Industrial action

The information on this page is correct as of 4 December and is always subject to change so please check back before you travel.

If you have been affected by industrial action, we’re very sorry for any disruption to your plans. Please see our FAQs that explain what options may still be open to you including:

Applying for a refund and
For Delay Repay compensation, which you may qualify for even if you did not travel, as well as being able to claim if you travelled and your journey was delayed by 15 minutes or more

You can apply for these up to 28 days after your planned or completed date of travel (see dates below). These options are only available for strike dates, not for days after.

The ASLEF union has announced that action will take place by its members on the following dates:

Wednesday 6 December (Southern & Gatwick Express)

It has also been announced that there will be a ban on overtime from Friday 1 December until Saturday 9 December (inclusive).

You must check every journey, every day, as services will be running to different timetables each day. Service plans for each day are listed below.

Trains will be busier than usual throughout this period, especially during peak hours. It’s likely you will need to queue, and you may not be able to board your chosen service. You should allow extra time for your journey.

Engineering works may also be taking place on parts of our network. For further details, please visit our engineering work page.

Other train companies will also be affected by industrial action and engineering works, so check individual operator websites for further details, and always be sure to check your full journey.

No Gatwick Express services during Industrial Action

We will not operate the usual non-stop Gatwick Express service between London Victoria, Gatwick Airport and Brighton during this period. To help customers we have added extra stops at Clapham Junction and East Croydon, and as such these trains will be operating as Southern services. Gatwick Express tickets are valid on Southern and Thameslink at no additional cost.

During industrial action, Gatwick Express branded trains may be used for some Southern services. Customers with a Southern or Thameslink ticket may board these trains during this period.

Travel Advice for Monday 4, Tuesday 5, Thursday 7, and Friday 8 December

An amended timetable with fewer services will run on these days. Services may start later and finish earlier than usual.

On Monday 4 and Thursday 7 December, services will start later than usual due to the ASLEF strike action the previous day.

Please see below for a summary of the services we plan to run on these days:

Southern

Services to / from London Victoria:

Brighton – two trains per hour
Eastbourne / Ore – one train per hour
Portsmouth / Bognor Regis via Horsham – 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

Services to / from London Bridge:

Uckfield – one service in the morning peak, one in the evening peak
Caterham – two trains per hour
East Croydon via Tulse Hill & Selhurst – two trains per hour
Beckenham Junction via Tulse Hill – two trains per hour (peak only)

East Coastway

Brighton and Eastbourne – one train per hour
Brighton and Seaford – two trains per hour
Eastbourne and Ashford International – one train per hour

West Coastway

Brighton and Littlehampton – one train per hour
Brighton and Southampton Central – one train per hour
Littlehampton and Portsmouth & Southsea – one train per hour
Littlehampton and Bognor Regis – one train per hour
Bognor Regis and Barnham – one train per hour

Purley and Tattenham Corner

one train per hour, rising to two trains per hour during peak

Oxted and Uckfield

one train per hour

Reigate and Tonbridge via Redhill

one train per hour

Clapham Junction and Watford Junction

one train per hour

Thameslink and Great Northern

Thameslink

Peterborough and Horsham – one train per hour
Cambridge and Three Bridges – one train per hour
Bedford and Brighton – two trains per hour
London Bridge and Three Bridges – one train per hour
London Blackfriars and Sutton via Wimbledon – two trains per hour
St Albans City and Sutton via Mitcham Eastfields – two trains per hour
Luton and Rainham – one train per hour
London Blackfriars and Sevenoaks – two trains per hour

Great Northern

London King’s Cross and King’s Lynn – one train per hour, rising to two trains per hour during peak
London King’s Cross and Peterborough – one train per hour during peak only
London King’s Cross and Cambridge – one train per hour
London King’s Cross and Letchworth Garden City – one train per hour during peak only
Moorgate and Welwyn Garden City – two trains per hour
Moorgate and Stevenage – two trains per hour

Travel Advice for Wednesday 6 December

A limited Southern shuttle service will run, calling at Gatwick Airport and London Victoria only. No other Southern services will be running on this day.

