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Train Strike

Posted by on

Hello,

I need some advise. I am completely frustrated with SNCF and the strike. We have train tickets that we bought a while ago, unfortunately they are for a strike day in May 3. In the SNCF there was also a paragraph saying that for trains for May and June was too early to cancel. They are saying to check the day before at 5pm. However, I just checked and our train says "non bookable" so I assuming that one will be cancelled for sure.
I see there are other trains that day that are still taking reservations except they cost 40 Euros more per ticket of what we paid. Should I assume if I try to exchange for one of those trains they will charge me for the difference?

We have a car rental reservation just in case, I just not very happy to drive 8 hours in a day to get to Avignon.
I assume we could get to the station as early as possible and tray to get into any of the trains. If we do that, do I have to go first at the station and get the actual printed ticket for my cancelled train?? are they going to charge me the difference if I want to try to get into any of the trains that day?
Thanks

Posted by
2544 posts

Nothing is for sure. Your train may be cancelled, it may not be.

If it turns out that your train is indeed cancelled, just go to the station early and take any Avignon train. You will not have assigned seats but with the tickets you do have, you can use any unoccupied seat as long as its rightful owner does not show up.

You could attempt to change your ticket but depending upon the type of ticket you have, there may be a change fee. You might also have non changeable tickets.

Posted by
10188 posts

Correct that SNCF is not selling any tickets for any trains on projected strike days. It’s unusual thzt you saw tickets for sale for other trains for the same day. Was this the SNCF website or a 3rd party seller? SNCF won’t know which trains are canceled until a day or two before. We received an email from SNCF on a Monday confirming the cancellation of our Wednesday train.

You can go to a station or SNCF boutique to get a refund or change the date even on nonrefundable tickets that are issued for a strike day. SNCF is making exceptions. My tickets for my canceled train have already been refunded. I did it on-line so the euros went into a bank account, but it wasn’t easy and I’m a French speaker. Or you can hop on any train that’s going, but be prepared to stand if you can’t find an empty seat. We chose to keep our rental car, and after calling Hertz to change the drop-off location, we drove.

I can’t answer about needing to show the physical ticket rather than the electronic as we printed everything out before leaving the States.

Posted by
51 posts

I have heard that they do have an idea about a month in advance. They do not show as "canceled" but do list as "non-bookable". If you go out to the SNCF site, you'll see this as far out as the 5/9 strike date. I'm hoping they extend through June soon. I have a changeable ticket and a train booked on 6/2 that I may need to change.

Posted by
17 posts

Thank you everybody, I guess, I will do the drive unless a miracle happens.

Posted by
16893 posts

I'd guess that the extraordinary-refund options at https://en.oui.sncf/en/train/strike would be extended some distance into May, if necessary, by the end of this week, separate from the actual notices of train cancellation which happen closer to the actual travel day. Bad luck to be sitting on the turn of a new month.

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