UK rail strikes travel advice and booking info

Last update: Friday 17th October 2025

 

CrossCountry industrial action - Saturday 18 October

Planned industrial action by the RMT union on Saturday 18 October has been suspended. However, significant disruption to CrossCountry services is still expected, with a limited service operating. This is because it is too late to reinstate the usual timetable.

Passengers are advised to travel on alternative days and check their journey before they travel. You can use our Journey Planner to check your trip.

Ticket easements are in place for passengers who have a ticket to travel on 18 October but wish to make alternative travel plans.

Services expected to run (very limited):

  • Birmingham – Manchester

  • Birmingham – Bristol

  • Birmingham – Leeds / York

  • Birmingham – Reading

(Some services may extend from York to Edinburgh and from Reading to Southampton)

No CrossCountry services:

  • Gloucester – Cardiff

  • Derby – Nottingham

  • Bristol – Plymouth / Paignton / Penzance

  • Edinburgh – Glasgow / Aberdeen

  • Southampton – Bournemouth (engineering work)

Ticket easements

Tickets dated Saturday 18th October can be used from Friday 17th - Tuesday 21st October inclusive on CrossCountry or connecting services.

 

Useful strike information

General ticket guidance

We know how frustrating strike action is, and we’re going to do everything we can to help.

There’s no need to get in touch and you can do this yourself online in just a few clicks. Log into your account now, or click ‘manage booking’ in your confirmation email, to see if it's already possible to get a fee-free refund. 

As a general guide…

Advance tickets

  • If you’ve booked with us and your train is cancelled or rescheduled, you’ll be entitled to a fee-free refund online. 
  • Your ticket would also be valid on the train before or after your booked journey for the same train operator, but please be aware that with reduced services on strike days these trains may be very busy.
  • Your ticket may also become valid for travel on other days. Details will be confirmed shortly after any strike action is announced.
  • If you have two single tickets that together form a return journey and only one leg of your journey is affected by the strikes, you can request a fee-free refund or change of journey for both legs of your trip online if all tickets remain unused.

Flexible tickets

  • If you've booked with us and your ticket is for a strike day, you'll be entitled to a fee-free refund.
  • Your ticket may also become valid for travel on other days. Details will be confirmed shortly after any strike action is announced.
  • If you are making a return journey and only one leg of your journey is affected by the strikes, you can request a fee-free refund or change of journey for both legs of your trip online if all tickets remain unused.
  • If you have two single tickets that together form a return journey and only one leg of your journey is affected by the strikes, you can request a fee-free refund or change of journey for both legs of your trip online if all tickets remain unused.
  • Alternatively you can reschedule your journey for another date, however an admin fee may apply.
  • Refunds and exchanges can be made online. 

Return tickets

  • If you are making a return journey and only one leg of your journey is affected, you can request a fee-free refund for both legs of your trip online if all tickets remain unused. This also applies if you have two single tickets that together form a return journey.

Season tickets

  • If you are a Weekly Season ticket holder and purchased your ticket after the strikes were announced you will only be entitled to compensation if you actually travel and are affected by cancellation or disruption and the delay to your journey meets the Delay Repay threshold. ​You will need to contact the train operator to claim Delay Repay compensation.

  • If you have a Season ticket that is monthly or longer and you cannot travel due to timetable disruption on the day that any strike action has cancelled your service then you can claim 100% compensation for these days through Delay Repay. ​You will need to contact the train operator to claim Delay Repay compensation.

  • You can apply for a refund of your Season ticket. Refunds are calculated from the date you return your season ticket and will be the difference between the price you paid and the cost of a ticket or tickets for the period for which you have used the ticket up to and including the date you request a refund. Please note an admin fee will apply.

Individual train operator updates

The following train operators have announced specific changes that apply to their services. We’ll keep this section updated as more information becomes available.

Other travel information

Check train times

Worried about rail strikes affecting your journey?

You can check general disruptions to services on our disruption information page.  

Change your ticket

You can currently request an exchange to your Advance ticket if you book with Trainline.

Changes are only allowed for a different time/date of travel, so you need to stick to the same departure and arrival stations.
The simplest way to amend your tickets is online via My Booking.
  • For eticket bookings you pay the difference between your original ticket and new ticket, plus a change fee. If your new ticket is cheaper than the original, then you only pay the fee but the difference will not be refunded.
  • For mobile and paper tickets we refund you whichever ticket is the lowest priced between your original or new ticket. From this we deduct a change fee based on the value of the ticket.

Travel by coach

During strike days, some routes may still be possible to travel by coach.

If there is a coach journey available on your route, you'll see it in the coach tab in the search results.

Passenger Assistance

If you want to book assistance for your journey, or you have already booked assistance and you want to confirm any changes, you can contact the train operator directly. 

You can find details on how to contact your train operator here.

FAQs

When are the next train strikes?

We will keep this page updated with information about forthcoming strike action. You can check above for the latest details.

How can I check if my train is running?

Journey planners will be updated with details of disruption several days in advance of any industrial action. If you are booked onto a train which is cancelled or changed, we will also contact you directly at the same time.

You can check the latest updates on rail service in the UK on our disruption information page.