September and October dates and services concerned

Which railway companies are affected?

The railway companies concerned are:

• Avanti West Coast
• C2C
• Caledonian sleeper
• Chiltern Railways
• Cross country
• East Midlands Railway
• Gatwick Express
• Greater Anglia
• GWR
• GTR Grande Thames du Nordlien
• Heathrow Express
• Island Line
• LNER
• Northern Trains
• South East
• From South
• Gatwick Express
• South Western Railway Main Line
• Stanstead-Express
• SWR depot drivers
• TransPennine Express
• West Midlands Trains.

Tips for traveling during train strikes

National Rail is warning passengers to expect “significant disruption” on strike days. Services may also be disrupted and may resume later the next day.

National Rail has recommended that passengers:

• Use his trip planner. Passengers should check near the time of each strike date.
• Use its Live Trains page for the most up-to-date information on arrivals and departures.
• Plan ahead and check before you travel. This includes checking your entire journey, especially if you are traveling on the first and last train on strike days.

Station ticket office closures

According to the Rail Delivery Group (RDG), almost all station ticket offices are closed and staff have been transferred to station platforms and concourses. Ticket offices will remain open only at the busiest stations.

Posters are posted at stations to inform passengers of potential closures. The government will make the final decision on which offices will be abolished after a consultation. It is unclear how quickly the first offices will close, but the closure program is expected to last three years.

Why is Aslef going on strike?

Aslef members are taking industrial action to demand a salary increase.

The union criticized the government for failing to meet its negotiating team – general secretary Mick Whelan, assistant general secretary Simon Weller and executive committee chairman Dave Calfe.

They last met with employer representatives, the Rail Delivery Group, in the agreed post-pandemic framework of the Rail Industry Recovery Group, in April.

Mr Whelan added: “Do you remember Where’s Wally? Well, what we want to know is Where is Harper?

“We last saw the Secretary of State for Transport in December.

“We last saw Huw Merriman, the railway minister, in January.

“And we last saw the train companies in April.

“Since then, nothing. Nada. Nothing. Not a letter, not an email, not a text message, not a phone call, not a WhatsApp. Not a word!”