Days of rail hell begins for commuters as train staff go on strike for 46th time with more walkouts and overtime bans due this week

• Train strikes 2023: Full list of dates in October as commuters brace for chaos
• Maps reveal how the next Aslef and RMT rail strikes will affect YOU

Commuters are facing a week of travel chaos as disgruntled train staff started their 46th strike today amid their bitter, long-running disputes over pay, jobs and working conditions.

Members of the Aslef union at 16 train operators in England launched a fresh strike today and will do so again on Wednesday, coinciding with the annual conference of the Conservative Party in Manchester.

Many parts of the country will have no services on strike days as the union represents train drivers. Those that do run will start later and finish earlier than usual. 

Aslef drivers also banned overtime on Friday and will refuse to work rest days again next week, from October 2 to 6, which is expected to cause further disruption. 

In a separate wave of travel misery inflicted on beleaguered Brits, members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) on London Underground will also strike on October 4 and 6 in a row over jobs and conditions.

The RMT has staged walk-outs on 33 days in the current wave of national strikes, while Aslef has taken action on 13 previous occasions. That means there has been a total of 46 strikes in the last 15 months.

Train passengers look fed up as they wait at Victoria Station in London as Britain was hit with more rail strikes today 

In stark contrast, Aslef members looked cheery on the picket lines as they joined general secretary Mick Whelan (C) in posing next to a cardboard cutout of Transport Secretary Mark Harper, dressed as Where’s Wally, as they accuse him of dodging talks

A passenger looks up at a departure board at an empty Paddington Station this morning. Train cancellations can be seen on the board

Rail passengers seek help from members of staff at Victoria Station in London amid travel chaos

Since June 2022, national rail strikes and other industrial action has plagued Britain, with millions of passengers forced to make alternative travel plans.

Industrial action dates 

Aslef members at 16 train operators in England are striking on Saturday October 30 and Wednesday October 4.

There are also overtime bans on Friday September 29 and between Monday October 2 and Friday October 6.

RMT members are going on strike across the London Underground on Wednesday October 4 and Friday October 6. 

Today, frustrated rail passengers were seen sitting around waiting for limited services, while others stared up at cancelled trains on departure boards. 

In stark contrast, Aslef members looked cheery on the picket lines as they joined general secretary Mick Whelan in posing next to a cardboard cutout of Transport Secretary Mark Harper, dressed as Where’s Wally, as they accuse him of dodging talks.

Today, the Transport Secretary said train drivers were taking part in a ‘political strike’ aimed at disrupting the Conservative Party conference.

The strikes today and Wednesday coincides with the start and end of the annual autumn Tory conference in Manchester which is running from October 1-4.

Mark Harper told Sky News: ‘The strike this weekend, people can see that it is timed to coincide with the Conservative Party conference, so it is very much a political strike called by the general secretary of Aslef, who sits on the Labour Party’s national executive committee.’

Transport Secretary Mark Harper (pictured) said train drivers were taking part in a ‘political strike’ aimed at disrupting the Conservative Party conference

AVANTI WEST COAST. Thursday, September 28 – Normal service expected Friday, September 29 – Services expected to be busy Saturday, September 30 – No service due to strike action Sunday, October 1 – Amended timetable due to engineering work Monday, October 2 – Normal service expected Tuesday, October 3 – Normal service expected Wednesday, October 4 – No service due to strike action Thursday, October 5 – Amended timetable post-strike Friday, October 6 – Normal service expected.

c2c. Thursday, September 28 – Engineering works between Stanford-le-Hope and Pitsea after 10.30pm Friday, September 29 – Reduced peak time service. Two trains per hour off peak on all routes. First and last trains unaffected Saturday, September 30 – No c2c trains all day due to strike action Sunday, October 1 – Engineering works Monday, October 2 – Reduced peak time service. Two trains per hour off peak on all routes. First and last trains unaffected Tuesday, October 3 – Reduced peak time service. Two trains per hour off peak on all routes. First and last trains unaffected Wednesday, October 4 – No c2c trains all day due to strike action Thursday, October 5 – Reduced peak time service. Two trains per hour off peak on all routes. First and last trains unaffected Friday, October 6 – Reduced peak time service. Two trains per hour off peak on all routes. First and last trains unaffected Saturday, October 7 – Engineering works.

The Conservative Cabinet minister said he had put a ‘fair and reasonable’ pay offer, along with ‘essential’ rail reforms, to Aslef during pay negotiations.

