Industrial Action
The latest travel information about upcoming and past rail strikes and overtime bans.
Last updated on 14 March 2025.
Upcoming industrial action
There is currently no announced upcoming industrial action.
Refunds
If you are affected by industrial action and decide not to travel, you can always request a refund using an instant online form.
Background
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.
Past 2025 industrial action
All the days industrial action has taken place so far this year.
Friday 7 March 2025 - Saturday 8 March 2025
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: Hull Trains.
Sunday 9 February 2025
RMT union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast.
Sunday 2 February 2025
RMT union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast.
Sunday 12 January 2025
RMT union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast.
Thursday 2 January 2025
RMT union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast.
2024 industrial action
All the days industrial action took place last year.
Tuesday 31 December 2024
RMT union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast.
Thursday 9 May 2024
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: LNER, Northern, and TransPennine Express.
Wednesday 8 May 2024
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, GWR, Heathrow Express, London Northwestern Railway, and West Midlands Railway.
Tuesday 7 May 2024
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: c2c, Gatwick Express, Greater Anglia, Great Northern, Southeastern, Southern, South Western Railway, Stansted Express, Island Line, and Thameslink.
Monday 6 May 2024 - Saturday 11 May 2024
ASLEF union overtime ban.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, Southeastern, Southern, South Western Railway, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Monday 8 April 2024 - Tuesday 9 April 2024
ASLEF union overtime ban.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Monday 8 April 2024
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: c2c, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, Island Line, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, and Thameslink.
Saturday 6 April 2024
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: Chiltern Railways, GWR, Heathrow Express, LNER, Northern, and TransPennine Express.
Friday 5th April 2024
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, London Northwestern Railway, and West Midlands Railway.
Thursday 4 April 2024 - Saturday 6 April 2024
ASLEF union overtime ban.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Thursday 29 February 2024 - Saturday 2 March 2024
ASLEF union overtime ban.
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Train companies affected: LNER and Northern.
Monday 5 February 2024
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, and GWR.
Saturday 3 February 2024
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, London Northwestern Railway, and West Midlands Railway.
Friday 2 February 2024
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: c2c, Greater Anglia, Stansted Express, and LNER.
Wednesday 31 January 2024
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: Northern and TransPennine Express.
Tuesday 30 January 2024
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Island Line, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, and Thameslink.
Monday 29 January 2024 - Tuesday 6 February 2024
ASLEF union overtime ban.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
2023 industrial action
All the days industrial action took place in 2023.
Friday 8 December 2023
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: Northern and TransPennine Express.
Thursday 7 December 2023
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: CrossCountry, GWR, and Heathrow Express.
Wednesday 6 December 2023
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: Gatwick Express, Island Line, South Western Railway, Southeastern, and Southern.
Tuesday 5 December 2023
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: c2c, Greater Anglia, and Stansted Express.
Sunday 3 December 2023
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, Great Northern, London Northwestern Railway, Thameslink, and West Midlands Railway.
Saturday 2 December 2023
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: East Midlands Railway and LNER.
Friday 1 December 2023 - Saturday 9 December 2023
ASLEF union overtime ban.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Wednesday 4 October 2023
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Monday 2 October 2023 - Friday 6 October 2023
ASLEF union overtime ban.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Saturday 30 September 2023
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Saturday 29 September 2023
ASLEF union overtime ban.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Saturday 2 September 2023
RMT union strike and
ASLEF union overtime ban.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, London Northwestern Railway, LNER, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, Transport for Wales (not on strike, but service changes on some routes), and West Midlands Railway.
Friday 1 September 2023
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, London Northwestern Railway, LNER, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, Transport for Wales (not on strike, but service changes on some routes), and West Midlands Railway.
Saturday 26 August 2023
RMT union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, LNER, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Thameslink, Transpennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Monday 7 August 2023 - Saturday 12 August 2023
ASLEF union overtime ban.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, London Northwestern Railway, LNER, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, Transport for Wales (not on strike, but service changes on some routes), and West Midlands Railway.
Monday 31 July 2023 - Saturday 5 August 2023
ASLEF union overtime ban.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, London Northwestern Railway, LNER, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, Transport for Wales (not on strike, but service changes on some routes), and West Midlands Railway.
Saturday 29 July 2023
RMT union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Caledonian Sleeper, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, Southeastern, Southern, South Western Railway, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Saturday 22 July 2023
RMT union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Caledonian Sleeper, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, Southeastern, Southern, South Western Railway, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Thursday 20 July 2023
RMT union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Caledonian Sleeper, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, Southeastern, Southern, South Western Railway, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Monday 17 July 2023 - Saturday 22 July 2023
ASLEF union overtime ban.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Thameslink, Island Line, London North East Railway, Northern, Southeastern, Southern, Gatwick Express, South Western Railway, Transpennine Express, and West Midlands Trains.
Saturday 3 June 2023
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Friday 2 June 2023
RMT union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Thursday 1 June 2023
ASLEF union overtime ban.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Island Line, London North Eastern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Trains.
Wednesday 31 May 2023
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Monday 15 May 2023 - Saturday 20 May 2023
ASLEF union overtime ban.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Island Line, London North Eastern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Trains.
Saturday 13 May 2023
RMT union strike and
ASLEF union overtime ban.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Friday 12 May 2023
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Saturday 1 April 2023
A planned RMT union strike was suspended.
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Train companies that would have been affected: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Thursday 30 March 2023
A planned RMT union strike was suspended.
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Train companies that would have been affected: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Friday 3 February 2023
ASLEF union and
RMT union strikes.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Wednesday 1 February 2023
ASLEF union and
RMT union strikes.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Friday 6 January 2023 - Saturday 7 January 2023
RMT union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, LNER, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Thameslink, Transpennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Thursday 5 January 2023
ASLEF union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, Heathrow Express, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
Tuesday 3 January 2023 - Wednesday 4 January 2023
RMT union strike.
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Train companies affected: Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Greater Anglia, GWR, LNER, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Thameslink, Transpennine Express, and West Midlands Railway.
