Now that the winter vacations are over, many people are already thinking about their next vacation: spring. The seaside, the countryside or a trip to another French town or European capital... Everyone already has their own idea in mind. But a strike at the SNCF (the French national railway company) could turn everything upside down. As Le Parisien revealed in an article published on March 24, and since confirmed by other media including BFMTV, a strike notice has been issued by the Sud Rail union, " at the request of the controllers and their national collective ", says the daily.
And the period chosen by the union could have major repercussions for passengers. The strike notice would cover all weekends, from Thursday 7pm to Monday 8am, from April 17 to June 2, 2025.
This period coincides with the spring vacations, and the many bridges in May, which are much sought-after by the French to get away for a long weekend. These include Easter Monday (April 21), Thursday May 1 and 8, and Ascension Day (May 29). Spring vacation runs from April 5 for Zone B to May 5 for Zone A. Vacations in Zone C (Créteil, Paris, Versailles) start on April 12 and end on the evening of April 27. So, should we be worried by Sud Rail's strike plan? For the time being, it's still too early to say.
According to Le Parisien, the SNCF's 3rd largest union is demanding a pay rise, as well as " respect for collective working hours ". For its part, SNCF Voyageurs confirms to Le Parisien that it is giving notice, stating that " dialogue is ongoing and ongoing with the representatives of the representative trade unions ". However, SNCF Voyageurs was keen to point out to the daily that " not all notice periods lead to consequences " for passengers.
