Just arrived at the Gare de Lyon, in Paris, a family is in a hurry: no time to discuss, announces the mother, you have to get ahead and have time to have your health pass checked. The displays indicate that to get on the train you must now “A ticket, a mask, a health pass”. In accordance with the law, the health pass has become compulsory for traveling on TGV and Intercity trains from Monday, August 9. Any offender risks a fine of 135 euros.
An important pass verification device was deployed Monday morning at the Gare de Lyon, in the hall where Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, the Minister Delegate in charge of transport, went. When they arrived at the station, passengers were able to have their pass scanned by the agents and were offered a blue bracelet attesting to the validity of their document at the entrance to the train. In the event of non-validity, an antigen test was offered in a partner pharmacy. It was also possible to get a refund or exchange your ticket.
Under the eyes of the Minister, a systematic verification of health passes was carried out when boarding a TGV to Perpignan. Apart from special operations like this, the control of the pass is not however intended to become systematic, indicates the SNCF.
“A quarter of the trains checked”
At Montparnasse station in Paris, Sophie Dandrey, who gets off a TGV from Bordeaux, did not have to get the document out. “I was not asked, I did not even ask myself the question”, she admits. In this station on Monday morning, no one seems to have needed to present their QR code. On the platform, a commercial agent ensures that checks will begin at 9 am. Another announces them for 9:30 a.m. “We are waiting for the instructions”, finally indicates a railway security officer.
“It is normal that it does not start immediately, it takes time for it to be put in place”, says Frédéric Alonso, a traveler waiting for his train to Bordeaux. “We have 400,000 travelers per day on the trains (…), it is therefore quite impossible to control everyone at all points ”, explained Jean-Baptiste Djebbari to the press. “Things are going well”, also said the minister, adding that “It is about a quarter of the trains which will be controlled on the scale of the country” for this day of Monday, August 9.
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