Rail passengers urged to check every journey during national industrial action until the end of July

• Industrial action taking place by ASLEF and RMT union members will impact train services from 17 – 30 July

Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) is urging customers to plan ahead and check every journey before setting off between Monday 17 and Sunday 30 July, as a result of national industrial action. Train times will differ to the usual timetable and vary across the network, and services are likely to be busy. This may mean customers have to queue or may not be able to board their usual train.

From Monday 17 until Saturday 22 July, there is a nationwide ban on overtime in place by the ASLEF union. In addition, national strike action by the RMT union will take place on Thursday 20, Saturday 22 and Saturday 29 July.

Separate industrial action is taking place on London Underground between Sunday 23 and Friday 28 July, so customers should check their entire journey on these dates especially.

Chris Fowler, Head of Network Operations for Govia Thameslink Railway, said: “We’re really sorry about the impact that this round of industrial action will have on our customers, especially as many will be looking to start their summer holidays. Where possible, we’re running as many trains as we can, but unfortunately there will be some days and times where people will be left without a service. It’s incredibly important that people check every journey they plan to make before they travel and leave plenty of time, as our services will be much busier during this period.”

Impacts to GTR services across Thameslink and Great Northern (north of London) are listed below.

Monday 17, Tuesday 18 and Wednesday 19 July: An amended timetable with fewer services

• The amended timetable helps to provide customers with greater certainty on-the-day, with less short notice alterations.
• Customers should allow extra time for their journeys as services are likely to be busier than usual and they may have to queue particularly in peak hours.

Thursday 20 July: Services starting later and finishing much earlier than normal. Some stations not served at all.

• It is essential that customers check before they travel on 20 July as some parts of the GTR network will not be served. Pleaser refer to the service map.
• Stations with a service will have much later start times and much earlier finish times, so customers must check their first and last trains as there will be no alternative travel options.

Friday 21 July: An amended timetable with fewer services

• There will be a slightly later start-up to services on this day because of the knock-on effect of the previous RMT strike day.
• As with earlier in the week, the amended timetable will help provide customers with greater certainty on-the-day, with less short notice alterations.
• Customers should allow extra time for their journeys as services are likely to be busier than usual and they may have to queue.

Saturday 22 July: An amended timetable with fewer services

• The train service on this day will start much later and finish much earlier than usual for Thameslink and Great Northern routes north of London.
• Customers must plan ahead and check before they travel.
• There will be no service between Ely and King’s Lynn all day.

Sunday 23 July: Late start to services following RMT strike day

• Following the late start-up, the timetable will return to a normal Sunday service.

Saturday 29 July: An amended timetable with fewer services

• The train service on this day will start much later and finish much earlier than usual for Thameslink and Great Northern routes north of London.
• Customers must plan ahead and check before they travel.

Sunday 30 July: Late start to services

• Same passenger advice as Sunday 23 July (see above).

FAQs and information on refund policy can be found on dedicated webpages:

• Thameslink - Industrial action
• Great Northern - Industrial action

ENDS

Notes to editors

• Journey planners for 17 July onwards will start to go live from Thursday 13 July.
• London Underground will also be impacted by separate industrial action taking place from Sunday 23 to Friday 28 July which could also affect journeys in the London area. Check tfl.gov.uk for more information.
• On all dates during this period of industrial action, passengers are advised to plan their journeys carefully at nationalrail.co.uk, expect longer waiting times and busier trains.