French general strike threatens millions of rail and air passengers in September

Travellers to, from, and across France face major disruption this September due to a wave of strike action.

On 10 September 2025, a general strike coordinated under the bloquons tout (“let’s block everything”) movement is expected to paralyse much of the country. Rail union Sud-Rail has called for a “massive strike,” which could see thousands of train cancellations across the SNCF network. Disruption is also possible on the roads, at ports, and at fuel supply points.

Air travel across Europe is expected to be heavily disrupted later in the month. The French air-traffic control union SNCTA has announced a walkout from the morning of 18 September to the end of the night shift on 19 September. The strike is likely to cause widespread cancellations and diversions, not only within France but also across European transport networks, as services that would normally transit French airspace, including routes between the UK, Spain, Italy, and southern Europe, are affected.

Eurostar has stated it does not currently expect its services between Paris, Lille, and London St Pancras to be disrupted.

We are actively seeking alternative routes and services to bypass affected areas and minimise delays. Where possible, shipments are being rerouted to avoid transit through France on the affected dates.

Woodland is actively monitoring the situation to ensure services remain operational and to minimise any delays. Woodland Group have been successfully delivering European trade for over 30 years, with specialist services and solutions supporting our clients growth.

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