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London’s blissfully strike-free period on the tube swiftly came to an end last week, as RMT union members walked out for a total of seven days (five of which caused severe disruption to tube services). The industrial action finished on Friday (September 12), but the dispute between the RMT and TfL has not yet been resolved.
RMT staff walked out for a range of reasons, including pay demands, shift patterns and apparent failures by TfL management to honour previous agreements. Other demands include a 32-hour working week (Underground staff currently work 35 hours per week) and staff discounts on the National Rail network. DLR workers also walked out as part of a separate dispute.
Worried about strikes hitting the capital once again? Here’s everything you need to know.
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🛤️ When are the next UK-wide train strikes? What you need to know about nationwide industrial action.
When are the next tube strikes?
Following strikes from September 5-12, no further tube strikes have been announced for the London Underground.
How to get around London during a strike
When tubes (and the DLR, on some days) are down during strikes, there are other ways of getting around. The Overground network, Elizabeth line, and London trams and buses are all still running this week.
See a full guide to navigating the city during strikes here.
How long will the London train strikes last?
The tube strikes will last until an agreement is reached between the RMT union and TfL.
Which Underground lines are affected by strikes?
The entire tube network is hit by walk-outs on the London Underground. However, on some occasions TfL can still run limited services on strike days.
Why are there new train strikes?
The RMT says that the tube strikes are the result of London Underground management refusing to engage seriously with demands on pay, fatigue management, extreme shift patterns and a reduction in the working week. It also says that management has failed to honour previous agreements made with staff. In a ballot on the upcoming strikes, 57 percent of RMT members backed taking industrial action.
DLR staff are striking over pay and working conditions.
What have union and rail bosses said about the strikes?
At the end of last week’s strikes, RMT General Secretary Eddie Dempsey said: ‘We are pleased to see finally that Sadiq Khan has instructed TfL to meet us... so I’m now waiting for a formal invitation and once that is received we will go straight back to talks and a resolution so we can get London moving again.’
A union source said: ‘This is a step in the right direction from TfL and has only occurred due to the industrial pressure from RMT members this week.’
TfL lead negotiator Nick Dent said that TfL ‘remain committed to finding a resolution to the dispute’. TfL has invited the RMT to a meeting on Wednesday September 17.
Will strikes affect the Eurostar?
Eurostar is not expected to be affected by any strike action.
Will the Elizabeth line be on strike?
No Elizabeth line strikes are currently planned, though the purple service is usually much busier than usual during tube strikes.
However, the Elizabeth line could be next to be hit by walkouts. Last week the RMT condemned plans to close ticket offices on the line, saying the move would be ‘a betrayal of station staff and passengers’. The union threatened ‘sustained industrial action and launching a mass public campaign’.
Is the London Overground on strike?
No action is planned on Overground lines, though the newly-colourful network was recently affected by the disruption of tube and DLR strikes.
How to get to London airports during strikes
Tubes and trains are rarely on strike at the same time, so travellers can usually get the other, non-striking one to the airport. If you plan on using the Piccadilly line to get to Heathrow, you can always use the Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express.
Coaches frequently run from central and outer London areas by the likes of National Express. All airports are also, obvs, all accessible by road – whether you’d like to drive or get a taxi. Expect potentially higher levels of traffic during strike days.
Find out more about how to get to London’s airports during the industrial action here.
How much do TfL tube drivers earn?
According to a recent Freedom of Information request (FOI), in April 2024 the annual salary for a tube operator (AKA driver) was £65,179. The same FOI revealed that more advanced operators earn as much as £75,677 p/a.
Timeline of previous London tube strikes
Here’s a lowdown of all the tube strikes that have been called in the last few years.
- June 6-7 2022
- June 21-22 2022
- August 19-20 2022
- November 10-11 2022
- November 25 2022
- March 15-18 2023
- January 5-11 2024 (strike called off)
- September 5-12 2025
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