France Braces Itself for Today’s Countrywide Strike: Here’s What You Need to Know

Today is the day when France is about to come to a standstill as the country braces itself for yet another strike. It’s likely to cause chaos on transportation networks, but c’est la vie. Strikes and standing up for what you believe in are very much part of the French culture.

Still, forewarned is forearmed, and everything you need to know about the strikes is here, updated as of first thing this morning.

The strikes listed in this article only apply to services inside France. That means walkouts by groups like Deutsche Bahn, British Airways, or Eurostar aren’t included here.

Most of today’s actions are confirmed, although some unions only lock in their strike plans at the last minute, often after talks fall apart.

France Strikes September 18, 2025 

For more information based on the strikes happening in France at the moment and how we’ve got to this point, please see this article that explains everything.

General National Strike

France is seeing a nationwide strike today as unions rally against the budget proposal from François Bayrou’s government. Union leaders have described the plan as brutal, saying it targets workers, those in unstable jobs, and retirees. The strike also pushes for fairer taxes, stronger social protections, and more funding for the ecological transition.

Public transport is heavily involved. In Paris, the four main RATP unions have confirmed their participation. At the national level, four SNCF unions have joined the action, and the CGT union at Air France has called on staff across the airline to walk out.

Road Blockades Under the ‘Let’s Block France’ Banner

Alongside the strikes, a separate movement called “Let’s Block France” is rolling out blockades across the country. Expect disruptions in major cities, with key highways and roads targeted. The movement aims to make travel difficult and amplify pressure on the government.

Other Planned Strikes

September 26: Nationwide Farm Worker Mobilization

Farm workers are preparing a large-scale protest across France on September 26. The focus is on opposition to Mercosur trade agreements, tariffs introduced by Donald Trump, and the broader issue of international imports. Details are still developing, but past demonstrations of this kind have brought widespread road and highway blockades, so travel disruptions are likely.

October 7–9: Air Traffic Control Strike

The air traffic controllers’ strike originally scheduled for September 18 has been moved to October 7–9. The strike is expected to cause delays and cancellations across French airports. See Chapter #3 for more information on the impact.

Train Strikes in France on September 18, 2025

Four SNCF unions, including CGT-Cheminots, Unsa ferroviaire, SUD-Rail, and CFDT-Cheminots, are taking part in today’s national strike. Outgoing Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot warned that September 18 will “very likely be a black day” for travel across France.

SNCF usually announces which trains are affected one to two days ahead of the strike. Passengers with tickets for TGV or Intercités services generally receive updates by email or SMS, provided they’ve shared contact details.

Expected Disruptions for September 18

TGV and INOUI

Most national and international TGV services should run close to normal, with around 90 percent of trains operating. Still, some routes will see disruptions:

• Axe Nord: disrupted
• Axe Est: normal
• Axe Atlantique: awaiting more details
• Axe Sud-Est and Sud-Ouest: slightly disrupted

Ouigo Classic

Traffic is expected to be almost normal.

International Routes

About 90 percent of international trains are expected to run, though passengers may still face cancellations. Updates will be sent directly by email or SMS.

• Germany: awaiting details
• Italy: awaiting details
• Spain: awaiting details

TER Regional Trains

About three out of five TER trains will operate, with the level of disruption depending on the region:

• Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes: very disrupted
• Bourgogne-Franche-Comté: disrupted
• Bretagne: disrupted
  Centre-Val de Loire: very disrupted
• Grand Est: disrupted
• Hauts-de-France: very disrupted
• Normandie: disrupted
• Nouvelle Aquitaine: disrupted
• Occitanie: very disrupted
• Pays de la Loire: disrupted
• Provence-Alpes-Côte-d’Azur: disrupted

Intercités

Some lines will be disrupted. Passengers on canceled services should receive alerts by email or SMS.

Transilien Suburban Network

Traffic will vary across the network:

• Normal: Line J, trams T12 and T13
• Slightly disrupted: Line P
• Disrupted: Lines K, L, V
• Very disrupted: Lines H, R, N, U

Updates will be available on the Transilien website.

Night Trains

No confirmed information yet.

Paris Train Strikes: RER and Tramway Lines

This section covers services managed by SNCF in Paris and the wider Ile-de-France region.

• RER A: Three trains out of four during peak times, two out of three off-peak. The RATP/SNCF connection at Nanterre-Préfecture remains open.
• RER B: One train out of two all day. The RATP/SNCF connection at Gare du Nord remains open, meaning passengers can continue their trip without changing trains at the surface. This is especially important for travel to Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports.
• RER C: Traffic disrupted, more details to follow.
• RER D: Very disrupted, more details to follow.
• RER E: Very disrupted, more details to follow.

International Train Lines

Eurostar, Thalys, TGV Lyria, and Deutsche Bahn 

While these operators are not officially part of the strike, disruptions in France can still affect their schedules. Services running to and from France may need to adjust timetables during strike days, which means delays or reduced service are possible.

