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Last updated: 20:56

Industrial action

The information on this page is correct as of 3 October 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 date:

  • Wednesday 4 October

There will also be a ban on overtime between Monday 2 October and 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.


Travel Advice for 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.

Travel Advice for Monday 2 October until Friday 6 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.

Despite industrial action on London Underground being suspended on Friday 6 October, some of our services on that day will still 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

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.

  • Monday 2 October (Live now)
  • Tuesday 3 October (Live now)
  • Wednesday 4 October (Live now)
  • Thursday 5 October (Live now)
  • Friday 6 October (Live now)

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.