Aurélien Fleurot, edited by Gauthier Delomez 6:15 p.m., March 12, 2022

From this Saturday, the SNCF is providing additional TGV trains for Ukrainian refugees in transit in France, between Paris and Barcelona.

The railway company is adapting its system, in view of the growing influx of refugees in recent days in Parisian stations.

Europe 1 went to Gare de Lyon.

REPORT

Yulia is Russian.

She has lived in Paris for more than ten years and with the war in Ukraine, she sought to make herself useful in helping Ukrainian refugees passing through the capital.

Since this Saturday, the SNCF has made available additional TGV trains to allow these people in transit to go to Barcelona.

The railway company is also adapting its system, in conjunction with the Red Cross, in view of the growing influx of Ukrainians in recent days in Parisian stations.

And it was via a self-help group on social networks that Ioulia knew that there were needs in the stations.

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Orient refugees and tell them where they can be accommodated

Until then, Ukrainian refugees could be offered a free ticket to board TER and Intercités trains, and this is now also the case for TGVs.

"I feel a huge responsibility for what is happening now," says the young Russian woman at the microphone of Europe 1. "I welcome people who have arrived by bus to try to redirect them, and explain to them where they can be welcomed for the day or the night."

An increase in the necessary device in the days to come

That day, Ioulia has just directed three young people, Gare de Lyon, who are expected in Grenoble to work in an architectural firm.

In this Parisian station, a reception has been set up with the Red Cross.

"We have a lot of groups of 20, 30, even 40 people, so it's not always easy to be able to offer them a solution on D-Day", underlines Manon Guérin, who coordinates logistics for the SNCF.

The coordinator adds that "sometimes, some wait overnight, and that's where the Red Cross helps to find them (shelter). We have a gymnasium that has been opened next door. There are also partnerships with hotels, so families sometimes wait one night for Spanish destinations."

For the association, an increase in the system is necessary because it anticipates difficult days to come, with a greater arrival of refugees.