Paris Train Stations Face Major Disruptions Over May 1st Long Weekend
Paris, April 22, 2026 – Commuters and travelers in Paris are advised to plan their journeys carefully as Gare de Lyon and Gare de Bercy will experience a complete shutdown of train services during the long May 1st weekend. This unprecedented closure is a result of a major modernization project involving the replacement and upgrade of two signal boxes, as announced by SNCF Réseau and railway operators.
Extensive Modernization Work at Gare de Lyon
From Thursday, April 30, at 8:30 PM until Sunday, May 3, at 2:00 PM, Gare de Lyon will not be served by SNCF and Trenitalia trains. However, metro and RER services operated by RATP will continue to run as usual. SNCF Réseau, responsible for railway infrastructure, confirmed that tickets have been issued with these planned works in mind, which have been scheduled for over two years. Approximately 500 agents will work tirelessly throughout the weekend to execute and test nearly 15,000 connections on the new, state-of-the-art signaling systems.
Reduced TGV Services and Alternative Departure Points
SNCF Voyageurs has indicated that the number of TGV services typically operating from Gare de Lyon will be reduced to 60% and rerouted to other stations across Paris. Travelers bound for Barcelona will depart from Gare Montparnasse, while those heading to Zurich will use Gare de l’Est.
For destinations such as Milan, Lausanne, Geneva, Annecy, Grenoble, and Marseille, departures will be from Roissy Charles de Gaulle or Marne-la-Vallée. Services to Lyon will also depart from these locations, as well as Pont de Rungis or Versailles Chantiers, depending on the schedule. TGV passengers traveling to Languedoc will depart from Marne-la-Vallée or Montparnasse. Those heading to Nice will find their TGV services at Roissy Charles de Gaulle, Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy, or Montparnasse, depending on the time of day.
Trenitalia, which has also reduced its services, advises its passengers traveling to Milan, Lyon, and Marseille to use Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy, accessible via RER A, for departures. Trenitalia emphasizes that travelers are encouraged to select Marne-la-Vallée-Chessy when booking tickets for these dates, though ticket sales will still be maintained at Gare de Lyon during the affected weekend.
Gare de Bercy Also Affected with Rerouted Services
Gare de Bercy will also be closed, with all arrivals and departures redirected to other Parisian stations. The Intercités Paris-Clermont-Ferrand connection will be significantly reduced and rerouted to Paris-Austerlitz. Regional Remi Express trains serving the Centre-Val-de-Loire region and Mobigo Paris-Dijon-Lyon trains will also be rerouted to Austerlitz. The Mobigo Paris-Morvan connection will be adjusted, requiring a transfer at Laroche-Migennes.
Impact on Ile-de-France Regional Services
Within the Ile-de-France region, the RER D network and the R train line to Melun will also be impacted by these extensive works. Passengers using these lines should anticipate changes to their usual travel plans.
Travelers are strongly advised to check the latest updates from SNCF and Trenitalia and to plan their journeys well in advance to avoid inconvenience during this period of significant railway infrastructure upgrades.
Source: https://www.lagazettefrance.fr/article/paris-aucun-train-dans-les-gares-de-lyon-et-de-bercy-pendant-le-long-weekend-du-1er-mai
