Passengers urged to prepare for disruption as RMT union members set to strike during March and April

Passengers are being warned to check before they travel on 16 and 18 March, due to strike action called by the RMT leadership. 

The strikes will affect services on 14 train companies with trains due to start later and finish much earlier than usual - typically between 7.30am and 6.30pm. It is expected that nationally between 40 and 50 per cent of train services will run, but there will be wide variations across the network, with no services at all in some areas. 

It is likely that evening services on some lines will be affected on the days before each strike. Morning services on those lines may also be disrupted on 17 and 19 March because much of the rolling stock will not be in the right depots.  

Passengers are advised to check before they travel for the latest information, and they should also check the times of the last trains on the evenings before the strike days and early trains in the mornings following the strikes.  

They can check at www.nationalrail.co.uk/industrialaction  or with their rail operator. 

Steve Montgomery, Chair of the Rail Delivery Group, said:

“This latest round of strikes will be a further inconvenience to our customers, who have already experienced months of disruption, and cost our people even more money at a time they can least afford it. They will also be asking why the RMT leadership blocked the chance to resolve this dispute by refusing to give their members – many of whom would have benefited from a 13% increase – a say on their own deal. 

“Unfortunately, while we will pull out all the stops to keep as many trains running as possible, there will be reduced services across many parts of the rail network on all four strike days, so our advice is to check before you travel. Tickets for 16 and 18 March can be used the day before the ticket date, or up to and including Tuesday 21 March. Tickets for 30 March and 1 April can be used the day before, or up to and including Tuesday 4 April. 

“Passengers with Advance, Anytime or Off-Peak tickets for travel on strike days can also have their ticket refunded with no fee if the train that the ticket is booked for is cancelled, delayed or rescheduled.”  

Ticketing arrangements     

Passengers with Advance, Anytime or Off-Peak tickets for travel on 16 or 18 March can instead use their ticket on the day before the date on the ticket or up to and including Tuesday 21 March. They can also have their ticket refunded with no fee if the train that the ticket is booked for is cancelled, delayed or rescheduled.   

Tickets for travel on 30 March or 1 April can instead use their ticket on the day before the date on the ticket or up to and including Tuesday 4 April. 

If the Advance ticket is for a train that is scheduled for a strike day is not cancelled, delayed or rescheduled, but a customer prefers not to travel, they should contact their ticket retailer.   Customers with 2 x Advance tickets (an outbound and a return), to be used as a return journey, may be able to get a fee-free refund or change of journey for any unused legs/tickets, if either of the legs is scheduled for a strike day. Customers should check with their ticket retailer.   

Passengers with season tickets (flexi, monthly or longer), who do not travel, can claim 100% compensation for the strike dates through Delay Repay.  

Passengers can check on the National Rail Enquiries website or their rail operator’s website for further travel advice.