SNCF Work Stoppages Favor Competing Businesses During Disruptions
Living it Up During SNCF Strikes: Smart Travellers Switch Gears
When the SNCF strikes hit France, from May 5 to 11, 2025, it's a goldmine for competitors. As chaos reigns on the railways, ordinary folks with bookings from SNCF are scrambling to rearrange their journeys, given the potential rail cancellations induced by the 8-May bank holiday.
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Based on data from the online booking platform Kombo, SNCF ticket cancellations have indeed skyrocketed in recent days. The good news? Every competitor, be it railway or not, is reaping the rewards. For example, the Italian railway company Trenitalia, operating limitedly on the Paris-Lyon axis (five daily runs), has experienced a 20% surge in bookings for Thursday, 8th May, according to Kombo.
Don't forget about the bus and carpooling companies that are shining brightly in the SNCF conflict. The German bus company FlixBus reports a staggering 45% increase in reservations for the entire week, compared to the same period in 2025, on various routes connecting Paris to Normandy cities like Rouen or Le Havre, as well as in southwest France.
Wait, there's more to this story
During SNCF strikes, travelers can say sayonara to trains and hello to several alternatives:
- Buses: FlixBus and local bus services tend to up their game during rail strikes. While specific booking data isn’t provided, historical patterns have revealed spikes in bus bookings during strikes like the 2023 Christmas strikes.
- Ride-sharing: BlaBlaCar remains a favorite for last-minute inter-city jaunts, with users frequently reporting successful re-routing during strikes.
- Rental cars: The demand for short-term rentals jumps, though prices can soar if you book on the fly.
- Regional trains: Some TER routes might operate at reduced capacity, but availability can be unpredictable during nationwide strikes.
- Flight tweaks: Though not a direct rival, air travel sees a boost during rail strikes, particularly for long-distance routes (e.g., Paris to southern France), often leading to price surges.
A word to the wise
Some sources don’t specify reservation increases for Trenitalia, which predominantly operates cross-border routes (e.g., France-Italy). However, FlixBus likely benefits from higher demand, considering its role as a primary alternative for domestic and European routes. The April 2025 France Travel Tips article recommends buses and BlaBlaCar as top choices during strikes, implying increased reservations.
For a reality check, the May 2025 strikes are predicted to bring "severe hurdles" when it comes to transportation, echoing past patterns where travelers fought tooth and nail for alternatives, and faced limited availability and inflated prices for them. So buckle up, people! The journey's gonna be a wild ride!
- As SNCF strikes continue, several competitors in the transportation industry are experiencing a surge in bookings, such as Trenitalia on the Paris-Lyon axis and FlixBus with a 45% increase in reservations for various routes.
- During SNCF strikes, travelers are encouraged to consider alternative modes of public-transit like buses, particularly FlixBus and local bus services, which tend to adapt and see a spike in bookings during such circumstances as evidenced by historical patterns.
- Ride-sharing services like BlaBlaCar and rental cars are also popular among travelers during SNCF strikes, with BlaBlaCar being a frequent choice for last-minute inter-city trips and rental cars seeing an uptick in demand.
- In addition to these options, regional trains may still operate at reduced capacity and air travel stores may see a boost for long-distance routes, leading to potential price surges.
- With severe transportation hurdles predicted during the upcoming May strikes, travelers are advised to book alternate modes of transport early to secure availability and manage costs.
