Delays, frost, sick driver: the rant of the passengers of the Toulouse-Cahors train
Incidents have followed one another since the beginning of March for users of the train line between Cahors and Toulouse. Deletions, delays and suspicious packages: they are fed up. The SNCF explains that between the Covid and the book on the installations, the elements are not on its side.
For users of the Toulouse-Cahors train line, the days follow one another and look alike. And it’s not to please them. Since the beginning of the year, passengers have regularly pointed out incidents on this route. The latest: this Tuesday, a suspicious package reported at Montauban station paralyzes the TER at Castelnau d’Estretefonds station. “A piece of luggage was reported on a train in Montauban. Traffic is interrupted while the police intervene and the station is evacuated. Disturbances are to be expected on the Toulouse Agen / Brive axes”, reports on his account Twitter SNCF at 7:30 a.m. At 8 a.m., the deminers still intervene. At 8:30 a.m., the train can finally start again. The day before, Monday therefore, a new misadventure for the passengers. This time it is a sick driver who is missing subscribers at Montauban station. At 7:20 a.m. the TER is immobilized at Montauban station. A bus will finally be available at 8:30 am.
On Twitter, users say they are fed up. “It’s Monday! Passengers for Cahors are still planted in Montauban! What a promising week! When will this joke of the Agen/Cahors double train set out from Toulouse end? hope to travel in good conditions? notes for example Stephan, a traveler.
#ter871602 It’s Monday ! Travelers to Cahors are still stuck in Montauban! What a promising week!
— Stephan Billinski (@StephBillinski) March 28, 2022
“Toulouse train to Cahors I’ve taken the train 3 times now 3 times that I’ve been blocked because of a package at Montauban station! It was the same thing last Friday and again the one before…”, emphasizes for his part Shyrine.
Train Toulouse towards Cahors I’ve taken the train 3 times now 3 times I’ve been stuck because of a package at Montauban station! It was the same last Friday and again the one before…..
— Shyrine (@iMiiths) March 29, 2022
Hello,
In two weeks, 4 train delays and 2 cancellations. In total over 6 days by train, not a day without a problem on the Toulouse-Cahors line. I pay a monthly subscription, I want to have a commercial gesture, what is the procedure please?— Ronny Despature (@RonnyDes) March 28, 2022
On Monday March 7, Ter 3638 is canceled between Cahors and Brive. “I had to drive 1h30 round trip on the motorway to take my brother to Brive, most of the other trains from Cahors being full”, regrets another user. A related incident, according to the SNCF to give.
Marie knows the route by heart: she has rested in Cahors and Toulouse from Monday to Thursday, morning and evening for twelve years. “It’s the worst line in the region, I often arrive late for work, it’s really tiring,” she says while waiting for her bus this Wednesday at Cahors station. She says that last week, her return train to Toulouse was postponed from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. because of a freight train immobilized on a track in Montbartier, in Tarn-et-Garonne. “In short, it’s a hassle every day,” she sums up. So, with four other Toulouse residents they met on the train, they sometimes carpool.
For its part, the SNCF confirms “several incidents since the beginning of the year”. “It’s true that there was frost on the catenaries which led to fairly substantial incidents, then abandoned packages and we are also faced with absences of staff, drivers but not, because of the Covid” , notes a spokesperson for the SNCF. He assures that “the teams are mobilized and that everything is done to move forward”.