Dates of Walkouts and Impacted Services

Commuters are bracing themselves for extensive travel disruptions this month as 20,000 rail workers prepare to strike for three days amid an ongoing pay dispute. The strikes, initiated by the RMT (Rail, Maritime and Transport) union, are set to affect 14 train operators across England after they failed to receive a revised pay offer from the companies. Notably, the strike action will coincide with two Ashes Tests and The Open Championship golf tournament, impacting fans planning to attend these events.

This strike comes on the heels of an overtime ban proposed by train drivers at 16 rail operators for six days in July, potentially causing travel disruptions for tennis fans heading to Wimbledon. Furthermore, London Underground workers have already scheduled four days of walkouts this month.

When are the next train strikes?

The RMT has announced that 20,000 rail workers, including station staff, train managers, and catering workers, will strike on the following dates:

• Thursday July 20
• Saturday July 22 
• Saturday July 29

These three days of strikes will affect cricket fans traveling to the fourth and fifth Ashes Tests. The fourth Ashes Test will take place at Old Trafford in Manchester from Wednesday July 19 to Sunday July 23. The fifth Test in London will run from Thursday July 27 to Monday July 31.

Additionally, the strikes will clash with The Open Championship, scheduled to run from Thursday July 20 to Sunday July 23 at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club.

Simultaneously, the overtime ban proposed by Aslef train drivers, which could lead to last-minute cancellations, will be in effect for six days from Monday July 3 to Saturday July 8.

These strikes and bans have caused significant disruptions in the past, affecting major events such as the FA Cup final, Epsom Derby, Beyoncé’s “Renaissance” world tour concert, and the Eurovision final in Liverpool.

Which rail companies are affected?

Members of the RMT will strike at 14 rail companies, including:

• Avanti West Coast
• C2C
• Chiltern Railways
• CrossCountry
• East Midlands Railway
• GTR (includes Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express)
• Great Western Railway
• Greater Anglia (includes Stansted Express)
• LNER
• Northern Trains
• Southeastern
• South Western Railway
• TransPennine Express
• West Midlands Trains
• GTR operates Southern, Thameslink, Great Northern and Gatwick Express.

The level of disruption caused by the Aslef overtime ban will vary among different operators. The train companies affected are:

• Avanti West Coast
• Chiltern Railways
• CrossCountry
• East Midlands Railway
• Greater Anglia
• GWR
• GTR Great Northern Thameslink
• Island Line
• LNER
• Northern Trains
• Southeastern
• Southern
• Gatwick Express
• South Western Railway main line
• SWR depot drivers
• TransPennine Express
• West Midlands Trains.

Advice for traveling during train strikes

National Rail has warned passengers to expect “significant disruption” during the strike days. Services are also likely to be disrupted and start later on the day immediately after.

National Rail recommends that passengers:

• Use the Journey Planner tool, checking close to the time of each strike date.
• Refer to the Live Trains page for the most up-to-date information about arrivals and departures.
• Plan ahead and check before traveling, especially for those traveling on the first and last trains of strike days.

Train station ticket office closures

The Rail Delivery Group (RDG) has announced the closure of almost all railway station ticket offices, with staff being relocated to station platforms and concourses. Ticket office facilities will only remain operational at the busiest stations. Posters will be displayed in stations to inform passengers about potential closures. The final decision regarding which offices will be closed will be made by the government following a consultation. Although the timeline for closure remains uncertain, the program is expected to span three years.

Why are 20,000 rail workers striking again?

The RMT has accused train operators of failing to make a new pay offer to resolve the ongoing industrial action. RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch expressed his team’s willingness to engage in talks with train operators and government officials. However, no meetings have been arranged, and no satisfactory offer has been proposed, hindering the negotiation process.