Hi. I’m in Avignon now and I just received an email about possible disruption for train trip Avignon to Carcassonne scheduled possibly this Friday. Three questions: has anyone heard of the likely possibility of a train strike this week? Two: should I try to book a car now before prices go sky high? and three: should I not travel to Arles tomorrow by train in the off chance I get stranded there? Of course no one can predict the future. But I have zero experience with this so any suggestions are welcome. Thanks!!
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10623 posts
Yes, the local TER train drivers in Occitanie, which is where you are going from Provence, started a strike today. They expected 70%. There is one line that does connect with Avignon and Marseille, so that may be your train. I don't know if the Provence drivers are striking, too. I don't know if they will still be on strike on Friday. The company needs to hire 1,000 new drivers following COVID, so drivers are burned out.
Check to see if the TGV and Intercités trains are on strike. If you can get to Marseille on a TGV, there are some Intercité trains that go from Marseille to Carcassonne, or even from Nîmes center, not Nîmes TGV station, to Carcassonne. The clerk at the train station can help you.
Posted by
white plains, ny, usa
4161 posts
Bets, Our train tomorrow from Toulouse Matabiau to Lyon leaves at 10:44 ( change in Montpellier) I think this is headed for Marseilles and is an IC train. Checking my account on SNCF ,the train is running , I haven't received any change notice. The two trains that were to follow have been cancelled . Service on this run resumes later in the day.
Posted by
OP
Bay Area, CA , usa
89 posts
Ok. We actually are booked Avignon to Carcassonne tomorrow with a change in Nîmes. So it seems like the occitane région would be the Nîmes to Carcassonne portion. So if I am able to book new tickets Avignon to Carcassonne with a change in marseille would that eliminate the occitane strike portion? Or maybe I’ll try to get a hotel in Carcassonne tonight also and try to get tickets tonight and train there tonight? We will go to the train station here in Avignon now. Maybe they will have good suggestions also. Thank you!!
Posted by
L'Occitanie, France
10623 posts
It's the same train that stops at both Nîmes center and Marseille, an Intercités. And it stops in Carcassonne.
The people at the station should be able to get you on a train. What happens in strike situations is that sometimes rather than getting a reserved seat, people pack into the trains that are running and take any unoccupied seat...or stand.
Posted by
OP
Bay Area, CA , usa
89 posts
Thank you SO MUCH! We went to the train station. They said the strike would be confirmed or dismissed today sometime after six pm. We decided, thanks to your suggestions, to cut our Avignon (Provence) portion of this trip short and head off to Carcassonne a day early in order to ensure we pick up our car there., which we will use for the next five days. We will just have to come back and see all that we missed. I am just so thankful to all of you for the great advice so we can make this a smooth and easy transition!!
Posted by
OP
Bay Area, CA , usa
89 posts
Oh my goodness!!! Carcassonne is SO AMAZING!! I kept reading what a tourist trap it is, so I was not that excited honestly. Maybe it’s because is mid September or maybe it’s luck or maybe it’s because we stayed the night (now two nights due to train strike) but THIS PLACE IS AWESOME!!! Fairytale come to life!!!! Highly recommend!!! Especially at night!!! Thank you Rick Steves!