As the days go by, many passengers are becoming increasingly stressed. Two unions, CGT-Cheminots and SUD-Rail, have called a strike for the week of May 5 to 11, 2025. That week, a long weekend awaits some French people, with the famous May 8 bridge. Many are planning to take the train to join their families, or to escape with friends or as a couple. But now, many are wondering whether trains will run at all on these dates. According to BFMTV, the threat of the strike has prompted some passengers to cancel their reservations. BFMTV also reports a 50% increase in SNCF ticket cancellations for May 8.
So what exactly can we expect? Should we expect a black week from May 5 to 11, 2025? For the time being, it's still a little too early to say, and to get detailed traffic forecasts.
A reminder of the facts. At the beginning of April, Sud-Rail was the first union to call a strike, calling on TGV controllers to stop work on Friday May 9, Saturday May 10 and Sunday May 11, and even as early as May 7, thus threatening the May 8 bridge. Then, on April 11, the CGT-Cheminots, the largest railway workers' union, called for strike action, with mobilization starting on Monday May 5.
SNCF strike: CGT announces strikes starting May 5
Train travel for the May 8th bridge is looking increasingly complicated. The CGT has joined the call for strike action by SNCF drivers and controllers on May 5. The strike comes on top of several notices already issued by Sud-Rail, making rail travel uncertain during the May bank holidays. [Read more]
While the CGT-Cheminots is calling for " the reopening of negotiations on the overhaul of the traction bonus, based on the CGT's demands", Sud-Rail is calling for better-anticipated schedules and an increase in the work bonus.
On April 18, Christophe Fanichet, CEO of the SNCF Voyageurs subsidiary, told Le Parisien: " SNCF can't afford a strike " at the risk of passengers " trying out competition, whether it's car-sharing, buses or another rail company ".
A meeting was therefore held on Wednesday April 23 between SUD-Rail and SNCF management. Unfortunately, negotiations failed to reach an agreement between the two parties. On BFMTV, Fabien Villedieu, federal secretary of the SUD-Rail union, announced that the strike would be maintained for the May 8 bridge. "We're heading for a black week on the May 8 bridge", Fabien Villedieu even told franceinfo.
If these strike notices at SNCF turn into a massive mobilization, then the week from May 5 to 11 is likely to be very difficult for travelers. It will be recalled that sales staff, i.e. railwaymen working in stations, are due to stop work for one day, on Monday May 5. The following day, their equipment colleagues will stop work, followed by drivers on May 7. No action is planned for May 8, the day marking the end of the Second World War. Finally, on May 9, 10 and 11, there will be a strike by ticket inspectors. Last but not least, SUD-Rail has been joined in its movement by the CNA, the Collectif national ASCT, considered by many to be very"influential".
On Sunday May 4, 2025, the eve of the start of the movement, Sud-Rail is announcing"very heavy disruptions" from Wednesday May 7 until Sunday May 11, as the union's federal secretary explained on RMC. For his part, in an interview with AFP, SNCF Voyageurs CEO Christophe Fanichet said that"traffic will be normal from Monday May 5 to Thursday May 8 on TGVs".
What about public transport in the Paris region? On its website, Transilien SNCF has announced that traffic will be disrupted on several RER and Transilien lines from Monday May 5.
Due to a nationwide strike at the SNCF, traffic is expected to be disrupted on public transport in the Île-de-France region from Monday, May 5, 2025. Disruptions are expected on two RER lines and four Transilien lines. We tell you all about it. [Read more]
SNCF strike: CGT announces strikes starting May 5
SNCF strike: disruptions forecast on several RER and Transilien lines from Monday