READ MORE: Maps reveal how the next Aslef and RMT rail strikes will affect you 

He continued: ‘An average salary of a train driver today is £60,000 for a 35 hour, four day week. The pay offer that is on the table, if it was accepted, would take that to a £65,000 a year salary for a four day, 35 hour week – I think most people would think that is quite reasonable.

‘My message is to the union: put the offer to your members and see whether they accept it or not. And stop disrupting the general public and actually putting people off using trains, which is not in the long-term interests of the rail industry or their members.’

Operators affected by Aslef’s action are Avanti West Coast, c2c, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Great Western Railway, Greater Anglia, Heathrow Express, Island Line, LNER, London Northwestern Railway, Northern, South Western Railway, Southeastern, Southern, Stansted Express, Thameslink, TransPennine Express and West Midlands Railway.

Operators warning of no rail services include Avanti West Coast, CrossCountry, Northern, Southeastern and Transpennine Express.

CHILTERN RAILWAYS. Friday, September 29 – Amended timetable with busier services. Last trains earlier than usual Saturday, September 30 – No trains Sunday, October 1 – Amended timetable with busier services Monday, October 2 – Amended timetable with busier services. Last trains earlier than usual Tuesday, October 3 – Amended timetable with busier services. Last trains earlier than usual Wednesday, October 4 – No trains Thursday, October 5 – Amended timetable with busier services. Last trains earlier than usual Friday, October 6 – Amended timetable with busier services. Last trains earlier than usual.

EAST MIDLANDS RAILWAY. Friday, September 29 – Normal timetable but with possible short-notice alterations Saturday, September 30 – No service Sunday, October 1 – Normal service Monday, October 2 – Normal timetable but with possible short-notice alterations Tuesday, October 3 – Normal timetable but with possible short-notice alterations Wednesday, October 4 – No service Thursday, October 5 – Normal timetable but with possible short-notice alterations Friday, October 6 – Normal timetable but with possible short-notice alterations.

GATWICK EXPRESS. Friday, September 29 – Amended timetable using Southern services Saturday, September 30 – No service. A limited Southern shuttle service will run, calling at Gatwick Airport and London Victoria only. Sunday, October 1 – Normal service Monday, October 2 – Amended timetable using Southern services Tuesday, October 3 – Amended timetable using Southern services Wednesday, October 4 – No service. A limited Southern shuttle service will run, calling at Gatwick Airport and London Victoria only. Thursday, October 5 – Amended timetable using Southern services Friday, October 6 – Amended timetable using Southern services.

GREAT NORTHERN. Friday, September 29 – Amended timetable as below (*) Saturday, September 30 – No service Sunday, October 1 – Normal service Monday, October 2 – Amended timetable as below (*) Tuesday, October 3 – Amended timetable as below (*) Wednesday, October 4 – No service Thursday, October 5 – Amended timetable as below (*) Friday, October 6 – Amended timetable as below (*) Amended timetable (*) is as follows London King’s Cross and King’s Lynn – one train per hour, with two trains per hour during peak times only London King’s Cross and Peterborough – one train per hour during peak time only Moorgate and Welwyn Garden City – two trains per hour Moorgate and Stevenage – two trains per hour London King’s Cross and Cambridge – one train per hour London King’s Cross and Letchworth – one train per hour during peak time only.

GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY. Friday, September 29 – Normal service. Night Riviera Sleeper is cancelled Saturday, September 30 – Very limited service between 7am and 6.30pm between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads; Paddington and Oxford; Reading and Basingstoke; Westbury and Swindon (AM/PM peak only); Cardiff and Bristol Temple Meads; Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple; Plymouth and Gunnislake; and Penzance and St Ives Sunday, October 1 – Normal service with some changes to first services. Night Riviera Sleeper is cancelled Monday, October 2 – Normal service Tuesday, October 3 – Normal service. Night Riviera Sleeper is cancelled due to engineering work Wednesday, October 4 – Very limited service between 7am and 6.30pm between London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads; Reading and Oxford; Reading and Basingstoke; Reading and Redhill (AM/PM peak only); Reading and Newbury (AM/PM peak only); Westbury and Swindon (AM/PM peak only); Cardiff and Bristol Temple Meads; Exeter St Davids and Barnstaple; Exeter and Exmouth; Plymouth and Gunnislake; and Penzance and St Ives Thursday, October 5 – Normal service with some changes to first services. Night Riviera Sleeper is cancelled.

