 French commuters face the bleak prospect of limited train services |
Rail employees stopped work at 2000 (1900 GMT) on Tuesday and were joined by workers in the state-run gas and electricity sectors on Wednesday.
Bus and Paris metro services have also joined the open-ended strike.
The next few days will be a real test of Mr Sarkozy's nerve, reports the BBC's Emma Jane Kirby from Paris.
Eurostar has said the first train services from London's new St Pancras terminal will be unaffected by the industrial action.
Contingency plans
Labour Minister Xavier Bertrand warned that Wednesday would be "a hellish day for travellers and perhaps for many days beyond that".
The French people approved these reforms 
That view was echoed by Prime Minister Francois Fillon who told parliament: "Millions of French people will be deprived of their fundamental freedom, the freedom of movement and even perhaps to work."
More than 300km (190 miles) of traffic jams were reported on roads heading into Paris, twice the daily average.
The BBC's Alasdair Sandford in Paris says there are a lot more cars, scooters and bicycles on the capital's roads - some people even opted for roller blades to beat the traffic.
He says there are some train services operating but far fewer than normal and that the national picture is bleak.
Only 90 of the country's 700 high-speed TGV trains are set to run, commuter train services will also be severely reduced, and there will be "almost no" metro service in Paris, metro operator RATP and rail operator SNCF warned earlier on Wednesday.
Many Parisians were planning to share cars, rent hotel rooms close to their offices or simply stay at home.
"I'll work on my calves," Paris accountant Xavier Basset told the Associated Press news agency as he was preparing for a 6km (4 mile) walk to his office.
Mandate for change
Mr Sarkozy wants to cut pensions that allow some public employees to retire as early as 50 and says he is determined to stay the course, despite the strike threat.
"I will carry out these reforms right to the end. Nothing will put me off my goal," he told the European Parliament during a visit to Strasbourg, reminding everyone that he was elected on a reform mandate.
"The French people approved these reforms. I told them all about it before the elections so that I would be able to do what was necessary afterwards," AFP quoted him as saying.
But a spokesman for the CGT trade union disagreed with Mr Sarkozy's logic.
"If reforms for the French citizen means that they are going to be working more and getting less pension at the end of the deal, I'm not quite sure all the French are agreeing with this approach," Oliver Sekai told the BBC.
Teachers and civil servants look set to become the next groups to join the strike on 20 November.
Our correspondent says that Mr Sarkozy's resolve to stand up to France's powerful unions now faces a real test and his reputation rides on his success.
And though he has promised he will stand firm against the strikes, our correspondent adds, at the same time he will be anxious to avoid the kind of street protests which occurred in 1995 when the French government last tried to reform the pension system.
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