Faced with a drop in the number of travelers as well as sick leaves in its ranks caused by the virus, the transport company has decided to reduce the number of trains in circulation as of next week.
Between the 200,000 infected per day and the countless contact cases, it is also the number of potential travelers that is collapsing. SNCF will cut 10% of its TGV and 20% of Intercités from next week, announced the transport company this Friday evening, explaining this measure by a drop in reservations due to the health crisis.
“Taking into account a observed drop in reservations of 30% since the beginning of the year – in particular during the week – the TGV transport plan will be adapted from next week and provided for 90% of the planned offer, and at 80% for Intercités », said a spokesperson for SNCF Voyageurs. All night trains will be operated, while “The adaptation of the offer will be stronger” for international TGVs, in particular for the Eurostar cross-Channel service “Which will circulate at less than 10% of the planned supply”.
“It is not a question of unexpected train cancellations but of adapted transport plans”, specifies the group. Travelers whose trains are canceled will be contacted and may change their ticket or be reimbursed.
SNCF, whose travelers had largely returned during the Christmas holidays, has already downsized several times since the start of the health crisis. The company is itself affected by the virus, also saying to feel this Friday “the effects of reduced availability SNCF staff affected by the Covid ”.
“Like any employer, we are indeed confronted at the scale of the SNCF group (SNCF Voyageurs, SNCF Réseau, SNCF Gares & Connexions) with the effects of this 5th Covid wave, but neither more nor less than the rest of society”, he clarified.
The regions and Ile-de-France
At the regional level, the TERs have been affected for several weeks by “Local adaptations” transportation plans. “On average, more than 90% of TERs continue to circulate nationally”, according to the spokesperson.
As for suburban trains in the Paris region, “The Transilien transport plan will be almost normal in the coming days and could be slightly adapted next week depending on the lines depending on the health situation and the availability of SNCF agents”, he warned.
At present, it is the same for subways, RERs and buses. “We are at 6% absenteeism in public transport in Ile-de-France. There will be absenteeism linked to Covid, as in all public services. For the moment, the doctrine is as follows: we are trying to maintain 100% of the offer so that there is as little congestion as possible in transport “, declared Monday, January 3 on RTL Valérie Pécresse, president (LR – Libres!) of the Ile-de-France region and patron of transport in the region.