Fresh wave of train strikes begin as FA Cup to face disruption 

Train strikes will cause disruptions and bring rail services to a standstill in certain parts of the country. Members of the train drivers’ union, Aslef, will commence their walkout on Wednesday, with another strike planned for 3 June – the FA Cup final at Wembley. There is a train strike planned for members of the union RMT for Friday 2 June. 

The strikes are over the long-standing dispute over pay and working conditions. As the cost of living is rising at its fastest rate in nearly 40 years, unions say wages have not kept pace. 

The strikes taking place on Wednesday will impact 15 train companies, resulting in delayed start times and significantly earlier service terminations—typically between 7:30 am and 6:30 pm. Approximately 40% of trains are expected to operate, but there will be substantial regional variations, with some operators not running any services at all.

During the RMT walkout on Friday, half of the network is set to shut down, with around 50% of normal services running. 

And Aslef drivers will strike on Saturday, affecting the FA Cup final and the Epsom Derby. Travellers are being told to check the last trains before they leave.