SNCF/Paris Olympic Games

Client: The SNCF or société nationale des chemins de fer français (France's national railway company) was established in 1938 and runs and maintains national railway lines across high-speed, regional, and local networks.

Project specifications: The SNCF contracted a large team of consecutive interpreters for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games to help station announcers reach non-francophone travellers during one of the busiest periods the Ile-de-France railway network has ever seen. The project spanned about six weeks during the 2024 Games and involved shadowing announcers as they communicated schedule and access information to station crowds in French, interpreting and announcing the messages in English as needed. Noteworthy challenges included adopting language compliant with both SNCF and Olympic Games standards, learning to use the control room equipment, and anticipating traveller needs in particular during disruptions.

Skills required:

• Mastery of consecutive French-English interpretation

• Knowledge of railway infrastructure, public transport, and customer relations terminology

• Full-time, on-site work in close collaboration with project colleagues