Travelling to Europe? Beware of strike season

If the footage of angry protesters in Paris has made you nervous about your upcoming European holiday, we have news for you.

First the bad news: the unrest in France looks set to continue. Not only that but plenty of other European countries, from the Netherlands and Germany to the United Kingdom, are also likely to face ongoing industrial action.

Caution at the cafe.Credit: Illustration: Greg Straight

The good news? You don’t necessarily need to cancel your holiday. With most strikes announced well in advance, and few of them lasting longer than a day, it is still possible to have an enjoyable holiday in Europe as long as you are prepared to be a bit flexible and cover all your bases.

Plan ahead

If you are heading to a destination where you know unrest is imminent, do an audit on your itinerary. The more travel you are trying to cram in, whether that’s moving from city to city or country to country, the more likely you are to run into issues. You may want to change your plans and spend longer in one or two places just to avoid potential headaches.

Demonstrators march across the Pont des Catalans in Toulouse during a national strike against pension reform in France.Credit: Bloomberg

Pay particular attention as to whether any protests are planned for your travel days, and be sure to have a plan in place. If you are flying in on a day of transport strikes, hire a car service to pick you up at the airport. If strikes are planned for the day you fly out – especially if you are leaving in the morning – consider spending the night at an airport hotel. The peace of mind is well worth the expense.

Stay informed

Local English-language media (such as France 24 or DW in Germany) are a good way to stay up-to-date on developments; follow them on social media or visit their websites regularly. If you are staying at a hotel, the staff can also be a good source of late-breaking news, so check in with them.
If you are visiting particular museums or attractions, check their websites to ensure they are open before you head out. Accept that you may not get to tick off everything on your must-see list, so work out ahead of time what you are happy to drop if you have to make some hard choices.

Don’t rely on your insurance

If your travel itinerary is derailed by strikes you may assume that your travel insurance will cover your costs, but that is not necessarily the case. Individual policies vary but in general, they won’t cover a foreseeable event – so if you bought your insurance after a strike was announced, you won’t be covered.

Beyond these basic rules, a little common sense goes a long way. Avoid getting caught up in protests (if you accidentally run into one, the simplest thing is generally to turn around and calmly walk back the way you came) and be prepared to walk more than you usually might if transport workers are out on strike. Above all else, remember to pack your sense of humour – if something goes wrong, at least you will get a good story out of it.