Train strikes: All the dates in December 2022 and January 2023
Britain is in the midst of its toughest run of rail strikes in years, as the country braces for further walk-outs later this week and next month, and unions brace to challenge strike reforms.
Rail staff are due to strike from 6pm on Christmas Eve until 6am on December 27, and then again in January. This week, train drivers announced a fresh strike day in the new year as people return to work. Members of the drivers' union Aslef at 15 train companies will walk out on January 5, adding to action already planned by the RMT union that week, and meaning that train services will be crippled for a week.
It comes amid signs that efforts to curb strike action could be thwarted, with trade unions this week winning permission to launch a legal challenge against Rishi Sunak's strike reforms. A judge will now scrutinise new laws to allow employers to hire agency workers during strikes.
RMT general secretary Mick Lynch has been critical of the approach of employers during talks, and earlier this month said it was unfortunate that the union had been “compelled to take this action due to the continuing intransigence of the employers”. As workers started their second round of industrial action this week, Mr Lynch said the public is with the striking railway workers and that Christmas train strikes will have “minimal” impact.
The failure to come to an agreement has plunged Britain into its biggest strikes to date in the dispute – effectively crippling the rail network for the best part of last week, as well as in the days around Christmas and another week in the new year.
What dates are the train strikes in December and January?
On the strike days outside of the Christmas walk-outs, trains will stop running between 2am on the strike day to 2am on the following day on strike days, causing two days of disruption. Rail passengers have also been warned that services could stop at lunchtime on Christmas Eve.
Aslef, the union representing train drivers, announced a fresh walkout on January 5, completing five consecutive days of strike action on the railways in the first week of the year.
Taking into account scheduled engineering works and further regional strike action between Christmas and New Year, some lines will be largely out of service for the best part of a month from the middle of December.
Nationwide train strike dates
Tuesday December 13Wednesday December 14Friday December 16Saturday December 17Saturday December 24
Monday December 26
Tuesday December 27
Tuesday January 3
Wednesday January 4
Thursday, January 5
Friday January 6
Saturday January 7
Rail workers are due to walk out from Christmas Eve to December 27, although no trains typically run on Christmas Day and only limited services run on Boxing Day. However, it will mean tens of thousands of people planning festive get-aways could be left stranded around the country, and unable to spend the holidays with their families.
Outside of the Christmas weekend walk-outs, on other strike days, it is expected that just one in five trains will run and nearly all operators will be impacted.
On the days following a strike – so-called “shoulder days” – timetables will be roughly 60pc of normal.
There is also a new overtime and rest day working ban. The railways typically work on the assumption that staff will work overtime and on rest days. A union ban on this could cause further havoc. Train bosses are assessing the impact and will adjust timetables accordingly.
There are also a series of further regional rail strikes on other dates in December:
Regional strike dates
Friday December 2 - Unite strike impacting East Midlands RailwaysSaturday December 3 - Unite strike impacting East Midlands RailwaysSunday 11 December - RMT Avanti West Coast strikeMonday 12 December - RMT Avanti West Coast strikeFriday December 23 - Unite strike impacting East Midlands Railways
Saturday December 24 - Unite strike impacting East Midlands Railways
Boxing Day to Tuesday, December 27 - TSSA strike impacting CrossCountry, from 9pm to 9pm
Wednesday, December 28 to Thursday, December 29 - TSSA strike impacting Great Western Railway from noon until 11.59am
Wednesday, December 28 to Thursday, December 29 - TSSA strike impacting West Midlands Trains from noon to noon
East Midlands Railway has warned services will be extremely limited with last departures by 4.30pm on strike days.
Which train operators are affected?
Nearly every train line will be impacted in some way.
The strikes are by RMT members at Network Rail and across 13 train operators.
LNER
Northern trains
Avanti West Coast
Southeastern
Cross Country
Chiltern Railways
Greater Anglia
Govia Thameslink (plus Gatwick Express)
London Underground
West Midlands Trains (plus London Northwestern Railway)
Great Western Railway
Transpennine Express
The action against the operators is overshadowed by the walkouts at Network Rail - and in particular by signal workers.
Network Rail has reserves of trained signal workers, but only enough to allow 20pc of normal capacity to run.
Avanti West Coast and East Midlands Railways will also be impacted by additional strike action in December.
Eurostar strikes in the balance
Security staff at Eurostar were due to strike last week in a dispute over pay, but called off the first of the strikes on Wednesday to let workers vote on a offer on the table.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union who are employed by security staff company Mitie had been due to walk out on Friday and Saturday last week, but said those strikes would no longer be going ahead amid continuing talks. Strikes are, however, still due to go ahead on December 22 and 23.
That strike action will still severely affect Eurostar services and travel plans for people over the final Christmas rush.
Can I get a refund if my train is cancelled?
RMT strike
Rail chiefs are still assessing what the policy will be and will make an announcement closer to the time. Previously, customers have been able to use pre-booked tickets a day early, or claim refund if they are due to travel on the day of the strike.
Customers with season tickets have previously been able to claim compensation through the delay repay scheme, while return tickets may be eligible for a 50pc refund if you cannot make part of your journey. Customers need to claim for refunds within 28 days.
National Rail's website states: “If you purchased an advance, off-peak or anytime ticket and choose not to travel at all because your service on either your outward or return journey has been cancelled, delayed or rescheduled then you will be entitled to a refund or change from the original retailer of your ticket.”
Why are rail workers striking?
Unions are demanding pay rises for their members who are battling soaring inflation. Mick Lynch, head of the RMT, has said the union “will not bow to pressure from the employers and the government to the detriment of our members”.
For RMT, Network Rail has offered a 5pc pay rise this year and 4pc in 2023. The train operating companies said they were waiting for a mandate from the Government for an improved offer.
Working practices
Changes to what have been branded “archaic” working practices are the most contentious issue in the dispute.
Travelling habits have changed following the pandemic. Fewer people commute to work every day. More people are travelling on off-peak trains, after the morning rush hour or on weekends. Demand for business travel is stubbornly much lower than it was before Covid hit.
This means Network Rail and the train operators, whose costs are ultimately borne by taxpayers, must cut costs to balance the books. Part of this can be done by reducing staff numbers. But a large part of it is changing working practices, many of which are a legacy of the days of British Rail and public ownership.
Bosses what to introduce more technology, run teams more efficiently, and end parts of the railway operating in their own silos.
Unions fear this means job cuts are on the cards – and by extension, their power will be weakened. This week, they won permission to launch a legal challenge against strike reforms, which had been planned to try limit the impact of strikes.
In October, a bill was introduced to parliament that would set out minimum service obligations on the railways during strikes.
The Government has been attempting to take a tough line, as other workers also stage strikes over pay disputes.
Royal Mail workers have also planned a series of walkouts that could disrupt Christmas deliveries. Read what dates the strikes are being held as well as last Christmas posting details.