Everyone still has in mind the great strike of December 2019 against the pension reform. It was before the Covid-19, an eternity ago. After two years without major social conflict within the management, RATP agents are called upon to mobilize for a day of non-renewable strike, this Friday, day of departure on vacation. At the heart of the claims this time: salary increaseswhile inflation eats away at employees’ purchasing power.
The RATP announces traffic “very severely disrupted” on Friday, with 8 metro lines closed and six others partially open only during rush hours (6:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. / 4:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.). Traffic will be interrupted all day on lines 2, 3bis, 5, 7bis, 8, 10, 11 and 12. Lines 3, 4, 6, 7, 9 and 13 will only be open during peak hours, with traffic ranging from one train in two to only one train in four. Only automatic lines 1 and 14 will run normally, but the RATP advises travelers to postpone their trips because of the “risk of saturation”.
RER A and B will only run from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and still partially. There will only be one train out of two during peak hours and one out of three during off-peak hours on RER A and B. The bus and tram network will also be very disrupted. The RATP group “apologies for the planned transport conditions”, he wrote in his press release.
Line-by-line forecasts
Fully closed lines: 2, 3 bis, 5, 7 bis, 8, 10, 11 and 12.
Lines 1 and 14 : normal traffic with risk of saturation
Line 3 : 1 train out of 4 only between Pont de Levallois and Havre-Caumartin (traffic interrupted between Galliéni and Havre-Caumartin),
Line 4 : 1 out of 2 trains
Line 6: 1 train out of 3 only between Nation and Bercy (traffic interrupted between Bercy and Charles-de-Gaulle – Etoile).
Line 7: 1 out of 3 trains
Line 9: 1 out of 3 trains
Line 13 : 1 train out of 3
RER network
Trains will run between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. RATP stations will be closed outside these hours.
RER A: Severely disrupted traffic: 1 train out of 2 at peak times and 1 train out of 3 at off-peak times. On the Cergy-le-Haut / Poissy branches, plan on average 1 train out of 2 from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. with a few additional trains departing / arriving Nanterre-Préfecture. Interconnection maintained at Nanterre-Préfecture (no change of train necessary to go from / to Cergy-le-Haut / Poissy),
RER B : Severely disrupted traffic: 1 train out of 2 at peak times and 1 train out of 3 at off-peak times. Interconnection interrupted at Gare du Nord (change of train necessary at Gare du Nord).
Bus and tram
On average 1 out of 3 trams with disparities depending on the lines.
On average 2 out of 3 buses with variations depending on the sector and possibly going as far as the closure of a few lines. “Precise information will be made locally” Thursday, specifies the RATP.
What alternatives to circulate?
Taxis and VTC. If you are loaded, taxis and VTC will undoubtedly be the most practical solution. However, be careful with prices: if taxis have regulated prices, VTC platforms can cause the bill to skyrocket in the event of high demand. In any case, it is prudent to book your race as soon as possible.
Roissy Bus and Orly Bus. The two lines operated by the RATP must normally serve the airports of Roissy – Charles de Gaulle and Orly. Count on a bus every 25 or 30 minutes. For Roissy, the departure is at Opéra. For the Orly direction, the stop is at Denfert-Rochereau.
Self-service cars. In Paris and in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, three electric car operators offer around 1,500 vehicles. Share Now, Zity and Free2Move offer cars with two or four seats. Count around 5 euros for a 30-minute journey. Beware of traffic jams at peak times and the time needed to find a parking space. To know: to register, you must first scan your driving license and wait for validation.
Self-service scooters. Are you in a hurry and lightly loaded? Electric scooters are a useful mode in this case to circulate in Paris. The thousands of machines from operators Cityscoot (also present in the inner suburbs), Yego and Cooltra are there for that. The scooters accept a passenger in the back, and provide helmets. Note: wearing gloves (not provided) is mandatory.
Bicycles and scooters. Parisians have a choice: Lime, Dott and Tier operate 5,000 electric scooters each. During the strike at the end of 2019, they had rendered many services. Operators Lime and Dott, but also Vélib’, also operate electrically assisted bicycles. Price: around 25 euro cents per minute, excluding “packages”.
A note of disagreement between management and unions
The last meetings of the “mandatory annual negotiations” (NAO) between the management and the four representative unions (CGT, FO, Unsa and CFE-CGC) did not lead to an agreement. According to the unions, management has proposed an increase of 0.4% for the current year. Management disputes this figure, evoking for 2022 “an increase of 2.7% in average remuneration” after 2.1% in 2021, and an allowance for “maintenance of purchasing power” aimed at compensating for inflation.
A final plenary meeting is scheduled for Friday morning at the headquarters transferred to Val-de-Fontenay (Val-de-Marne), where the mobilized agents will gather. As required by law, these striking employees are required to declare themselves 48 hours in advance.
On the basis of these declarations, here are the traffic forecasts communicated this Thursday by the management of the RATP. From Monday, it invited “all travelers who have the possibility to postpone their trip on the network” Friday.