TfL reminds customers to check before they travel ahead of strikes this week on the rail network

03 October 2022
The majority of TfL's network will operate as usual on Wednesday 5 October, but customers are advised to check before they travel and leave more time for journeys

Customers are reminded to check before they travel in London on Wednesday and this Saturday due to planned industrial action by the RMT and ASLEF unions. This action will impact London Overground, the Elizabeth line and parts of London Underground, although most of the network will be operating as usual. Bus services will run as normal but may be busier as a result of the rail strike action.

Although the majority of Transport for London (TfL) services are not affected by the industrial action, customers are advised to plan ahead, check before they travel and leave more time for their journeys as the strikes will impact different transport services on Wednesday and over the weekend. Customers can plan journeys in advance using TfL's real-time travel tools, including status updates, Journey Planner and TfL Go.

Travel advice for each day is set out below:

Wednesday 5 October

  • Strike action is being taken by train drivers on London Overground who are part of the ASLEF union meaning that there will be no service on the entire London Overground network
  • 14 other operators, including Heathrow Express, Southeastern and Greater Anglia, will be impacted. Check National Rail Enquiries for the latest information.

Thursday 6 October

  • London Overground will resume a good service by late morning

Friday 7 October

  • Night Overground will run until around 04:00 on Saturday 8 October, which is an earlier finish than normal

Saturday 8 October

  • RMT strike action on national rail services will impact services on London Overground with no services between 04:00 and 08:00 and after 18:00. A reduced service will operate between 08:00 and 18:00. A Saturday Night Overground service will not operate
  • Parts of the District and Bakerloo lines will also be disrupted. Services will be disrupted on the District line between Richmond and Turnham Green, with limited services between 07:15 and 18:30 only. Services will be disrupted on the Bakerloo line between Queen's Park and Harrow & Wealdstone, with limited services between 08:00 and 18:00 only
  • There is a planned District line closure due to engineering work on 8 October between Earl's Court and Wimbledon
  • The central section of the Elizabeth line from Paddington to Abbey Wood will have a normal service of twelve trains per hour until 17:45 when services will be reduced to six trains per hour. On the east between Liverpool Street and Shenfield, trains will run a reduced service of two trains per hour from around 07:30 until 17:30 when services will end and on the west from Paddington to Reading or Heathrow will run a reduced service of two trains per hour from around 07:40 until 17:10 when services will end

Sunday 9 October

  • Services will start slightly later on the London Overground, Bakerloo and District lines with a good service expected by late morning
  • There is a planned District line closure due to engineering work on 9 October between Earl's Court and Wimbledon, and between Turnham Green and Richmond
  • Elizabeth line services will start at around 06:30 on the east, 08:00 in the west and the Elizabeth line from Paddington to Abbey Wood does not currently run on Sundays

Trish Ashton, TfL's Director of Rail and Sponsored Services, said: "Customers will still be able to travel during these strikes using the majority of the TfL network, but we remind them to plan ahead and check before they travel. There is expected to be disruption on some of London's rail services as part of this strike action with small parts of the Tube also affected, so customers should check the latest status updates ahead of making their journeys."

While there will be still be public transport options across London, walking or cycling may be quicker for some journeys and planning tools are available to plan walking and cycling journeys including using Cycleways and some of the other high-quality cycling schemes that were introduced during the pandemic. Santander Cycles will be available, with teams ensuring that bikes are distributed at key locations according to demand. Rental e-scooters are also available to hire in some London boroughs.

For more details on the industrial action and tools to plan their journey, passengers should go to: tfl.gov.uk/strikes

Notes to editors

  • For more details on the industrial action and tools to plan their journey, passengers should go to: tfl.gov.uk/strikes
  • Unite strike action which was due to impact London bus services, mostly in north and northeast London indefinitely from Tuesday 4 October has now been suspended
  • TfL advises customers to check National Rail Enquiries for the latest information on the national rail strikes as there will be a major impact on some national rail operators outside of London
  • Network Rail is advising customers that there is likely to be some disruption in the early morning on the national rail network of the day after each RMT and ASLEF strike (Thursday 6 October and Sunday 9 October) as staff return to duties
  • Walking maps are available at: tfl.gov.uk/modes/walking
  • Use the TfL cycle map to find cycle routes London: tfl.gov.uk/maps/cycle

For more information about Santander Cycles and docking stations visit tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/santander-cycles