By Salma El-Sakka
Train passengers in France face major disruption as a nationwide general strike called by trade unions brings hundreds of thousands of protesters onto the streets on Thursday, 5 November.
Protests expected across major cities
France's intelligence service expects 500,000 to 700,000 people to demonstrate outside Paris, with major rallies also planned in Lyon and Marseille, according to Reuters.
Train services heavily affected
State-owned railway operator SNCF anticipates disruptions across its network. High-speed TGV services will see minor impacts, while regional Intercités and TER trains, plus Paris Île-de-France train and RER services, face significant cancellations. Several Paris stations are closed, though metro, bus and tram networks are expected to run normally. Commuter Transilien trains will be affected.
Eurostar and flights largely unaffected
Eurostar says it will run a near-normal timetable but urges passengers to monitor live travel information. The civil aviation authority DGAC has not requested any flight schedule changes, and no major flight disruption has been reported.
UK issues travel warning
The UK Foreign Office has warned of an increased likelihood of demonstrations across France since 22 October, noting potential transport disruption, localised curfews and a significant police presence.
Strike follows weeks of unrest
The action comes after three consecutive weekends of protests over school conditions and the high cost of living. Demonstrations in October escalated into riots and looting, damaging shops and public property.
