In France, railway sets up in-station daycare centers

For most working parents, childcare is a necessity that involves extra travel time at the beginning and end of the day for pickups and dropoffs. Aiming to restore a few more all-too-precious minutes to such time-strapped families, French railway company SNCF has been experimenting with daycare services right at the train station, thereby streamlining workers’ commutes in both directions. Following a successful trial launched last August in its station at Roanne, SNCF is now gearing up to launch two more daycare centers, this time in the Parisian regions of Ermont-Eaubonne (Val-d’Oise) and Paris-Nord, according to a report in Le Figaro. With space for nine children aged 10 weeks to 4 years, the Roanne daycare was launched in partnership with Garderisettes as part of SNCF’s revitalization plan for its stations. Several spots in that facility were apparently claimed by employees of the Loire prefecture, though it’s open to everyone. Coming next are facilities opening in October in Ermont-Eaubonne for 10 to 20 children and one in Paris-Nord, due to open next year. After that, further centers are expected to open in the stations at Amiens (Somme) as well as Auxonne Carpentras Castres, Chambery, Chantilly, Le Creusot and Mâcon Marseille Menton. SNCF also plans to offer a variety of other diverse and sometimes unexpected personal services in its stations, including medical offices, Le Figaro reports. Travel-focused organizations around the globe: how about you? Spotted by: R. Steinberg