How Tuesday's pension strike will impact Paris
Tuesday, January 31st marks a second day of mass strike action in protest at planned pension reforms - here's how the strike will impact services in the French capital.
Rail workers, public transport employees and teachers are along the people who will walk out on Tuesday in the latest one-day strike as unions battle the government over plans to reform the pension system, including raising the retirement age from 62 to 64.
Here's how this will affect Paris - you can find full details of the nationwide service impacts HERE.
6 ways to get a round Paris without public transport
Metro
- Lines 1 and 14, which are automated, will run as normal, but are likely to be extremely busy. Line 14 currently closes at 10pm because of ongoing works. All other Metro lines will be running a limited service.
- Line 4 - running all day, with 1 in 2 services at rush hour, and 1 in 4 the rest of the day
- Line 2 - 1 in 2 normal services, closing at 8pm
- Line 6 - running from 5.30am to 9.30am and 3.30pm to 7.30pm, running only between Nation and Denfert-Rochereau with 1 in 3 of normal services
- Line 10 - morning only, 1 in 3 of normal services
- Line 3bis - closed
The following lines will run only during rush hour - 7.30am to 9.30am and 4.30pm to 7.30pm;
- Line 3 - 1 train in 3, open only between Pont de Levellaois-Bécon a Havre-Caumartin
- Line 5 - 1 train in 3, open only between Bobigy-Pablo Picasso and Gare du Nord
- Line 7 - 1 train in 3
- Line 7bis - 1 train in 3
- Line 8 - 1 train in 3, open only between Créteil-Pointe du Lac and Reuilly-Diderot
- Line 9 - 1 train in 2
- Line 12 - 1 train in 4
- Line 11 - 1 train in 3 in the morning, 1 in 5 in the evening, open only between Belleville and Maire des Lilas
- Line 13 - 1 train in 3, open only between Saint-Denis-Université/Les Cortilles and Invalides
[#MouvementSocial] À la suite d’un préavis appelant à une journée de grève interprofessionnelle le mardi 31 janvier, la #RATP prévoit un trafic très perturbé sur les réseaux RER et Métro et légèrement perturbé sur le réseau de surface (Bus et Tramway) ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/PNc89lCAQm
— RATP Group (@RATPgroup) January 29, 2023
Keep in mind that some metro stations on lines that are operating may be closed. You can see the exhaustive list here.
The following metro stations will only be open during rush hour (7:30am to 9:30 am and 4:30pm to 7:30pm): Reuilly-Diderot, Bastille, Champs Elysées - Clémenceau, Stalingrad, and Villiers. The station "Hôtel de Ville" will only be open during the morning rush our period.
Some stations will be closed throughout the day, like Simplon, Strasbourg - Saint Denis, Réaumur-Sébastopol, Cité, Montparnasse-Bienvenüe, Pasteur, Hoche, Laumière, République, Richard Lenoir, Campo Formio, Château-Landon, Cadet, Opéra, Tolbiac, Trocadéro, Grands Boulevards, La Motte-Picquet - Grenelle, Duroc and Alésia.
Bus
On average, 8 in 10 of the normal services will run.
Tram
ON average, 8 in 10 of the normal services will run, a detailed timetable will be published on Monday evening.
RER
RER A - 1 train in 2 during rush hour and 1 in 4 the rest of the day
RER B - 1 train in 2 during rush hour and 1 in 3 the rest of the day, stopping at Gare du Nord
RER C - 1 train in 10, and services will only run between Paris Austerlitz and Dourdan/Etampes/Massy/Versailles Chantiers via Juvisy.
RER D - 1 train in 10. Trains will only run during rush hour between Goussainville and Châtelet; and between Paris Gare de Lyon/Melun/Corbeil Essonnes via Evry Courcouronnes. Passengers will not be able to connect between the Paris Gare de Lyon and Châtelet stations.
RER E - 1 train in 10. Trains will arrive and depart from Paris Gare de l'Est station. Trains will only operate during rush hour between Paris Gare de l'Est and Tournan/Meaux. Several stations, such as Haussmann, Magenta, Rosa Parks and Pantin will be closed on Tuesday. There will be normal traffic between Esbly and Crécy.
Transilien - 1 train in 3 on lines H and U, 1 in 4 on line K and 1 in 10 of normal services on lines J, N, L, P and R.
Eurostar
The Eurostar has cancelled seven services - three from Paris to London, three from London to Paris and one from Brussels to London, but all other trains will run as normal. Find the full list of cancellations here
Trains
National and international rail services in and out of the capital will be severely disrupted, with 1 in 3 of the normal TGV services running and 2 in 10 of the normal TER services.
