movement, the traffic of TGV trains Inoui and Ouigo can be disrupted between Monday May 5 and Sunday May 11”. To find out more, you will have to look at the day before departure from 5 p.m. “2 days before the trip, if your train does not circulate, the train companies will contact you by e-mail or SMS and will inform you of the different possibilities,” says the SNCF. If no information in this sense is received, it is advisable to check that no modification has been made on your train.
