https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from France in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Traffic jams are forecast on key French routes this weekend, as well as busy railway stations and issues at the airports as the after-effects of the this week’s two-day strike are still being felt. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250704/traffic-jams-and-strikes-travel-in-france-on-first-summer-holiday-weekend Fri, 04 Jul 2025 16:16:45 +0200 traffic-jams-and-strikes-travel-in-france-on-first-summer-holiday-weekend France’s rail services are more popular than ever, with new data showing that the number of passengers using the network just keeps on growing. And no, the threat of strikes does not seem to put travellers off. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250613/rail-golden-age-more-and-more-people-take-french-trains-despite-strike-threats Fri, 13 Jun 2025 14:30:50 +0200 rail-golden-age-more-and-more-people-take-french-trains-despite-strike-threats France's international night train service has been steadily expanding and another new route will be added to the mix this summer - Marseille to Rome. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250523/new-night-train-service-will-connect-marseille-and-rome Fri, 23 May 2025 18:16:04 +0200 new-night-train-service-will-connect-marseille-and-rome The EU’s incoming EES entry system has prompted Eurostar to shut down popular time-saving check-in service. https://www.thelocal.fr/20250131/eurostar-shuts-down-contactless-check-in-system-as-ees-deadline-nears Fri, 31 Jan 2025 13:15:34 +0100 eurostar-shuts-down-contactless-check-in-system-as-ees-deadline-nears The recently-inaugurated night trains between the European capitals of Paris, Berlin and Vienna will be suspended for two months for important works, officials have said. https://www.thelocal.fr/20240627/paris-night-trains-to-berlin-and-vienna-suspended-for-summer-works Thu, 27 Jun 2024 14:06:01 +0200 paris-night-trains-to-berlin-and-vienna-suspended-for-summer-works With approaching 3,000 kilometres of high-speed line, France has the second-longest high-speed rail network in Europe - here's where you can go by high-speed TGV trains. https://www.thelocal.fr/20231016/map-where-high-speed-trains-can-take-you-in-france Mon, 16 Oct 2023 14:32:54 +0200 map-where-high-speed-trains-can-take-you-in-france French train operator SNCF is offering sleeper train services between Paris and eight cities across the country this summer, part of a growing network of European night trains. https://www.thelocal.fr/20230602/8-french-night-trains-to-take-this-summer Fri, 02 Jun 2023 15:57:24 +0200 8-french-night-trains-to-take-this-summer A co-operative rail business has unveiled plans to relaunch a cross-country French rail service that SNCF abandoned in 2014 - if it can raise €4.1 million https://www.thelocal.fr/20230303/french-rail-link-between-bordeaux-and-lyon-to-return-in-2024 Fri, 03 Mar 2023 15:15:01 +0100 french-rail-link-between-bordeaux-and-lyon-to-return-in-2024 The hardline CGT union has called for a national strike on the railways in July in a dispute over pay and working conditions. https://www.thelocal.fr/20210615/french-union-calls-for-national-rail-strike-in-july Tue, 15 Jun 2021 11:17:53 +0200 french-union-calls-for-national-rail-strike-in-july A high speed rail link between France and Italy is now more likely to go ahead after election woes for Italian opponents to the plan. https://www.thelocal.fr/20190528/election-results-give-boost-for-high-speed-rail-link-from-france-to-italy Tue, 28 May 2019 14:04:49 +0200 election-results-give-boost-for-high-speed-rail-link-from-france-to-italy The European Commission confirmed on Wednesday it had derailed a proposed merger of the Siemens-Alstom rail businesses, in defiance of France and Germany. https://www.thelocal.fr/20190206/france-furious-after-eu-derails-train-merger Wed, 06 Feb 2019 13:03:11 +0100 france-furious-after-eu-derails-train-merger Rail travellers in France could soon receive greater compensation for train delays after the European Parliament decided on Thursday to boost rail passenger rights. But it could be a costly measure for the SNCF. https://www.thelocal.fr/20181116/rail-passengers-in-france-to-get-greater-compensation-for-delays Fri, 16 Nov 2018 14:21:35 +0100 rail-passengers-in-france-to-get-greater-compensation-for-delays Power was finally restored to a key Paris rail station three days after a crippling fire disrupted the holiday plans of thousands of people on a crucial mid-summer weekend. https://www.thelocal.fr/20180731/key-paris-rail-station-powers-back-up-after-days-of-traffic-chaos Tue, 31 Jul 2018 11:51:10 +0200 key-paris-rail-station-powers-back-up-after-days-of-traffic-chaos In launching his plan to overhaul France's heavily-indebted state rail operator SNCF earlier this year, President Emmanuel Macron knew he was taking aim at a bastion of labour unions which have long defied a range of government reform efforts. https://www.thelocal.fr/20180612/macron-on-verge-of-french-rail-reform-victory-as-strikes-continue Tue, 12 Jun 2018 17:40:48 +0200 macron-on-verge-of-french-rail-reform-victory-as-strikes-continue French public sector staff will join rail workers in striking Tuesday to protest reforms proposed by President Emmanuel Macron, with the country braced for possible major disruption. https://www.thelocal.fr/20180522/french-public-sector-workers-join-rail-strikers-for-day-of-protest Tue, 22 May 2018 14:13:34 +0200 french-public-sector-workers-join-rail-strikers-for-day-of-protest French rail unions have claimed that a recently leaked document provides proof that the government ultimately plans to privatize the country's railways. But is this really what the government has in store for the SNCF? https://www.thelocal.fr/20180514/is-france-really-going-to-privatize-its-railways Mon, 14 May 2018 19:06:02 +0200 is-france-really-going-to-privatize-its-railways Unions at French rail operator SNCF will hold a companywide vote next week on the government's contested overhaul for the heavily indebted group, aimed at proving that support for a long-running strike remains strong despite signs it is tapering off. https://www.thelocal.fr/20180510/striking-french-rail-unions-to-hold-vote-over-reform-plans Thu, 10 May 2018 14:49:10 +0200 striking-french-rail-unions-to-hold-vote-over-reform-plans Commuters in France faced more travel headaches on Thursday as the French rail strikes continued. Nevertheless the industrial action caused far less disruption than when the strikes began in April. https://www.thelocal.fr/20180503/french-rail-strike-latest-action-hits-train-services-on-thursday Thu, 03 May 2018 11:47:41 +0200 french-rail-strike-latest-action-hits-train-services-on-thursday Rail passengers in France faced more disrupted services on the tenth day of train strikes against the French government's proposed rail reforms on Tuesday. But the number of strikers has taken a dip. https://www.thelocal.fr/20180424/train-passengers-in-france-face-yet-more-travel-misery-while-rail-strikes-lose-steam Tue, 24 Apr 2018 16:46:56 +0200 train-passengers-in-france-face-yet-more-travel-misery-while-rail-strikes-lose-steam French rail unions have threatened to prolong their strike action into July and August, meaning those planning to travel around France during the summer holiday period could be set for travel misery. https://www.thelocal.fr/20180423/french-rail-unions-threaten-to-extend-strikes-into-july-and-august Mon, 23 Apr 2018 15:36:35 +0200 french-rail-unions-threaten-to-extend-strikes-into-july-and-august