This winter, there is a storm in the air.

Faced with the cancellations of trains caused by the strike of SNCF controllers, the readers who responded to our call for testimonies are angry.

The removal of about one in three trains on Friday, on the eve of the Christmas holidays, leaves many on the floor, forced to upset all their plans.

“This strike is completely inadmissible!

exclaims Stéphane, for example.

The CGT-Cheminots and SUD-Rail unions have issued a strike notice for the end of the year, without however explicitly calling for a strike.

The mobilization comes mainly from the collective of controllers, who demand better consideration of the specificities of their profession.

About 200,000 people should not be able to travel, out of the 800,000 planned.

Travelers don't understand strikers

In this period of end-of-year celebrations, already tense in transport, the cancellation of a train sounds like a big hassle.

"On December 21, two days before our departure, we received a message telling us that our train was cancelled," says Jean.

We are offered to exchange, but no train is available before the 27th.” Same observation for François: “No possibility of exchange, since all the trains are full for the 25th.”



Christophe Fanichet, the CEO of SNCF Voyageurs, announced a 200% refund of the canceled trains, this Wednesday morning, on France Info.

However, benefiting from this reimbursement does not seem obvious.

“We took the reimbursement, but even there we are losing because the return journey is not reimbursed at 200%”, continues Jean.

"Impossible to get reimbursed online, because the site tells me that I cannot cancel the deleted train without also canceling the return," adds Flavien.

I spent yesterday afternoon calling 3635 without being able to get an interlocutor.

This morning at the SNCF Gare de Lyon agency, an endless queue.

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"Everything was turned upside down because of the strike"

Either way, our readers had to adjust their holiday plans.

“I also had to postpone the end-of-year party with the beautiful family, and the caterer too, continues François.

For a person who works all year round in Paris, and who rarely sees his family, this moment was important.

Everything was turned upside down because of the strike.

Like him, many people regret not being able to see each other as a family.

“We are disgusted, Christmas with young children is precious for us and the grandparents, says Carine.

The SNCF really ruined the party, and it's not the money that will fill my children's heads with family memories.

Some have resolved to postpone their family gatherings until Easter.

In the meantime, let's hope that the magic of Christmas allows our readers to reconcile with the train.

To still ensure travel, our readers have turned to other public transport.

"For the holidays, I planned to make the bus trip, at least the trip will be guaranteed," hopes Annabelle.

Others favor individual car journeys, despite the inconveniences.

“I therefore have to fall back on a Roissy-Nantes journey by car, a five-hour drive, with the dangers and fatigue inherent in driving”, believes François.

Elisabeth had opted for carpooling: “We are used to suffering from strikes, so we immediately connected to Blablacar for an alternative solution.

For François, this is perhaps the preferred solution for a less tiring journey and for him to spend more quickly launching into Christmas carols a cappella, in choir or in canon.

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SNCF strike: Two out of three trains will run on Christmas weekend

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