An amended Thameslink and Great Northern timetable will run, with fewer services than normal. These services will start later and finish earlier than usual.

Please see below for a summary of the services we plan to run on this day:

Download the service map (pdf)

Southern

Thameslink and Great Northern

Thameslink

Peterborough and London King's Cross – one train per hour
Bedford and Brighton – two trains per hour
London Bridge and Horsham - one train per hour
London Bridge and Three Bridges – one train per hour
London Blackfriars and Sutton via Wimbledon – two trains per hour
St Albans City and Sutton via Mitcham Eastfields – two trains per hour
Luton and Rainham – one train per hour – Please note there will be NO Southeastern services running, so this service is expected to be extremely busy and queuing systems may be in place
London Blackfriars and Sevenoaks – two trains per hour, dropping to one train per hour after 1930. This service will be diverted via Orpington and will not call at Bat & Ball, Otford, Shoreham (Kent), Eynsford, Swanley and St Mary Cray – Please note there will be NO Southeastern services running, so this service is expected to be extremely busy and queuing systems may be in place

Great Northern

London King’s Cross and King’s Lynn – one train per hour, rising to two trains per hour during peak
London King’s Cross and Peterborough – one train per hour during peak only
London King’s Cross and Cambridge – one train per hour
London King’s Cross and Letchworth Garden City – one train per hour during peak only
Moorgate and Welwyn Garden City – two trains per hour
Moorgate and Stevenage – two trains per hour

Travel Advice for Saturday 9 December

A limited timetable with fewer services will run. Services will start later and finish earlier than usual, with some stations having no service for the whole day.

Please see below for a summary of the services we plan to run on this day:

Download the service map (pdf)

Southern

Services to / from London Victoria:

Brighton – two trains per hour
Gatwick Airport – two trains per hour
East Grinstead – two trains per hour
West Croydon via Crystal Palace – two trains per hour
Epsom Downs via West Croydon – two trains per hour
Sutton – two trains per hour

East Coastway

Brighton and Eastbourne – two trains per hour
Brighton and Seaford – two trains per hour
Eastbourne and Ashford International - one train per hour

West Coastway / Arun Valley

Three Bridges and Barnham via Horsham – two trains per hour
Littlehampton to Barnham – two trains per hour

London Bridge and Tattenham Corner

two trains per hour

Purley and Caterham

two trains per hour

Oxted and Uckfield

one train per hour

Reigate and Redhill

two trains per hour

Thameslink and Great Northern

Thameslink

Bedford and London St Pancras – two trains per hour
Luton and London St Pancras – two trains per hour
London Bridge and Gatwick Airport via Redhill – two trains per hour
London Bridge and Three Bridges via Redhill – two trains per hour
London Bridge and Brighton – two trains per hour
London Bridge and Rainham – one train per hour
London Blackfriars and Sevenoaks – one train per hour

Great Northern

London King’s Cross and Cambridge – one train per hour (semi-fast), increasing to two trains per hour after 19:00
London King’s Cross and Peterborough – two trains per hour
London King’s Cross and Cambridge – one train per hour (stopping)
Moorgate and Welwyn Garden City – one train per hour
Moorgate and Stevenage via Hertford North – two trains per hour
Cambridge and Ely – one train per hour
Cambridge and King’s Lynn – one train per hour

Journey planner updates

The list below will show the dates affected by Industrial Action followed by (in brackets) the date that journey planners will be up-to-date. Please ensure you check every journey, every day, at National Rail Enquiries before you travel.

Monday 4 December (Live now)
Tuesday 5 December (Live now)
Wednesday 6 December (Live now)
Thursday 7 December (Live now)
Friday 8 December (Live now)
Saturday 9 December (Live now)

Cancellation of strike action

If strike action is cancelled or suspended at short notice, we will not be able to immediately restore our normal timetable. 

Rail services are created and depend on complex and integrated systems. It therefore takes some time to get everything back into place. If this is the case, more details will be published here. 

FAQs for:

ASLEF strike days Sunday 3 December (Thameslink & Great Northern) and Wednesday 6 December (Southern & Gatwick Express)
ASLEF overtime ban from Friday 1 December until Saturday 9 December (inclusive)

Click to expand each section

Is there any industrial action planned in the future?

