Travellers using Paris public transport faced another day of cancellations and extended journey times on 4 October 2026, as the unlimited strike launched by the CGT-RATP union on 28 September continued with no breakthrough in sight. The walkout affects all RATP-operated modes—Metro, RER suburban rail, tram and bus—forcing the operator to run reduced timetables and suspend selected evening services. Strike-watch platform “Strike Tracker” lists the action as a “major” event and the only nationwide transport stoppage active today. RATP has guaranteed minimum peak-hour services under French law, but off-peak frequencies on core Metro lines 7, 8 and 13 have fallen to every 7–9 minutes, while RER B reports intervals of up to 30 minutes south of Gare du Nord. Bus coverage outside the périphérique is down by nearly 40 percent, according to internal RATP data. The dispute centres on pay and rostering reforms linked to RATP’s gradual market opening to competition in 2027. Management is offering a 2 percent general pay rise plus targeted bonuses; unions demand an inflation-matching 4.5 percent and guarantees that drivers will not be forced onto split shifts under new franchise contracts. For business travellers and assignees, the practical impact is twofold. First, door-to-door airport transfers between Charles-de-Gaulle/Orly and the city centre take 30–45 minutes longer, jeopardising tight flight connections. Second, companies operating travel-card reimbursement schemes should prepare for staff claims for taxi or ride-hailing costs incurred during the strike, which could last weeks. Relocation advisers recommend downloading the Île-de-France Mobilités app for real-time alternatives and reminding employees of the Navigo Easy contactless ticket in case ticket machines are closed. Although no talks are scheduled before mid-week, insiders say a provisional service-level agreement may be reached in time for the 5 October France–Belgium Nations League football match, where crowd-control obligations add pressure on both sides. If the strike persists into 9 October it would overlap with an Air Corsica pilot stoppage, compounding nationwide mobility risk.
Source: Strike Tracker
