French rail strike disrupts train traffic

PARIS – A rail strike has disrupted local and national train traffic in France, but not international lines.

France’s national rail company SNCF says a third of the country’s high speed trains are being cancelled.

Eurostar trains to London and Thalys trains to Brussels are expected to run normally Wednesday.

In Paris, only half of suburban trains are circulating on certain lines. Paris subway is unaffected by the strike.

Rail unions are protesting a plan to change working hours and rules about overtime and days off. They are also rejecting a contested labour law aiming at loosening the country’s labour rules.

Some truck drivers were also continuing a strike that started Tuesday, blocking roads around cities in western France.