The SNCF anticipates the strike of December 5th, announced as being unlimited by unions. It is no longer possible to book a train for this date and the following days.
“Complete”, “complete”, “complete”. This is what is posted on the site of the SNCF for the reservation of the TGV and some Intercités trains on December 5th, day of strike announced unlimited by the unions of the SNCF and the RATP.
In order to anticipate this massive strike movement, the SNCF has decided to “limit the sale of tickets for the days of December 5 to 8 ” included, as it announced to its subscribers in an email, this Wednesday 27th November 2019.
Which trains are concerned?
All TGVs and some Intercités trains are affected by this limitation, including beyond December 5th. Impossible for example to book a Lorient-Paris on Saturday 9th December regardless of the time of day. Ditto for a Bordeaux-Paris or a Lyon-Paris on Sunday, December 8th.
“The SNCF takes its responsibilities in anticipating that a certain number of trains will not be able to circulate that day,” Secretary of State Jean-Baptiste Djebbari told actu.fr during a visit to the Saint-Jean train station. Lazarus
“I believe that it is responsible, since you know that the train traffic will be degraded, to tell travelers, customers of the SNCF, that they must refer to alternative means of transport.”
In a statement posted on the TGV-Atlantique axis blog , the SNCF states that “TGV confirmed to traffic can not be re-opened for sale until 17h the day before the departure.”
Why is it blocked?
To justify this device set up by the SNCF, the rail carrier explains in its information relayed to its customers:
“As a precautionary measure, we have limited the sale of tickets for the days of December 5 to 8, so that customers whose trains are canceled can benefit from the flexibility of access on the INOUI and Intercités TGV trains that will be operating.”
To our colleagues in BFMTV , a spokesman said that the SNCF blocking reservations as soon as it “is not sure that trains run, not to sell tickets that could not be assured commercially thereafter “.
Travellers who have already taken their tickets should be contacted to be informed that their train may not be leaving.
For others, the SNCF invites travellers” to cancel or give preference to other modes of travel”.
