For those of you who have missed rail strikes, there’s news, as ASLEF is taking some of its workers out on strike this week
Which UK Rail Companies are affected?
The strikes are due to run on Wednesday 1st and Friday 3rd of February. For reference, here are all the individual train operators that are affected.
- Avanti West Coast – No services are planned to operate on the 1st and 3rd, with impact on either side of the strike
- Chiltern Railways – No services are planned to operate on 1st and 3rd, with impact on either side of the strike
- CrossCountry – No services are planned to operate on the 1st and 3rd, with impact on either side of the strike
- East Midlands Railway – No services are planned to operate on the 1st and 3rd
- Gatwick Express – No services are planned to operate on the 1st and 3rd, with a late startup expected on the 2nd and 4th
- Great Northern – No services are planned to operate on the 1st and 3rd, with a late startup expected on the 2nd and 4th
- Great Western Railway – A limited service will operate on the following: London Paddington and Bristol Temple Meads; Bristol Temple Meads and Cardiff; Reading and Basingstoke; Reading and Oxford; Reading and Redhill; Swindon and Westbury; Exeter St Davids and Exmouth; Exeter St Davids and Paignton; Plymouth and Gunnislake; Penzance and St Ives
- Greater Anglia / Stansted Express – A reduced service of one train per hour between Norwich and London Liverpool Street; Colchester and London Liverpool Street; Cambridge and London Liverpool Street and between Southend Victoria and London Liverpool Street. One Stansted Express train per hour between Stansted Airport and London Liverpool Street. Services will start late after strike days
- Heathrow Express – No services are planned to operate on the 1st and 3rd
- LNER – A very limited service will operate both north and southbound, with five services to Edinburgh and nine services to Leeds, with a late service to York
- London Northwestern Railway – No services are planned to operate on the 1st and 3rd
- Northern – No services are planned to operate on the 1st and 3rd
- Southeastern – No services are planned to operate on the 1st and 3rd
- Southern – No services planned to operate on the 1st and 3rd, with a late startup expected on the 2nd and 4th
- South Western Railway / Island Line – A full service will operate on the Mainline, the Island Line will have no services on the 1st and 3rd
- Thameslink – No services planned to operate on the 1st and 3rd, with a late startup expected on the 2nd and 4th
- TransPennine Express – No services are planned to operate on the 1st and 3rd with a limited service on the 2nd and 4th
- West Midlands Railway – No services are planned to operate on the 1st and 3rd
Are Airport connections impacted?
Yes – there will be some impact at various airports. These include:
- Heathrow Airport – No Heathrow Express. Use the Elizabeth Line or Piccadilly Line
- Gatwick Aiport – No train services at all. Use coach connections to reach London
- Luton Airport – No train services at al. Use coach connections to reach London
- Stansted Airport – One Train an hour.
- Manchester Airport – No Train service. Use Manchester Metrolink to reach the city
- Birmingham Airport – No Train service. Use National Express Bus X1 to reach either Birmingham or Coventry.
Where can I get more information?
You can click the links above to see each individual Train Operating Company’s plans. You can also check the National Rail Enquiries landing page and strike page. Their Journey Planner has also been updated too.
Is there an end in sight?
Whilst the RMT Union seems to be closing in on a deal, ASLEF seems to be very unhappy with offers from the Rail Delivery Group.
Meanwhile, passengers have to hope that peace breaks out, or that one side decides to compromise to break this strike.
It will depend on a lot of things – the unions, the train operators, the rail delivery group and those controlling the purse strings – His Majesties Government.
Welcome to Economy Class and Beyond. Your no-nonsense guide to network news, honest reviews, in-depth coverage, unique research, as well as the humour and madness I only know how to deliver.
Follow me on Twitter at @EconomyBeyond for the latest updates, as well as Mastodon too! You can follow me on Instagram too!
Also, remember that we are part of the BoardingArea community, bringing you the latest frequent flyer news from around the world.