As for specific lines, TGV services in the north of the country will run 2 trains out of 5; services in the east will run 1 train out of 2; services in the west will run 1 train out of 4; services in the south east will run 1 train out of 2; and OUIGO services will run 2 trains out of 5.
SNCF said on their website on Monday that Thalys trains (French-Belgian) will run "almost normal" and that Lyria (lines connecting France and Switzerland) will be heavily disrupted. You can see updated information on the SNCF website here.
Flights
There will be some cancellations of flights, but only those arriving or leaving at Paris Orly airport. The civil aviation authority says that this will affect flights arriving or leaving between Monday evening and 6am on Wednesday - anyone with a flight to/from Orly booked between those times is advised to check with their airline.
#Perturbations | Mouvement social national interprofessionnel du 31 janvier 2023 pic.twitter.com/OLeSOmYOV8
— Direction générale de l'aviation civile 🇫🇷🇪🇺 (@DGAC) January 29, 2023
Air France announced on Monday that it expected one in 10 of its short to medium haul flights to be cancelled on Tuesday due to strike action. The company said that it did not expect the strikes to cause any cancellations for long-haul flights.
The airline said that those whose flights are cancelled may be eligible for credit or full refunds. Air France is also offering to no-fee postponements for travel until February 7. Customers were advised to check their flight status prior to leaving for the airport via the Air France app or website.
As of Monday, the civil aviation authority (DGAC) expected operations to run normally on Tuesday at the Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport, according to Le Parisien.
Schools
Many schools in the capital will be fully or partly closed for the day - the last one-day strike saw just under half of teachers taking part, and a similar turnout is expected this time.
The main teachers' union Snuipp-FSU said on Monday that around half of all nursery and primary school teachers would be striking.
Mairie
Paris's Hotel de Ville will be closed on Tuesday, so administrative appointments will have to be rescheduled, although city services such as bin collection will continue as normal. The Communist leader Fabien Rossel has called for town halls across the country to close in solidarity with the strikes, but the final decision is up to individual mayors. The arrondissements mairies, therefore, may be open as normal.
Demos
There will be demonstrations and marches across the country, including in Paris where a large turnout is expected. The march will begin in Place d'Italie at 2pm, marching towards Place Vauban where it is expected to end at around 7pm.
Roads will be closed along the route including Avenue des Gobelins, Boulevard de Port Royal, Boulevard du Montparnasse, Boulevard des Invalides and place Vauban.
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Rail workers, public transport employees and teachers are along the people who will walk out on Tuesday in the latest one-day strike as unions battle the government over plans to reform the pension system, including raising the retirement age from 62 to 64.
Here's how this will affect Paris - you can find full details of the nationwide service impacts HERE.
6 ways to get a round Paris without public transport
Metro
- Lines 1 and 14, which are automated, will run as normal, but are likely to be extremely busy. Line 14 currently closes at 10pm because of ongoing works. All other Metro lines will be running a limited service.
- Line 4 - running all day, with 1 in 2 services at rush hour, and 1 in 4 the rest of the day
- Line 2 - 1 in 2 normal services, closing at 8pm
- Line 6 - running from 5.30am to 9.30am and 3.30pm to 7.30pm, running only between Nation and Denfert-Rochereau with 1 in 3 of normal services
- Line 10 - morning only, 1 in 3 of normal services
- Line 3bis - closed
The following lines will run only during rush hour - 7.30am to 9.30am and 4.30pm to 7.30pm;
- Line 3 - 1 train in 3, open only between Pont de Levellaois-Bécon a Havre-Caumartin
- Line 5 - 1 train in 3, open only between Bobigy-Pablo Picasso and Gare du Nord
- Line 7 - 1 train in 3
- Line 7bis - 1 train in 3
- Line 8 - 1 train in 3, open only between Créteil-Pointe du Lac and Reuilly-Diderot
- Line 9 - 1 train in 2
- Line 12 - 1 train in 4
- Line 11 - 1 train in 3 in the morning, 1 in 5 in the evening, open only between Belleville and Maire des Lilas
- Line 13 - 1 train in 3, open only between Saint-Denis-Université/Les Cortilles and Invalides
[#MouvementSocial] À la suite d’un préavis appelant à une journée de grève interprofessionnelle le mardi 31 janvier, la #RATP prévoit un trafic très perturbé sur les réseaux RER et Métro et légèrement perturbé sur le réseau de surface (Bus et Tramway) ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/PNc89lCAQm
— RATP Group (@RATPgroup) January 29, 2023
Keep in mind that some metro stations on lines that are operating may be closed. You can see the exhaustive list here.