What services will be running on the strike days?

During the period of industrial action between Friday 1 December and Saturday 9 December (inclusive), we will be running a reduced service each day.

On 6 December there will be:

No Gatwick Express services
No Southern services except a limited non-stop service throughout the day between London Victoria and Gatwick Airport. Full details of this service will appear in Journey Planners nearer the time
A reduced Thameslink and Great Northern service

Please check every journey, every day, on National Rail Enquiries, as our timetable will be different each day, and your whole journey may include travel with other operators who are also impacted by industrial action.

If I chose not to travel on a strike day in the past, or choose not to travel on a strike day in the future, what are my options?

If you have an Advance ticket, you can get a full fee-free refund if the train you intended to use was cancelled or delayed, or you choose not to travel on a strike day.

If you have an Anytime, Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak ticket you can get a full fee-free refund if the train you intended to use was cancelled or delayed.

If you didn’t buy your ticket from us, you will need to go back to the retailer you originally bought your ticket from.

If you choose not to travel on a strike day and you have a flexi season ticket or a monthly or longer duration season ticket, you can use our Delay Repay scheme to claim the value of one day's travel.

It's not available for the day after the strike days.

I want to travel on a different day to the strike days, what are my options?

If you bought your ticket on or before 17 November, the following applies:

Instead of you having to apply for a refund, there are some alternative travel date options for you.

If you have a ticket for Saturday 2 December – Friday 8 December, you can use it on Friday 1 December up to and including Tuesday 12 December.

Please note for all the above dates:

If your ticket is for a through fare that includes the London Underground, it will not be valid on London Underground services on an alternative date
If you’re travelling on a different day and have an Advance Ticket, where possible, please try to travel on the same time as your original booked train
If you have a seat reservation and choose to travel on a different day, you will not be able to use your original reservation, so please visit one of our Ticket Offices and we can try to reserve you a seat on the new travel date
If you travel and your train is delayed, you will be entitled to Delay Repay, as usual. Note that delays will be calculated against the strike day timetable
Booked Passenger Assist? If you need to change your booking to another day or time, please contact our Assisted Travel team

If you bought your ticket on or after 18 November, the following applies:

The normal rules for changing a ticket will apply.

I want to travel on a different day to the strike days that isn't one of the dates mentioned above, what are my options?

If you bought your ticket on or before 17 November, the following applies:

You can apply for a refund of your current ticket and purchase a new ticket for your intended date of travel. Please note we expect all services during this period to be extremely busy
You can also change the time and / or date of travel at any of our Ticket Offices, this may be subject to a £10 change of journey fee (and any difference between the price you’ve already paid and the price of the best available ticket for your new travel date)

If you bought your ticket on or after 18 November, the following applies:

The normal rules for changing a ticket will apply

For further details on refund terms and conditions for each ticket type please refer to our refund FAQs below.

Booked Passenger Assist? If you need to change your booking to another day or time, please contact our Assisted Travel team.

I still need to travel on a strike day, what do I need to do?

If you have a ticket and your train/trains are still running you don't need to do anything further. If you have yet to buy your ticket, then you may wish to consider only buying your Anytime, Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak tickets once you know the train you plan to take is running, as the cost of the ticket will not change and fees to refund may still apply.

If you travel and your train is delayed, you will be entitled to Delay Repay as usual. Note that delays will be calculated against the strike day timetable.

If you have an impacted assistance booking which starts on one of our services, we'll get in touch with you to make new arrangements. In the meantime, if you have any concerns then please contact our Assisted Travel team.

Will there be replacement buses on the strike days?

Will my ticket be valid on another Operator’s services?

Friday 1 December – Saturday 9 December: If you have a ‘Southern Only’ ticket, you may use it on Thameslink services as well. If you have a ‘Thameslink Only’ ticket, you may use it on Southern services
6 December: You may use your ticket on our other services (Thameslink & Southern shuttle service between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria) to travel to the destination on your ticket, but please note that train services are expected to be extremely busy, and we do expect disruption

Will there be First Class seats available on the strike days?