GREATER ANGLIA. Friday, September 29 – Amended timetable Saturday, September 30 – Limited service between Norwich and London, Colchester and London, Southend Victoria and London and Stansted Airport and London. Other routes will have no services. Buses replace trains between Ipswich and London due to engineering works Sunday, October 1 – First services start later Monday, October 2 – Amended timetable Tuesday, October 3 – Amended timetable Wednesday, October 4 – Limited service between Norwich and London, Colchester and London, Southend Victoria and London, Cambridge and London, and Stansted Airport and London. Other routes will have no services Thursday, October 5 – First services start later Friday, October 6 – Amended timetable.

The Aslef union said train companies have always failed to employ enough drivers to provide a proper service.

Mick Whelan told the PA news agency that the Government was preventing a settlement to the year-long dispute.

He said: ‘Our members have not had a pay rise for four years – since 2019 – and that’s not right when prices have soared in that time.

‘Train drivers, perfectly reasonably, want to be able to buy now what they could buy four years ago.’

He accused the Transport Secretary of ‘hiding’, saying the two had not met since last December despite a series of strikes this year which have caused huge disruption.

‘He holds the purse strings. The train operating companies have told us they cannot act without his say-so. He’s the puppet master, but he’s in hiding.’

A spokesperson for Rail Delivery Group said: ‘Our offer to Aslef would take average driver salaries to £65,000 for a four-day week – that’s more than double the average UK salary and many drivers top up their income further by working overtime.

HEATHROW EXPRESS. Thursday, September 28 – Normal service Friday, September 29 – Normal service Saturday, September 30 – Reduced service. First train departs London Paddington at 7.25am and then every 30 minutes until 6.25pm. First train departs Heathrow Terminal 5 at 7.57am and then every 30 minutes until 6.57pm. First train departs Heathrow Central at 8.02am and then every 30 minutes until 7.02pm. Sunday, October 1 – Normal service Monday, October 2 – Normal service Tuesday, October 3 – Normal service Wednesday, October 4 – Reduced service. First train departs London Paddington at 7.25am and then every 30 minutes until 6.25pm. First train departs Heathrow Terminal 5 at 7.57am and then every 30 minutes until 6.57pm. First train departs Heathrow Central at 8.02am and then every 30 minutes until 7.02pm. Thursday, October 5 – Normal service Friday, October 6 – Normal service.

ISLAND LINE. Friday, September 29 – Hourly service Saturday, September 30 – No service Sunday, October 1 – Normal service Monday, October 2 – Hourly service Tuesday, October 3 – Hourly service Wednesday, October 4 – No service Thursday, October 5 – Hourly service Friday, October 6 – Hourly service.

LONDON NORTH EASTERN RAILWAY (LNER). Friday, September 29 – Amended timetable. The 7.30pm from London King’s Cross to Edinburgh Waverley will terminate at Newcastle. The 3.27pm from London King’s Cross to Middlesbrough will terminate at York. The 5.33pm from London King’s Cross to Harrogate will terminate at Leeds. The 8pm from London King’s Cross to Sunderland will terminate at Newcastle Saturday, September 30 – Extremely limited timetable. Planned engineering work is also affecting services and LNER trains will start and terminate at Newcastle. LNER rail replacement coach services will connect customers between Newcastle and Edinburgh (and intermediate stations on our route) and a small number of trains will run from Newcastle to Edinburgh via Carlisle. 

Sunday, October 1 – Engineering work will be taking place all day between Newcastle and Edinburgh. Significantly reduced service to and from Scotland. LNER services will travel on a diversionary route between Newcastle and Edinburgh (via Carlisle) and journey times will be approximately 90 minutes longer than usual. Rail replacement coaches will operate each way between Newcastle, Morpeth, Alnmouth, Berwick, Reston, Dunbar and Edinburgh. Monday, October 2 – Normal service Tuesday, October 3 – Possible amended timetable Wednesday, October 4 – Extremely limited timetable with approximately one train every two hours in either direction. Thursday, October 5 – Possible amended timetable.

LONDON NORTHWESTERN RAILWAY. Friday, September 29 – Buses replace trains between Watford Junction and St Albans Abbey Saturday, September 30 – No services Sunday, October 1 – Normal service Monday, October 2 – Buses replace trains between Watford Junction and St Albans Abbey Tuesday, October 3 – Buses replace trains between Watford Junction and St Albans Abbey Wednesday, October 4 – No services Thursday, October 5 – Buses replace trains between Watford Junction and St Albans Abbey Friday, October 6 – Buses replace trains between Watford Junction and St Albans Abbey.

