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Last updated: 17:36

Industrial action

The information on this page is correct as of 28 September and is always subject to change so please check back before you travel.

If you have been affected by industrial action, we’re very sorry for any disruption to your plans. Please see our FAQs that explain what options may still be open to you including:

  • Applying for a refund and
  • For Delay Repay compensation, which you may qualify for even if you did not travel, as well as being able to claim if you travelled and your journey was delayed by 15 minutes or more

You can apply for these up to 28 days after your planned or completed date of travel (see dates below). These options are only available for strike dates, not for days after.

We are aware that the ASLEF union has announced that action will take place by its members on the following dates:

  • Saturday 30 September
  • Wednesday 4 October

There will also be a ban on overtime on Friday 29 September and between Monday 2 October until Friday 6 October (inclusive).

Please see below for travel advice and for when journey planners will be updated.

You should always check your journey, including details of first and last trains on strike days, at National Rail.

Other train companies may be running during different operating hours, so make sure you check your full journey at National Rail.

Our normal planned service will run on Saturday 7 October. However, planned engineering works will be taking place in some areas. Please check our engineering work page for more details.


We have been informed Industrial Action will also take place on London Underground on the following dates:

  • Wednesday 4 October
  • Friday 6 October

There will be severe disruption on the London Underground network on these days. More information can be found on the Transport for London website.


Travel Advice for Saturday 30 September & Wednesday 4 October

There will be NO Thameslink, Great Northern or Gatwick Express services operating for the whole day.

A limited Southern shuttle service will run, calling at Gatwick Airport and London Victoria only. These services will be extremely busy, a queueing system will be in place, and you may not be able to board your chosen service. If you are planning to travel on one of the last trains of the day, please be aware that, depending on the size of the queue, you may not be able to board a service at all, and no alternative transport options will be provided after the last train departs. Please plan ahead.

Due to industrial action affecting the vast majority of rail services across the country, onward travel options from London Victoria will be limited. Please plan ahead and check your whole journey before travelling.

On Wednesday 4 October, Industrial Action will also be taking place on London Underground. For more details, please visit the Transport for London website.

Travel Advice for Sunday 1 October

The disruption from a strike day will have a knock-on effect which means that first services will begin much later than normal, with some routes having no services before 7am. This could be later depending on where you are travelling from, so make sure to check your journey.

Please note that journey planners for early morning services will not be updated until the day before travel. We expect first services to be extremely crowded and you may not be able to board your chosen service. You are advised to start your journey later on in the morning.

Travel Advice for Friday 29 September & Monday 02 October until Friday 06 October (inclusive)

An amended timetable with fewer services will run. Services will be busier than usual, especially in peak hours. It’s likely you will need to queue and you may not be able to board your chosen service. You should allow extra time for your journey.

On Thursday 5 October some routes will have no services before 7am due to the knock-on effect from the ASLEF strike day on Wednesday 4 October. This could be later depending on where you are travelling from, so make sure to check your journey.

We will not operate the usual non-stop Gatwick Express service between London Victoria, Gatwick Airport and Brighton. To help customers we have added extra stops at Clapham Junction and East Croydon, and as such these trains will be operating as Southern services. Gatwick Express tickets are valid on Southern and Thameslink at no additional cost.

On Friday 6 October only, Industrial Action will also be taking place on London Underground. There will be severe disruption to the London Underground network on this day. Some of our services will be impacted as follows:

Great Northern

  • No service at Moorgate, Old Street, Essex Road, Highbury & Islington and Drayton Park. Trains will be diverted to and from London Kings Cross, or terminated and started back from Finsbury Park

For more details relating to the London Underground action, please visit the Transport for London website.

Engineering works may also be taking place on parts of our network. For further details, please visit our engineering work page.

Please see below for a summary of the services we plan to run on these days:

Journey planner updates

The list below will show the dates affected by Industrial Action followed by (in brackets) the date the journey planners will be up-to-date.  Please ensure you plan your entire journey at National Rail Enquiries before you travel.

  • Friday 29 September (Live now)
  • Saturday 30 September (Live now)
  • Sunday 1 October (live now, except for early morning services. Early morning services will be live from Saturday 30 September)
  • Monday 2 October (Live now)
  • Tuesday 3 October (Live now)
  • Wednesday 4 October (Live now)
  • Thursday 5 October (Saturday 30 September)
  • Friday 6 October (Saturday 30 September)

Cancellation of strike action

If strike action is cancelled or suspended at short notice we will not be able to immediately restore our normal timetable.

Rail services are created and depend on complex and integrated systems. It therefore takes some time to get everything back into place. If this is the case, more details will be published here.

FAQs for:

  • RMT strike days 26 August and 2 September
  • ASLEF strike days 1 & 30 September and 4 October

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Assisted travel

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Compensation

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Refunds

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How do I get a refund?

If you bought your ticket from us, we can process your refund.

For paper, eTickets and smartcards please use our online refund form.

Alternatively, for paper tickets and smartcards you can also visit one of our Ticket Offices for assistance.

If you bought your ticket from another retailer or train company, you will need to contact them to request your refund.