Скачать или смотреть French holiday travel disrupted by pension strike

(21 Dec 2019) Festive travellers faced disruption on the French rail network on Saturday as public transport strikes over proposed pension reforms continued.
Train travel problems were slightly eased Saturday with a plan from rail authority SNCF to inform passengers several days in advance and propose ticket exchanges.
Still, only half of the high-speed trains were running and regional trains, including in the Paris region, remained severely disrupted.
In the French capital, eight of the 14 metro lines were closed and many others were running erratically.
In Paris' Saint-Lazare train station, serving western France, Jean Baptiste Beudon was relieved to see his train was not cancelled.
“We got confirmation two or three days before the departure, but we were still worried to have our train," he told The Associated Press.
Aurelie Lecerf, travelling with her children, said: “We arrived here at six o'clock this morning to get a train. The last one was full but we should get the next one.”
Millions of French are expected to travel in the next few days for Christmas family reunions.
Many have sought alternative modes of transport, using car-sharing services or bus companies, which have seen a surge in reservations.
Most transport unions have called for the strikes to continue during the holidays, as talks between the prime minister and labour leaders failed to reach a compromise this week.
Recent polls show a majority of French still support the strikes over fears they will have to work longer in return for lower pensions - but a majority are also in favour of the suspension of the protest during the Christmas holidays.

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