LONDON OVERGROUND. Thursday, September 28 – Normal service Friday, September 29 – Normal service Saturday, September 30 – From 7.30pm, no service between Clapham Junction and Willesden Junction. Otherwise, a normal service Sunday, October 1 – Until 12.30pm, no service between Clapham Junction and Willesden Junction. No service all day between Surrey Quays and Clapham Junction. Until 8am, no service between Sydenham and West Croydon. After 10.45pm, no service between Hackney Downs and Chingford. Replacement buses operate. A normal service on all other Overground lines. Monday, October 2 – After 10.45pm, no service between Hackney Downs and Chingford. Replacement buses operate. A normal service on all other Overground lines. Tuesday, October 3 – After 10.45pm, no service between Hackney Downs and Chingford. Replacement buses operate. A normal service on all other Overground lines. Wednesday, October 4 – After 10.45pm, no service between Hackney Downs and Chingford. Replacement buses operate. A normal service on all other Overground lines. Thursday, October 5 – After 10.45pm, no service between Hackney Downs and Chingford. Replacement buses operate. A normal service on all other Overground lines. Friday, October 6 – Normal service.

LONDON UNDERGROUND. Thursday, September 28 – Normal service Friday, September 29 – Normal service Saturday, September 30 – Normal service on all lines apart from Piccadilly line, where there will be no service between Hammersmith and Heathrow (all terminals). Sunday, October 1 – Normal service on all lines apart from Piccadilly line, where there will be no service between Hammersmith and Heathrow (all terminals). Monday, October 2 – Normal service on all lines Tuesday, October 3 – Normal service on all lines Wednesday, October 4 – Strike day. Transport for London (TfL) warns of ‘severe disruption’ Thursday, October 5 – Normal service on all lines Friday, October 6 – Strike day. TfL warns of ‘severe disruption’. No Night Tube.

‘We are ready and willing to talk to Aslef’s leaders so we can end this damaging dispute but any talks about pay also need to address working practices that date back decades.

‘The industry depends on a monthly injection of up to £175 million from the taxpayer because revenues are still 30% below pre-pandemic levels – while simultaneously facing unprecedented changes in customer travel patterns.

‘It is obvious that the sector can only fund a pay rise by changing how it delivers services so it can respond to that transformation in how the public use the railway.

‘That means putting managers – rather than unions – in charge of planning shifts.

‘It means allowing managers to respond to unexpected staff absences so they can reduce the last-minute cancellations that so frustrate our customers.

‘It means giving our customers more reliable train services when they actually want to use them – particularly on Sundays. That is how any industry survives and thrives.’

NORTHERN. Friday, September 29 – Possible disruption Saturday, September 30 – No Northern services Sunday, October 1 – Later start to services Monday, October 2 – Possible disruption Tuesday, October 3 – Possible disruption Wednesday, October 4 – No Northern services Thursday, October 5 – Possible disruption Friday, October 6 – Possible disruption Saturday, October 7 – Normal service. Sunday, October 8 – Normal service.

SOUTHEASTERN. Friday, September 29 – Full service Saturday, September 30 – No trains Sunday, October 1 – Full service Monday, October 2 – Full service Tuesday, October 3 – Full service Wednesday, October 4 – No trains Thursday, October 5 – Full service Friday, October 6 – Full service.

SOUTHERN . Friday, September 29 – Amended timetable as below (*) Saturday, September 30 – No service Sunday, October 1 – Normal service Monday, October 2 – Amended timetable as below (*) Tuesday, October 3 – Amended timetable as below (*) Wednesday, October 4 – No service Thursday, October 5 – Amended timetable as below (*) Friday, October 6 – Amended timetable as below (*) Amended timetable (*) is as follows Services to / from London Victoria: Brighton – two trains per hour Eastbourne / Ore – one train per hour Portsmouth / Bognor Regis – one train per hour Littlehampton (via Hove) – one train per hour East Grinstead – two trains per hour Dorking – one train per hour Horsham – one train per hour West Croydon – two trains per hour Epsom Downs – two trains per hour London Bridge – two trains per hour

