Strike at the SNCF: Bus Director of Blablacar Confirms 20-30% surge in occurrence currently
Heads Up, Travelers! SNCF Strike on May 8th Weekend - What You Need to Know
Looks like the SNCF strike next week is causing quite a stir in France's travel plans, with potential chaos on the rails! Aurélien Gandois, director of bus activities at BlaBlaCar, shares his insights on the situation.
On May 4th, Gandois stated that there's already a 20-30% increase in bookings for the bus from BlaBlaCar, and things are set to get even tougher on the rails. Sud-Rail and CGT-Cheminots have proposed strikes over pay and work organization issues, with a controller strike looming over the May 8th long weekend.
What's the Scoop on the SNCF Strike?Gandois predicts a whopping 20-30% increase if trains are cancelled, potentially tripling demand on some lines. However, SNCF has yet to announce the full extent of cancellations, which will be revealed in part on the upcoming Sunday.
Hit Hardest: Paris-Lyon-Marseille-Nice AxisAreas most affected include the "Paris-Caen-Deauville" route to Normandy, where increases have been noticed even without the strike's onset. Next week, BlaBlaCar anticipates a significant surge on the "Paris-Lyon-Marseille-Nice" axis, with levels doubling usual weekend demand. To cope with the surge, BlaBlaCar will have 350 buses running and can mobilize an additional "20 to 30" on the major axes as needed.
Buses Riding the Strike WaveDespite the strike-induced rise in demand, Gandois acknowledges that bus activity in 2024 saw record heights, with over 6 million passengers, even without a strike. This shows that buses remain a popular mode of transport during times of disruption.
Stay tuned for SNCF's official announcement on train cancellations this weekend. In the meantime, keep an eye on updates and consider alternative travel plans if necessary!
- With the SNCF strike causing a surge in train cancellations next week, the bus industry, such as BlaBlaCar, may see a significant increase in demand, potentially tripling on some lines.
- The "Paris-Lyon-Marseille-Nice" axis is anticipated to be hit the hardest, as BlaBlaCar expects demand to double the usual weekend levels during the strike.
- Even during times ofindustry disruption, the automotive sector, including buses, has proven to be a popular mode of transportation, as shown by BlaBlaCar's record-breaking 6 million passengers in 2024.