On the ASLEF strike days 3 & 6 December, we expect our trains that are running to be extremely busy, so First Class areas will be declassified all day for customer safety and comfort on the Southern, Thameslink and Great Northern services on those days. If you have a First Class ticket you can apply for compensation here.

If your journey involves another operator, please check with them whether there will be First Class accommodation on their services.

Will I be able to take my bike on your trains on strike days?

Can I still buy Advance tickets for the strike days?

Why do you need to run an amended timetable due to a ban on overtime?

How are you supporting disabled customers to travel on strike days?

On strike days we expect stations and services to be very busy, as we will be unable to run our normal timetable. At all stations served by trains on strike days our station and onboard staff will be able to provide you with the assistance you need. If the train is too busy, we’ll work with you to find the best solution for you. If you’re unable to board the train, we may arrange alternative transport for you.

Onboard our trains our disabled customers have priority in the accessible carriages. We also have priority seats available for those that need them.

Can I book Assisted Travel if it takes place on a strike day?

On strike days, can I get assistance for my journey without having to book it?

On strike days 'Turn up and go’ assistance will continue to be supported on our services, in line with the strike day timetable in place.

Upon arrival at the station please make yourself known to a member of staff, or contact us via a Help Point by using the Emergency button.

Please check before you travel as close as possible to your intended departure time on National Rail Enquiries, as your whole journey may include travel with other operators who are impacted by a strike.

I have Assisted Travel booked for a strike day, will my booking go ahead?

If you have booked assistance through us and your journey is affected by any strike day, then, once strike day timetables are confirmed, we'll attempt to contact you to discuss your options. If you have any concerns, then please contact our Assisted Travel team. We strongly recommend you check before you travel as close as possible to your intended departure time on National Rail Enquiries.

Will you be arranging alternative accessible transport on strike days?

On strike days, alternative accessible transport may be arranged, as per our Accessible Travel Policy, from stations which are unstaffed, or inaccessible due to a physical feature (such as steps to platforms) that have services stopping at them under our amended strike day timetables.

However, due to the high demand expected, it may take us longer to book suitable alternative transport than usual. If you have any concerns, please contact our Assisted Travel team.

As a Season Ticket holder, if I did not travel on a strike day, can I claim compensation?

For monthly and longer Season Ticket holders

If you are unable to travel or choose not to travel on a strike day, you can claim compensation through our Delay Repay scheme by claiming a delay of 120+ minutes which will provide you with the value of one day’s travel.

This only applies to monthly and longer season ticket holders and not for weekly season tickets.

On this occasion, you do not need to have travelled or have been delayed to claim compensation.

You need to apply for compensation online within 28 days of the strike date.

For Flexi Season Ticket holders

In order to claim compensation, you must activate a Day Pass on the strike day (not on the days before or after). Once you’ve activated your Day Pass you can claim compensation through our Delay Repay scheme by claiming a delay of 120+ minutes which will provide you with the value of one day’s travel.

On this occasion, you do not need to have travelled or have been delayed to claim compensation.

You need to apply for compensation online within 28 days of the strike date.

If I travelled on a strike day, or a day affected by an overtime ban, can I claim compensation?

If you travelled and your train was delayed, you will be entitled to Delay Repay as usual. Note that delays will be calculated against thepublished timetable of the day. Please do not claim Delay Repay compensation if the train you'd normally take was not listed in the revised timetable - compensation is only payable against an actual delay of fifteen minutes or more against the train service that ran. Please ensure you submit your application within 28 days of your travel date.

Can I get a refund if I did not travel on the strike days?

If your ticket was for a strike day and the alternative dates did not work for you then you can apply for a refund, although this may be subject to a £10 admin fee.

If you purchased your ticket (excluding season tickets) and you decided not to travel or you began your journey but decided not to complete it because the service/s you originally intended to travel on were cancelled or delayed or rescheduled, or your reservation was not honoured, you can get a full fee-free refund.

If you have a ticket on departure booking and you have not collected your ticket, please apply for a refund via the online refund form.

The following information is based on the different ticket types in place, if you hold a paper ticket and you’re not sure what type of ticket you have, please check the information printed on the orange stripe in the top left corner of the ticket for one of the following.