The following metro stations will only be open during rush hour (7:30am to 9:30 am and 4:30pm to 7:30pm): Reuilly-Diderot, Bastille, Champs Elysées - Clémenceau, Stalingrad, and Villiers. The station "Hôtel de Ville" will only be open during the morning rush our period.
Some stations will be closed throughout the day, like Simplon, Strasbourg - Saint Denis, Réaumur-Sébastopol, Cité, Montparnasse-Bienvenüe, Pasteur, Hoche, Laumière, République, Richard Lenoir, Campo Formio, Château-Landon, Cadet, Opéra, Tolbiac, Trocadéro, Grands Boulevards, La Motte-Picquet - Grenelle, Duroc and Alésia.
Bus
On average, 8 in 10 of the normal services will run.
Tram
ON average, 8 in 10 of the normal services will run, a detailed timetable will be published on Monday evening.
RER
RER A - 1 train in 2 during rush hour and 1 in 4 the rest of the day
RER B - 1 train in 2 during rush hour and 1 in 3 the rest of the day, stopping at Gare du Nord
RER C - 1 train in 10, and services will only run between Paris Austerlitz and Dourdan/Etampes/Massy/Versailles Chantiers via Juvisy.
RER D - 1 train in 10. Trains will only run during rush hour between Goussainville and Châtelet; and between Paris Gare de Lyon/Melun/Corbeil Essonnes via Evry Courcouronnes. Passengers will not be able to connect between the Paris Gare de Lyon and Châtelet stations.
RER E - 1 train in 10. Trains will arrive and depart from Paris Gare de l'Est station. Trains will only operate during rush hour between Paris Gare de l'Est and Tournan/Meaux. Several stations, such as Haussmann, Magenta, Rosa Parks and Pantin will be closed on Tuesday. There will be normal traffic between Esbly and Crécy.
Transilien - 1 train in 3 on lines H and U, 1 in 4 on line K and 1 in 10 of normal services on lines J, N, L, P and R.
Eurostar
The Eurostar has cancelled seven services - three from Paris to London, three from London to Paris and one from Brussels to London, but all other trains will run as normal. Find the full list of cancellations here
Trains
National and international rail services in and out of the capital will be severely disrupted, with 1 in 3 of the normal TGV services running and 2 in 10 of the normal TER services.
As for specific lines, TGV services in the north of the country will run 2 trains out of 5; services in the east will run 1 train out of 2; services in the west will run 1 train out of 4; services in the south east will run 1 train out of 2; and OUIGO services will run 2 trains out of 5.
SNCF said on their website on Monday that Thalys trains (French-Belgian) will run "almost normal" and that Lyria (lines connecting France and Switzerland) will be heavily disrupted. You can see updated information on the SNCF website here.
Flights
There will be some cancellations of flights, but only those arriving or leaving at Paris Orly airport. The civil aviation authority says that this will affect flights arriving or leaving between Monday evening and 6am on Wednesday - anyone with a flight to/from Orly booked between those times is advised to check with their airline.
#Perturbations | Mouvement social national interprofessionnel du 31 janvier 2023 pic.twitter.com/OLeSOmYOV8
— Direction générale de l'aviation civile 🇫🇷🇪🇺 (@DGAC) January 29, 2023
Air France announced on Monday that it expected one in 10 of its short to medium haul flights to be cancelled on Tuesday due to strike action. The company said that it did not expect the strikes to cause any cancellations for long-haul flights.
The airline said that those whose flights are cancelled may be eligible for credit or full refunds. Air France is also offering to no-fee postponements for travel until February 7. Customers were advised to check their flight status prior to leaving for the airport via the Air France app or website.
As of Monday, the civil aviation authority (DGAC) expected operations to run normally on Tuesday at the Roissy-Charles de Gaulle airport, according to Le Parisien.
Schools
Many schools in the capital will be fully or partly closed for the day - the last one-day strike saw just under half of teachers taking part, and a similar turnout is expected this time.
The main teachers' union Snuipp-FSU said on Monday that around half of all nursery and primary school teachers would be striking.
Mairie
Paris's Hotel de Ville will be closed on Tuesday, so administrative appointments will have to be rescheduled, although city services such as bin collection will continue as normal. The Communist leader Fabien Rossel has called for town halls across the country to close in solidarity with the strikes, but the final decision is up to individual mayors. The arrondissements mairies, therefore, may be open as normal.
Demos
There will be demonstrations and marches across the country, including in Paris where a large turnout is expected. The march will begin in Place d'Italie at 2pm, marching towards Place Vauban where it is expected to end at around 7pm.
Roads will be closed along the route including Avenue des Gobelins, Boulevard de Port Royal, Boulevard du Montparnasse, Boulevard des Invalides and place Vauban.
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