Two days before the start of the second phase of deconfinement, the cabinet of the Secretary of State for Transport announced that certain rules were going to change, the objective being to allow more French people to move. "We remove the restriction of a seat on two" neutralized in the TGV, which had been imposed on the SNCF in order to respect the rules of distancing, said Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, Sunday, on BFMTV.
Other rules will also be changed. Here is what will change from Tuesday if you travel with the SNCF or the RATP.
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The mask remains mandatory
Whether at SNCF or RATP, wearing a mask will remain mandatory. "We will continue to have very important health measures" in public transport, said the secretary of state.
The rule of one seat out of two jumps on the TGV
The rule of a vacant seat on two inside the TGV, which had been established to fight against the pandemic, will jump from Tuesday. While it will now be possible for two travelers to find themselves side by side, the government nevertheless requests the SNCF to maintain safety distances when the train is not full, which will no doubt be the case at the start.
This restriction, while no such constraint was imposed by plane, made the SNCF cringe, especially with regard to TGV, the only trains on which it usually makes profits. The operator immediately "welcomed" this relaxation on Sunday, seeing it as "the fruit of good citizenship for travelers.
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All trains on rails by June 24
Train traffic should gradually increase to reach 100% of the trains in circulation from June 24. All trains in France, from TER to TGV, will be back on track, in time for vacation departures.
SNCF said it had "already opened all of its summer trains for reservations". The tickets will be "exchangeable, cancellable and refundable free of charge," said the public operator in a press release.
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RATP hopes to reach 50% attendance
In the Paris region, the RATP also hopes to be able to accommodate more people in the metros, buses and RERs from Tuesday. Currently only 20% of passengers can board. The numbers could climb to 50% of regular attendance. A decree is to be published on Monday specifying the modalities of this increase in reception capacities.
Regarding accessibility to the metro "we have 62 closed metro stations, it will certainly be a little less" soon, said Jean-Baptiste Djebbari without giving a precise figure. However, the government continues to strongly encourage the use of telework.
A certificate still required during rush hour in Île-de-France
The employer certificate, or a self-certificate, to take transport in Île-de-France, will remain compulsory during peak hours "at least until June 22", therefore for any trip between 6:30 am and 9:30 am, then between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.