If you bought your ticket from us, then we can arrange a refund for you. If you bought your ticket from someone else, then you’ll need to go back to the original retailer of your ticket to arrange a refund.

Anytime, Off-Peak and Super Off-Peak tickets

If you have an Anytime, Off-Peak or Super Off-Peak ticket you can get a full fee-free refund if the train you intend to use is cancelled or delayed as per Condition 30 of the National Rail Condition of Travel.

If the reason you would like a refund is not covered by Condition 30 of the National Rail Condition of Travel, then you can apply for a refund on your ticket but this will be subject to a £10 admin charge.

You can obtain a refund via our online refund form (for all ticket types) or visiting one of our ticket offices (for paper or smartcard refunds).

If you bought your ticket from another retailer or train company, you will need to contact them to request your refund.

Additional points for single tickets

If you have a return journey formed of 2 single tickets and do not/can not make your outward journey because of the Industrial Action, you are entitled to a refund on your journey, even if the second single ticket (used for your return journey) is not affected. The same will be true if the return journey is planned for a day affected by the industrial action, but the outward journey is not.

Additional points for return tickets

If you have an unused return ticket (not used the outward or return), you can get a full refund of your ticket without paying an admin fee. You can then purchase a new ticket for the journey you make.

You can also get a refund of half the value of your return ticket in the following scenarios:

If you have an open return ticket and don’t use the outward portion (as it falls on a strike day), but have used the return portion
If you have an open return ticket and don’t use the return portion (as it falls on a strike day), but have used the outward portion

Advance Tickets

If you have an Advance ticket for a train that is scheduled for a strike day and you purchased your ticket from us you can get a full fee-free refund or change of journey as per Condition 30 of the National Rail Condition of Travel.

If you have a return journey formed of 2 advance single tickets and do not/can not make your outward journey, you are entitled to a refund on your journey, even if the second single ticket (used for your return journey) is not affected. The same will be true if the return journey is planned for a day affected by the industrial action, but the outward journey is not.

You can obtain a refund via our online refund form (for all ticket types) or by visiting one of our ticket offices (for paper or smartcard refunds).

If you bought your ticket from another retailer or train company, you will need to contact them to request your refund.

Season and Flexi Season tickets

Unexpired Season tickets and Flexi Season tickets can be refunded at any time prior to the expiry of the ticket.

We will calculate how much is refunded based on the value left on your ticket on the day you submit your Season ticket less a £10 admin fee for refund.

You can find out how much refund you are due by using this calculator: Season ticket refund calculator.

Please see our refunds process for tickets here, for full details.

For more information see the Season Ticket Conditions page.

Carnet Tickets

Rover Tickets

DaySave Tickets

Carpark Tickets

Oyster Tickets

How do I get a refund?

If you bought your ticket from us, we can process your refund.

For paper and eTickets and smartcards, please use our online refund form.

Alternatively, for paper tickets and smartcards you can also visit one of our Ticket Offices for assistance.

If you bought your ticket from another retailer or train company, you will need to contact them to request your refund.

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Industrial action

No Gatwick Express services during Industrial Action

Travel Advice for Monday 4, Tuesday 5, Thursday 7, and Friday 8 December

Services to / from London Victoria:

Services to / from London Bridge:

East Coastway

West Coastway

Purley and Tattenham Corner

Oxted and Uckfield

Reigate and Tonbridge via Redhill

Clapham Junction and Watford Junction

Thameslink

Great Northern

Travel Advice for Wednesday 6 December

London Victoria and Gatwick Airport

Thameslink

Great Northern

Travel Advice for Saturday 9 December

Services to / from London Victoria:

East Coastway

West Coastway / Arun Valley

London Bridge and Tattenham Corner

Purley and Caterham

Oxted and Uckfield

Reigate and Redhill

Thameslink

Great Northern

Journey planner updates

Cancellation of strike action

FAQs for:

Assisted travel

Compensation

For monthly and longer Season Ticket holders

For Flexi Season Ticket holders

Refunds

Additional points for single tickets

Additional points for return tickets

How do I get a refund?