SOUTH WESTERN RAILWAY. Friday, September 29 – Small number of cancellations Saturday, September 30 – Extremely limited service between London Waterloo and Woking – up to 4 trains per hour (tph); London Waterloo and Guildford via Woking – 1 tph; London Waterloo and Basingstoke – 1tph. Trains will only run between 7am and 7pm. The rest of the network will be closed Sunday, October 1 – Engineering works affecting routes in the Barnes area, Salisbury area, Aldershot area, Haslemere to Hilsea and Bournemouth to Poole Monday, October 2 – Small number of cancellations Tuesday, October 3 – Small number of cancellations Wednesday, October 4 – Extremely limited service between London Waterloo and Woking – 4tph peak, 2tph off-peak; Waterloo and Guildford via Woking – 1tph; Waterloo and Basingstoke – 1tph; Waterloo and Feltham – 2tph; Basingstoke and Salisbury – 1tph. The rest of the network will be closed Thursday, October 5 – Small number of cancellations Friday, October 6 – Small number of cancellations.

STANSTED EXPRESS. Friday, September 29 – Normal service Saturday, September 30 – Reduced service frequency. First train from London is 4.40am. Last train is 11.25pm. First train from Stansted Airport is 5.43am. Last train is 11.45pm. One train per hour Sunday, October 1 – First services may start later Monday, October 2 – Normal service Tuesday, October 3 – Normal service Wednesday, October 4 – Reduced service frequency. First train from London is 4.40am. Last train is 11.25pm. First train from Stansted Airport is 5.43am. Last train is 11.45pm. One train per hour Thursday, October 5 – First services may start later Friday, October 6 – Normal service.

TRANSPENNINE EXPRESS. Thursday, September 28 – Normal service Friday, September 29 – Disruption expected Saturday, September 30 – No services Sunday, October 1 – Early morning alterations Monday, October 2 – Disruption expected Tuesday, October 3 – Disruption expected Wednesday, October 4 – No services Thursday, October 5 – Disruption expected Friday, October 6 – Disruption expected Saturday, October 7 – Normal service.

WEST MIDLANDS RAILWAY. Thursday, September 28 – Normal service Friday, September 29 – Buses replace trains between Nuneaton-Leamington Spa via Coventry. A reduced train service will operate between Birmingham New Street and Hereford. A reduced train service will operate between Birmingham New Street and Shrewsbury Saturday, September 30 – No services Sunday, October 1 – Normal service Monday, October 2 – Buses replace trains between Nuneaton-Leamington Spa via Coventry. A reduced train service will operate between Birmingham New Street and Hereford. A reduced train service will operate between Birmingham New Street and Shrewsbury Tuesday, October 3 – Buses replace trains between Nuneaton-Leamington Spa via Coventry. 

A reduced train service will operate between Birmingham New Street and Hereford. A reduced train service will operate between Birmingham New Street and Shrewsbury Wednesday, October 4 – No services Thursday, October 5 – Buses replace trains between Nuneaton-Leamington Spa via Coventry. A reduced train service will operate between Birmingham New Street and Hereford. A reduced train service will operate between Birmingham New Street and Shrewsbury Friday, October 6 – Buses replace trains between Nuneaton-Leamington Spa via Coventry. A reduced train service will operate between Birmingham New Street and Hereford. A reduced train service will operate between Birmingham New Street and Shrewsbury. Read the full story: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12562025/Train-strike-maps-Aslef-RMT-National-Rail-London-Underground.html?ito=msngallery

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: ‘The Government spent £31 billion of taxpayers’ money – £1,000 per household – to protect rail workers’ jobs during the pandemic.

‘There is a fair and reasonable offer on the table that would take train drivers salaries from £60,000 to £65,000 for a 35-hour, four-day week.

‘Aslef’s leaders won’t put this offer to their members and instead continue to strike – damaging their own industry in the process.’

London Underground said most services will be severely affected or will not run when RMT go on strike next week, with disruption the morning after the walkouts.

Director of customer operations Nick Dent said: ‘We have been in ongoing discussions with our unions for some time to reach a resolution in the dispute over changes we are proposing to how our stations operate.

‘We have made positive steps and made agreements on many points, but this planned strike action will cause disruption for Londoners and the city if it goes ahead and we apologise for this.’

An RMT spokesperson said: ‘It is positive that Transport for London have agreed with RMT that their cuts have had a detrimental impact on our members and the service we provide.

‘However, we still have a long way to go to agree on solutions to these problems. We remain in talks with management to try and make further progress.’

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