Where to Check Updates

• Eurostar traffic information
• Thalys traffic information (now Eurostar)
• TGV Lyria traffic information
• Deutsche Bahn traffic information

French Air Traffic Control Strikes 2025

Among all transport walkouts in France, air traffic controller strikes are the most disruptive. When controllers stop work, planes can’t move as planned, leading to large-scale cancellations and delays. In July 2025, more than a million passengers were affected, with around 200,000 unable to fly.

September 18: Limited Impact Expected

Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot announced that air traffic should be “almost normal” on September 18. All scheduled flights are expected to go ahead, though a small group of controllers has declared participation. Delays remain possible, particularly in the south of France.

October 7–9: Major Strike Rescheduled

The main union representing controllers, SNCTA, originally filed notice for September 18. Their demands include pay adjustments in line with inflation for 2024 and reforms in the governance of their profession. With no government representative available to negotiate during the cabinet transition, the strike has been pushed to October 7–9.

Air France and Other Airline Strikes

September 18: Air France Staff Participation

Air France faces additional pressure as FO, its largest union, has urged members to strike against austerity measures. The CFDT and CGT unions have also announced support. Cabin crew, pilots, and ground staff could all be affected.

What Travelers Can Expect

Air France usually publishes updates at the last moment. Disruptions may still occur, but passengers whose flights are delayed or canceled are typically notified by email. Other French airlines and international carriers operating in and out of France could also experience delays tied to the limited air traffic controller participation on September 18.

Paris RATP Strikes 2025

September 18: Major Mobilization

The four largest unions at RATP — CGT, FO, Unsa Mobilité, and CFE-CGC — have called for strong participation in the September 18 general strike. Together, these unions represent about 90 percent of employees. RATP has announced that traffic across the entire network will be more disrupted than during the September 10 strike.

RER Train Strikes in Paris and Ile-de-France

RATP usually confirms which RER, metro, tramway, and bus services will be hit one to two days before a strike. For September 18, the following disruptions are expected:

• RER A: Three trains out of four during peak hours, two out of three off-peak. The RATP/SNCF link at Nanterre-Préfecture will remain in place.
• RER B: One train out of two all day. The RATP/SNCF link at Gare du Nord will remain open, so there is no need to switch trains on the surface to reach Charles de Gaulle or Orly airports.
• RER C: Disrupted, more details pending.
• RER D: Very disrupted, more details pending.
• RER E: Very disrupted, more details pending.

The RER B remains the main route to both Charles de Gaulle and Orly airports.

Paris Metro Strikes

Traffic forecasts for the metro are also being updated. Where service is described as maintained during peak hours, this usually means trains only run between 6:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., and again from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

• Line 1: Normal (automatic line)
• Line 2: Very disrupted, limited to peak hours
• Line 3: Very disrupted, limited to peak hours
• Line 3 bis: Very disrupted, limited to peak hours
• Line 4: Very disrupted, limited to peak hours
• Line 5: Very disrupted, limited to peak hours
• Line 6: Very disrupted, limited to peak hours
• Line 7: Disrupted
• Line 7 bis: Very disrupted, limited to peak hours
• Line 8: Very disrupted
• Line 9: Normal (automatic line)
• Line 10: Disrupted
• Line 11: Very disrupted, limited to peak hours
• Line 12: Very disrupted, limited to peak hours
• Line 13: Disrupted
• Line 14: Normal (automatic line)

Bus and Tram Strikes

Bus services will face closures on some lines. Protests in the streets may also block buses beyond the strike schedule.

• Tram T1: Normal or close to normal
• Tram T2: Normal or close to normal
• Tram T3: Normal or close to normal
• Tram T3b: Normal or close to normal
• Tram T5: Very disrupted
• Tram T6: Normal or close to normal
• Tram T7: Very disrupted
• Tram T8: Very disrupted

What to Do if Your Train Is Canceled

• Check your train status on the SNCF website or app by entering your train number the day before or on the day of travel.
• If your train is canceled due to a strike, you can exchange your ticket or request a full refund free of charge, even if the ticket was originally non-exchangeable or non-refundable. This can be done online or at the agency where the ticket was purchased.
• For TGV, InOUI, and Intercités, if you are delayed by 30 minutes or more, you may claim compensation of 25 to 75 percent of the ticket price, depending on the delay. Apply here: SNCF compensation site.

What to Do if Your Flight Is Canceled

• Check your flight status on your airline’s website by entering your flight number the day before or on the day of travel.
• If your flight is canceled due to a strike, you can exchange your ticket, request a voucher, or receive a full refund free of charge, even for non-refundable tickets. This can be done online or at the agency where the ticket was purchased.
• Under European Regulation EC 261, passengers are entitled to compensation for cancellations, delays of three hours or more at the final destination, and denied boarding. This applies to:
  • Flights departing from Europe, no matter the airline (including French overseas territories).
  • Flights arriving in Europe operated by a European airline.
• For full details on passenger rights, see the European Union’s guide: Air Passenger Rights