Paris Gare de Lyon will be the launch station for the temperature checking system which goes live on July 21. This will be followed on August 5 with trials at Paris Gare de l’Est and Montparnasse. The trials will continue throughout the summer.

SNCF is inviting volunteers to take part in the trials of the remote temperature monitor systems which use a thermal camera to take the temperature of passengers in just 4 seconds as they approach the “health terminals.”

If a passenger has a temperature of 38.5°C or more, station staff will receive a notification on their terminals and will provide the passenger with a new surgical mask as well as a pack of hydroalcoholic gel. The passenger will also be reminded of the measures to control the spread of coronavirus in order to allow all passengers to travel safely. Special measures are being taken to protect passenger privacy.

A second test with a forehead thermometer can be carried out if the passenger wishes his or her temperature to be confirmed. If the passenger wishes to postpone or cancel the trip, the ticket can be exchanged or cancelled free of charge until August 31.

SNCF says the trials do not mean that it will necessarily install such devices in the future, but they are part of its constant experimentation with numerous innovations to verify their feasibility.