Train strikes lasted caused chaos in December – but what about your January journey? (Picture: PA)
January 2023 is upon us – as are a new wave of train strikes by unions RMT and ASLEF.
Rail workers and drivers are hitting the picket lines on January 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 in a lengthy row over pay and terms and conditions, which is set to cause chaos for travellers across the country.
Whether you’ve got travel plans for business, leisure or essential reasons, you may be wondering how this latest bout of industrial action will impact your journey. Or if you can still make said journey.
Here’s what the major train companies have said.
Avanti West Coast
They advise customers to only travel if ‘absolutely’ necessary on January 3, 4, 6 and 7.
The company adds: ‘On these dates, customers should expect our timetable and operating hours to be reduced significantly, and note that services that do run are expected to be extremely busy.’
No Avanti West Coast routes will run on January 5, so you are advised not to travel on this date.
Avanti West Coast is one of many train operators affected (Picture: Getty)
Chiltern Railways
On its website, Chiltern Railways advises customers only to travel if ‘absolutely essential’ on dates January 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
Expect trains to start later and end earlier than usual on anuary 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8, with some routes running once per hour (see the full timetable here), but note there will be no trains running north of Banbury.
On January 5 and 6, there will be no Chiltern Railways trains operating at all.
CrossCountry
CrossCountry says passengers should only travel if ‘absolutely necessary’ on strike days January 3, 4, 6 and 7.
Services will be reduced, some will be cancelled, and running trains will be very busy. A full breakdown of services by region can be found on the CrossCountry website.
On January 5, there will be no CrossCountry trains at all.
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Gatwick Express
Again, the advice is to travel only if necessary, and there will be no trains at all on January 5.
Limited services will run on January 3, 4, 6 and 7. Visit Gatwick Express’ website for more details.
Great Western Railway
An extremely reduced service will operate on a limited number of routes on all five strike days. Some parts of the GWR network will have no service at all.
Services will start later (around 7.30am) and all journeys must be completed by 6.30pm.
Expect services to be affected on January 8, too.
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Greater Anglia
Greater Anglia says on its website: ‘Avoid travelling with us on January 3 to 7 as services will be severely reduced and disrupted. Trains will start later and finish running earlier than normal.’
Some regional services will also not run at all – find further details on Greater Anglia’s strike page.
Heathrow Express
There will be no Heathrow Express trains on January 5, so good to plan an alternate route if you’re due to fly that day.
On other strike days, from Paddington will be at 6.10pm, from Heathrow Terminal 5 at 6.12pm and from Terminals 2 and 3 at 6.17pm.
Find out more on the Heathrow Express website.
Take note if you’re flying from Heathrow Airport this week (Picture: Dinendra Haria/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Hull Trains
Hull Trains has warned it will see disruption on January 3, 4, 6 and 7. You can view revised timetables via the Hull Trains website.
There will also be an amended timetable for January 8, due to engineering works.
It adds of the January 5 strike: ‘We are aware of the ASLEF strike action on January 5, however Hull Trains will not be impacted by this. We will run a near normal service to/from London King’s Cross.’
London North Eastern Railway
LNER will run a reduced service from London King’s Cross to Leeds and Edinburgh on January 3, 4, 6 and 7 – with no service to Glasgow, Inverness, Aberdeen, Bradford or Harrogate.
On January 5, LNER says its service will be ‘extremely limited’ – so check ahead before attempting to travel on LNER’s strike page.
Separately, there have been a number of disruptions to LNER services before the strike, so keep an eye on the Travel Alerts page.
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London Northwestern Railway
London Northwestern Railway won’t operate any trains on January 5, so you’ll need to rethink any planned travel.
On January 3, 4, 6 and 7, there will be a few lines from Birmingham to Wolverhampton, Crewe, Northampton and London Euston operating one train per hour from 7am to 7pm.
However, some of its services won’t run on these days – and the company advises you only travel on its routes if ‘essential’.
Northern
The advice from Northern is not to travel on RMT strike days as services will be ‘very limited’ – and there are no trains at all on January 5.
You can find out more by visiting Northern’s website here.
Train stations have been closed off amid rail strikes last year (Picture: Tejas Sandhu/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Southeastern
Only travel if ‘absolutely necessary’, echoes Southeastern, which will have a very limited service on January 3, 4, 6 and 7.
Only 44 of its 180 stations will be open on these days, and there will be no rail replacement buses.
On January 5, there are no Southeastern trains running at all.
Southern
Only travel if absolutely necessary and expect ‘severe’ disruption, as Southern will be running a limited service on January 3, 4, 6 and 7.
There are no Southern trains operating on January 5.
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Stansted Express
Stansted Express have advised customers to avoid travelling, saying: ‘Stansted Express will operate a limited service at reduced hours on [January 3 to 7]. And first services will be impacted on Sunday, January 8.’
Note there will be further disruption to Stansted Express trains shortly after the strikes, with no direct trains to the airport amid engineering works between January 13 and 18.
For more on all of the above, visit the Stansted Express website.
TransPennine Express
TransPennine customers should note there are no trains on January 5, and it’s advised you don’t attempt travel on January 3, 4, 6 or 7.
On the latter days, there will be a few, very limited services, including five trains to Cleethorpes and Sheffield (both ways) and same again for Preston to Manchester Airport.
Visit TransPennine Express’ website for any further strike updates.
Welsh trains are also being affected heavily this week (Picture: Getty)
Transport for Wales
Though Transport for Wales isn’t involved in the action, it explains on its website: ‘The industrial action resulting from the dispute between the unions and Network Rail means we’ll be unable to operate rail services on Network Rail infrastructure.’
Therefore there are no trains running on January 3, 4, 6 and 7 – with very busy, reduced services on January 5 and January 8.
See Transport for Wales’ industrial action page for more information.
West Midlands Railway
A very limited service will be in operation between 7am and 7pm only on January 3, 4, 6 and 7 – and some routes will not be served.
You’re advised to travel only if your journey is essential.
No West Midlands Railway trains are running on January 5, but you can check for more information on their website.
MORE : All the strikes planned for January 2023 – from trains and roads to teachers and ambulance staff
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The rail chaos continues.
