October 16, 2026 — Paris is bracing for large cost-of-living marches on Saturday, October 17, with police warning that metro stations along the routes may close at short notice. No SNCF or RATP strikes are announced for Saturday, and the flight crew strike notice for October 17 to 21 has been suspended, so flights are expected to run normally. A local RATP bus strike is disrupting parts of the Paris suburbs today.
Saturday, October 17: protests in Paris
- Size: Authorities expect 20,000 to 40,000 marchers, according to Sortiraparis.
- Routes: The Préfecture de police has banned a march route from République to Concorde and is challenging a second route from Opéra to Bastille.
- Metro stations: The police may close stations on the day with little warning. Opéra, République, Bastille and Concorde are the most exposed.
- Roads: The FO Transports union has filed a notice, and slowdowns are possible, especially on the inner ring road (boulevard périphérique).
- Trains and metro: No SNCF or RATP strike is announced for Saturday.
- Flights: The flight crew unions’ national strike notice for October 17 to 21 has been suspended, and flights are expected to operate normally.
Friday, October 16: suburban bus strike
RATP Cap bus drivers at the Asnières-sur-Seine and Saint-Denis Pleyel depots, in Hauts-de-Seine and Seine-Saint-Denis, are on strike after a call by Force Ouvrière. Sortiraparis reports the network is nearly at a standstill, with line 235 at about 40% and line 137 at about 70% of normal service, and many other lines not running. Separate labor action on tram lines T11 and T14 ends Friday evening.
Sunday, October 18: planned works
Metro Line 6 is closed all day for modernization work, with replacement buses between Charles de Gaulle-Étoile and La Motte-Picquet-Grenelle. Planned works also affect RER C, D and E and several Transilien lines, including N and P. This is scheduled maintenance, not a strike.
What it means for airline travelers
- Arriving at or leaving CDG or Orly on Saturday? Leave extra time for road traffic, especially near the périphérique, and consider the RER B or Orlyval instead of a taxi.
- Avoid République, Concorde, Opéra and Bastille on Saturday, and have a backup route if your nearest metro station closes.
- Check RATP and SNCF apps on the day; the situation can change quickly.
- Coming in Sunday? Allow for Line 6 and RER closures when planning your trip from the airport to your hotel.
- A national interprofessional strike day is already set for Thursday, November 5. If you plan to fly to France around that date, have a backup plan.
Sources
- Sortiraparis — Metro, RER, buses: strikes and disruptions from October 12 to 18, 2026
- Sortiraparis — Strike on October 17, 2026: what to expect in Paris
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