France's train and plane services to increase over Christmas
Trains will return to 100% activity from December 15 and tickets will be exchangeable or reimbursable up until the day of departure
Train services will return to 100% operation from December 15 to January 4, 2021, France鈥檚 transport minister Jean-Baptiste Djebbari has said, while flight services will also be increased.
Mr Djebbari has said that Air France will triple availability from December 15.
Air France tickets and train tickets will be exchangeable and with a possibility for reimbursement up until the day of departure, the minister said.
Travel services have been reduced while the country is under lockdown.
The minister made the announcements in an interview with news channel LCI.
He said that he has asked France鈥檚 railway company SNCF to reinforce its sanitary protocol and has promised that there will not be an 鈥渙verloading of trains鈥�.
France鈥檚 lockdown will be lifted on December 15 to be replaced with a curfew, if Covid-related health objectives are met.
This will allow for the return of international and inter-regional travel.
Mr Djebbari dismissed the idea of aeroplane passengers being required to have a Covid-19 vaccine before travelling.
The CEO of Australia鈥檚 largest airline Qantas has said that its passengers will be required to have the vaccine.
Mr Djebbari said he felt the company had spoken 鈥渁 little too quickly鈥� and that the idea 鈥渉ad not been supported by the Australian government鈥�.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not an airline or a rail operator that decides whether or not vaccines are compulsory, it鈥檚 the health and government authorities,鈥� he said.
In a speech on November 24, President Emmanuel Macron said that any Covid-19 vaccine would not be made mandatory.
Read more:
French airline head supports Covid 'travel passes'
Covid rules: Can I take a flight in France during curfew?
