A strike by railway workers to demand higher wages amid a rising cost of living brought train service to a halt in France on Wednesday.
National rail operator SNCF said about one in four high-speed trains have been canceled, while regional service such as suburban trains in the Paris region have been disrupted.
International lines, including Eurostar trains to London and Thalys trains to Brussels, are expected to operate normally on Wednesday, SNCF reported.
CGT, Unsa, SUD-Rail and CFDT unions called for a one-day strike. A meeting between unions and SNCF management was scheduled for Wednesday.
The company’s main consortium, CGT, said in a statement it wanted “general wage increases at least equal to higher inflation” after 10 years of a wage freeze.
The strike comes as many travelers plan to use the trains for their summer vacations.
SNCF advised people to cancel or postpone their trips and work from home, when possible.
