Industrial Action
During rail strikes and periods of industrial action, the rail industry does all it can to minimise the impact for our passengers and help you plan around it. This page is updated regularly with the latest travel information
Latest News
On Monday 22 April 2023, strike action was announced by the ASLEF Union for the following train operators on the following days:
Tuesday 7 May – c2c, Gatwick Express, Greater Anglia (which includes Stansted Express), Great Northern, Southeastern, Southern, South Western Railway (which includes Island Line) and Thameslink
Wednesday 8 May - Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway, Heathrow Express, London Northwestern Railway and West Midlands Railway
Thursday 9 May - LNER, Northern and TransPennine Express
In addition, the above train operators will have an overtime ban from Monday 6 May to Saturday 11 May which may alter the timetable of trains that will be running.
On the days where full strike action is taking place this is likely to result in little or no services across large areas of the network operated by the affected train companies. Services are also likely to be disrupted and start later on the day immediately following a full strike day. Passengers are warned to expect significant disruption and advised to plan ahead and check before you travel.
More information on how the industrial action may affect your journey will be posted here when it becomes available.
Check before you travel:
Please check your journey again nearer the time for the amended strike day timetables. The National Rail Enquiries real-time Journey Planner ie Journey Planner is currently showing the normal planned service for the strike days, until such time as each train company can amend their timetables in the main timetable database. Dates from when you can check your journey will be published here when we receive notification from each train company.
Please take note of any Service Updates that may be showing with a warning triangle on your displayed journeys.
Already purchased a ticket?
Details of alternative ticket arrangements will be added to the FAQ section below, under 'Can I get a refund or travel on a different day?' in due course once more details are available.
Ticket and refund information
Previous industrial action dates
If you were affected by earlier industrial action, you can find the relevant dates and train companies below.
Industrial action dates
Passenger assistance during industrial action
If you need assistance when travelling on National Rail services during strike days, staff will continue to provide help so that you can get to where you need to get to safely. Please be aware that normal staffing levels may vary across the network on the days affected by strikes.
We will do everything we can to help passengers on their journeys. If your chosen train is running, then assistance will be provided.
If your journey is affected by the strike action and you have Passenger Assistance booked, your train operator or train operators will contact you to discuss how you might want to change or re-arrange your journey. If you decide not to travel, please contact your train company using the information on the Passenger Assist page.
Turn up and go assistance will still be provided for services running – please check your journey for information before travelling.
You will be able to book assistance on services planned on the strike days where the timetable has been confirmed. Please contact the train company you are travelling with for more information.