Sncf Strike

[metrocammel]

I am very annoyed.

We complain about our train service, however I am currently on free wifi in a hotel, which cost me 55Euros, in Amiens, due to a damn 'greive', or strike for the non French speaking amongst us.


In Britain, if we buy a ticket from A to C, and there is a problem, meaning you only get to B, they will always get you to C, or at least, pay for a hotel in B.

Sadly, that is not the cast in France. I bought a ticket from Calais to Paris, at the ticket office, for 26 Euros. As the TGV from Lille was full, the woman put a rather odd, slower route on my ticket, with a "47 style" Sulzer loco & stock from Calais to Amiens, with a 10 minute conxn in Amiens from a Corail IC to Paris. On the train, a smartly dressed SNCF woman checked my ticket and said somthing very quickly in French, telling me that I couldn't get to Paris tonight, due to a "greive". When I asked what I should do, she just said "go to a hotel, and continue your journey tommorow". I asked if I would get any reimbursement. The anwser was no.

My point is, in Britain I have been i similar situations, and they must put you in taxi or a hotel, in accordance to the CofC. Is there nothing like this in France? And is there anyway of getting a refund retrospectivley? (The guard did endorse my ticket with a stamp to enable me to use it on any train tommorow). I am just annoyed that I am now out of pocket (as I had a perfectly good hotel, with my mum & dad waiting for me in Paris).

Bloody hell, I do love England..... I never thought I'd say that

 

[Oracle]

I remember going with Dad to Epernay via Dover, Dunquerque, and in theory Paris Nord and Paris de l'Est. The Dunquerque train suddenly stopped at Amiens, and then we all had to get out and luckliy for us we got a train to Nord...the reason was of course a "greive"! I gather that the strike is about civil servants being able to retire early, and the goverrnment's attempts to get rid of it. Even the RATP was affected I gather.

 

[metrocammel]

In the end, I got a train the next morning, which was a smart BB15000, to Paris Nord. I heard nothing more of the strike for the rest of the holiday. However from watching the news and being out n' about in the city, there seems to be lots of "grieves", First the student doctors were on strike, and parading around Montparnasse in their white coats! Then on the news there were some judges on strike in courts, somewhere in Eastern France. There were also some porters on strike at the Meridien hotel! So Lots and lots of strikes! But, thankfully, the railways / transport system seemed to be now running very smoothly (with the exception of a few cancellations on RER line E, which was due to a shortage of "rames", Im not sure if this was due to lack of people to drive them though?)

Anyway, yepp it was a good trip, and the first time Ive sampled Thalys, with a very nice meal in FC (which was ironically cheaper than going 2nd- as there is no student fare on 2nd class tickets between Paris & Bruxelles!) Belgium was also very good- although I was a bit ****ed off that I'd booked the flight home from Bruxelles and the hotel- before finding out Chingfinder/ Mercia's "Fallen Heros" tour had been caped :@.

 

[theblackwatch]

I'm amazed it's considered news when people go on strike in France - I would think it more newsworthy if people actually were'nt on strike!

I've only been caught up in one "greve" whilst cranking abroad, and that was in Portugal. In order to guarantee getting back to the airport for our flight home, we ended up doing a 4 hour taxi move to get to Faro. Full story at http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/galas/240499.htm (see days 5 and 6).

 

[Driver74]

I am very annoyed.

We complain about our train service, however I am currently on free wifi in a hotel, which cost me 55Euros, in Amiens, due to a damn 'greive', or strike for the non French speaking amongst us.


In Britain, if we buy a ticket from A to C, and there is a problem, meaning you only get to B, they will always get you to C, or at least, pay for a hotel in B.

Sadly, that is not the cast in France. I bought a ticket from Calais to Paris, at the ticket office, for 26 Euros. As the TGV from Lille was full, the woman put a rather odd, slower route on my ticket, with a "47 style" Sulzer loco & stock from Calais to Amiens, with a 10 minute conxn in Amiens from a Corail IC to Paris. On the train, a smartly dressed SNCF woman checked my ticket and said somthing very quickly in French, telling me that I couldn't get to Paris tonight, due to a "greive". When I asked what I should do, she just said "go to a hotel, and continue your journey tommorow". I asked if I would get any reimbursement. The anwser was no.

My point is, in Britain I have been i similar situations, and they must put you in taxi or a hotel, in accordance to the CofC. Is there nothing like this in France? And is there anyway of getting a refund retrospectivley? (The guard did endorse my ticket with a stamp to enable me to use it on any train tommorow). I am just annoyed that I am now out of pocket (as I had a perfectly good hotel, with my mum & dad waiting for me in Paris).

Bloody hell, I do love England..... I never thought I'd say that

You have my deepest sympathy.
Earlier this year I experienced the French attitude to the English. Travelling back from Switzerland under conditions I wouldn’t put and animal under. A female French Customs officer asked for our passports. Handing them back she wanted to know if we had anything to declare in French. We gave her the dumb look and quite put out, she asked the same question in English as though she was talking dirty.
Our experience with both Paris stations was one of sheer disgust at the filth on the street between both stations and the pushing and shoving in both stations. I’m afraid we are just foreigners to them. Does that phrase ring any bells?