Marseille Trip - French Train Strike

[all_funkt_up]

I am due to travel to Marseille next week for our Champions League game. My ticket came through yesterday and I was proper excited actually. I'd be leaving Newcastle around 4pm on the Monday, arriving into London around 7. Going out for a few beers round London town and staying at Dan's house overnight.

6.55 train out of St Pancras station, changing in Paris for the TGV to Marseille. Day on the drink in Marseille, game of footy, Champions League knockout qualification and a good piss up.

Anyway, that was the plan til I heard of the train strike in France. I knew there had been one effecting the Paris Metro recently. Apparently its been on the news that there will be a general strike next Tuesday and Weds.

Fucking brilliant.

Union calls strike next week for Paris subways and buses - International Herald Tribune

You just cant trust the damn frenchies eh....

I am waiting to hear back if there's any point in going now as I dont want to get to Paris only to find I cant get anywhere.

[rcgills]

The bastards are always on strike over something, and it always seems to be whenever I want to get somewhere and am relying on them. Quite a few times when I lived over there they'd go on strike just at the time I was wanting to get the Eurostar to get back home for Xmas/Easter/etc. And then a couple of months ago I was due to fly back from Mauritius with Air France when they went on strike, luckily their strike ended at midnight on the Monday and we were flying back on the Tuesday morning. The knock-on effect still meant we were delayed by a few hours and missed our connecting flight to Madrid (although to be fair to them they sorted that all out themselves, and booked us onto later flights).

Anyway, looking at that article in your link, it looks like it's related to the Paris metro and buses, not TGVs. Although nothing should be ruled out with the French and their strikes, I'd guess you should be OK. Not quite sure from what you've written whether you're due to be changing in Paris on the Tuesday night or Wednesday morning, if it's the Wednesday morning then I guess you might have some trouble, as the metro will be fucked and the streets will be gridlocked.

[rcgills]

Sorry, just reread your post, Tuesday and Wednesday for the strike? The article only mentions Wednesday. If it's Tuesday as well though then you could have problems. What station in Paris do you arrive and leave from, is it the same station? If it is, you'll be alright I expect, if you've got to change then that's where you could have trouble.

[all_funkt_up]

RC - just rang Rail Europe and they said InterCity trains will be cancelled/delayed as well. No news as yet as to whether the TGV service will be cancelled...

[madaxeman]

I suppose hiring a car and missing the piss up might be a last resort.

[Bigkegman]

was in france in october and although we never had to use any trains - the taxi driver we got to take us from/to Charles de G airport told me about the strikes cause there was one on at the time and he says it basically brings Paris to a standstill because all the other forms of transport are so busy and he says its a complete waste of time. Not that this helps you but just thought i'd mention it

[Peter Orchard]

Aircraft from Newcastle to Paris should do it, surely?

I appreciate you might have already bought a ticket but if you haven´t get on the business shuttle to London and bob´s your uncle. (Robert est ton oncle, once you get to Marseille, obviously)

[all_funkt_up]

I can get to Paris mate, Eurostar will be running regardless. But its once I am there, how to get to Marseille if there are no trains...

[all_funkt_up]

What a great trip. Got back about 11.30 last night. It was a heck of a treck but well worth it. The people were really friendly and, contrary to the general consensus, their Ultra's welcomed us with open arms. We even got invited into "their" bar down the vieux port and had a drink and a sing song with them before the match. I dont know if they would have been as hospitable after we beat them 4-0 though, so I didnt hang round to find out.

Looking at who we can face in the next round - I am hoping we get Real Madrid. We've done Barca, Juve, Chelsea, AC Milan - Madrid would be very very nice indeed.

13 hours by train apparently from Paris > Madrid. Allez allez!

[rcgills]

Originally Posted by all_funkt_up

13 hours by train apparently from Paris > Madrid. Allez allez!

Do you not like flying or something? Why would you want 13 hours on a train from Paris (plus the time it'd take you to get to Paris) when you could fly it in a couple of hours?

[all_funkt_up]

Its an adventure RC. Getting on the train, maybe a couchette, with loads of cans and a big group of lads is good fun really.

[rcgills]

Yes, but you could have an extra 15 hours or so in Madrid with the time you'd save. In fact, you'd have an extra 30 hours by the time you've counted the return trip too. You'd still be with the same people, you've still got your cans (or more likely pints/bottles in a bar), so it comes down to a simple choice - over a day spent in Madrid or on a train. Know which one I'd choose.

And from what I remember, having looked into the option of a train from Madrid to Paris as an alternative to flying when I was hard-up, I expect the train would work out a fair bit more expensive. I'm pretty sure the train wasn't all that cheap, and by the time you add in your travel down to London and the Eurostar to Paris, I'd say flying would be a fair bit cheaper. Not 100% sure of that, mind, but I suspect it would be.

All hypothetical, of course, as you've not even drawn Madrid yet

[rcgills]

Originally Posted by rcgills

And from what I remember, having looked into the option of a train from Madrid to Paris as an alternative to flying when I was hard-up, I expect the train would work out a fair bit more expensive. I'm pretty sure the train wasn't all that cheap, and by the time you add in your travel down to London and the Eurostar to Paris, I'd say flying would be a fair bit cheaper. Not 100% sure of that, mind, but I suspect it would be.

Just checked - 210€ return for a reclining seat, or 234€ in tourist class, and that's just for the Paris-Madrid bit

[all_funkt_up]

RC - if you're ever travelling by train, I can recommend

How to travel by train from London to Spain:  Madrid, Barcelona, Seville...

The bloke on there really loves his trains and there's journeys mapped out from London to just about anywhere in the world.

For Madrid, you'd be looking at leaving Monday around 1400 hours, arrive Madrid 0900 tuesday. Then the return on wednesday leave 1900 hours, arrive 11.28 into london on thursday.

Looking at about £300 round trip from Newcastle>Madrid.