The latest travel information about upcoming and past rail strikes and overtime bans.
Last updated on 22 August 2025.
The RMT union has announced industrial action affecting CrossCountry and the London Underground:
Saturday 23 August affecting:
Monday 25 August affecting:
Friday 5 September - Thursday 11 September affecting:
If you are affected by industrial action and decide not to travel, you can always request a refund using an instant online form.
If you hold a CrossCountry ticket dated Saturday 23 August, Sunday 24 August, or Monday 25 August 2025, you can use it on alternative dates from Thursday 21 August through to Wednesday 27 August 2025, inclusive.
You don’t need to rebook or exchange your ticket, just travel as close to your original time as possible.
However, please note:
If your original journey included London Underground or DLR travel, that part of your ticket is only valid on the original travel date. If you travel on a different day, you’ll need to pay separately or use contactless/Oyster for the Tube or DLR leg.
Seat reservations will not be valid if you travel on a different day.
This flexibility applies to all tickets where any leg of the journey involves CrossCountry.
If you’d prefer not to travel, you’re still entitled to request a full refund for your entire booking.
If you’re not travelling on a CrossCountry train, these flexible arrangements don’t apply, check with the relevant train operator for any disruption policies.
The industrial action is being caused by ongoing disputes between the two main rail trade unions, the RMT union of transport workers and the ASLEF union of train drivers, and the train companies, Network Rail, and the government. The disputes are over wages, planned changes to working practices, and the threat of redundancies.
So far, the industrial action has consisted of both strikes and overtime bans. Overtime bans are often referred to as “action short of a strike” because they still cause significant disruption without technically striking; they’re effective because many train operators rely on staff doing voluntary overtime to run a full service.
All the days industrial action has taken place so far this year.
All the days industrial action took place last year.
All the days industrial action took place in 2023.
RMT union strike and ASLEF union overtime ban.
RMT union strike and ASLEF union overtime ban.
A planned RMT union strike was suspended.
A planned RMT union strike was suspended.
ASLEF union and RMT union strikes.
ASLEF union and RMT union strikes.
