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The RMT union has announced a wave of new strikes on the London Underground. Eight 24-hour walk-outs will take place between November 2026 and February 2027, impacting several dates in the lead up to Christmas.
Drivers who are members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union are striking to protest ‘attacks on working conditions’. Union members are walking out in response to plans to introduce a four-day working week for tube drivers. The other major train drivers’ union ASLEF has not announced any strikes.
Worried about more industrial action hitting the capital? Here’s everything you need to know, from the confirmed walk-out dates to the expected scale of the impact.
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When are the next London tube strikes?
The next London tube strikes will take place across November and December 2026, and January and February 2027.
Each 24-hour strike will start at midday and end the following day. Here are the walk-out start dates to watch out for:
- Thursday November 26 2026
- Thursday December 17 2026
- Saturday December 19 2026
- Monday January 4 2027
- Wednesday January 6 2027
- Wednesday February 17 2027
- Tuesday February 23 2027
- Thursday February 25 2027
Due to the noon start, however, the strikes are likely to impact the following hours:
- 12pm November 26 – 12pm November 27
- 12pm December 17 – 12pm December 18
- 12pm December 19 – 12pm December 20
- 12pm January 4 – 12pm January 5
- 12pm January 6 – 12pm January 7
- 12pm February 17 – 12pm February 18
- 12pm February 23 – 12pm February 24
- 12pm February 25 – 12pm February 26
Which London Underground lines are affected by strikes?
During major walk-outs, the entire tube network is affected, whether by delays and cancellations or partial and full-line closures. As a reminder, here’s a list of every London tube service:
- Bakerloo
- Central
- Circle
- District
- Hammersmith & City
- Jubilee
- Metropolitan
- Northern
- Piccadilly
- Victoria
- Waterloo & City
The Elizabeth line is not a London Underground service.
However, not all lines are always down in every strike – especially when ASLEF union members do not walk out. During strikes earlier this year, services continued to run across most of the tube network.
What are the chances of London Underground strikes being called off?
Strikes earlier in the summer were called off by the RMT. The union and TfL may strike a deal before strikes begin – watch this space for updates.
How to get around London during a strike
When the tube is down, bus and National Rail services will offer alternative routes across the city. As we found in the April and June 2026 strikes, e-bike hire schemes prove particularly popular during periods of industrial action.
During the tube strikes, the Elizabeth line, Overground and DLR are still running.
How long will the London train strikes last?
The current period of industrial action is set to end on February 26 2027. However, more strikes could be called if no agreement is reached.
Why are there new tube strikes?
The RMT says that the strikes are due to ‘plans to introduce a so-called voluntary four-day working week alongside a new Trains Modernisation Framework’.
The union warns that ‘the proposals would force drivers to surrender hard-won protections regardless of whether they choose to work four or five days a week’, arguing that drivers face more time driving trains, earlier starts and later finishes. It also says that drivers could be displaced from their current depots, and that it is concerned that the proposals are paving the way for ‘hundreds of job cuts’.
What have union and rail bosses said about the strikes?
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: ‘London Underground is attempting to dress up a wholesale attack on drivers’ working conditions as a voluntary four-day week.
‘But there is nothing voluntary about a scheme that forces drivers to give up existing protections whether they work four days or five, and threatens those who refuse with displacement from their depots.
‘Our members are being asked to spend more time driving trains, accept longer and more unpredictable shifts and surrender agreements that have been negotiated and defended over many years.
‘This is not about improving work-life balance. It is about squeezing more work out of fewer drivers while giving management greater flexibility at the expense of our members.
‘RMT is not opposed to a genuine four-day working week that benefits our members, but we will not accept it being used as a vehicle for job cuts, intensified working and the erosion of terms and conditions.
‘London Underground must withdraw these damaging proposals and engage seriously with the union to reach a negotiated settlement.’
Finn Brennan, ASLEF’s full-time organiser on London Underground, told the BBC: ‘We are surprised that the RMT has, once again, decided to take strike action to try to prevent Underground drivers moving to a four-day week on a voluntary basis.
‘The voluntary four-day week gives Tube train drivers an extra 35 days off every year with rosters based on a 34-hour week in return for some changes to working conditions and moving to electronic, rather than paper-based, systems for booking on for duty.
‘Management have agreed that anyone who wants to keep working a five-day week will be able to do so without suffering any detriment, and we will be holding them to that.
‘A strike designed to stop people having the choice of a shorter working week and more time off is a strange choice to make.’
When are the next London Overground strikes?
There are no strikes currently planned for the London Overground network.
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. The purple line runs normally on tube strike days, though it is usually much busier than usual.
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. For example, if you plan on using the on-strike 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, accessible by road – whether you’d like to drive or get a taxi. Expect potentially higher levels of traffic during strike days.
Timeline of previous London tube strikes
Here’s a lowdown of all the tube strikes that have taken place 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
- September 5-12 2025
- April 21-22 2026
- April 23-24 2026
- June 2 and 4 2026
Bus strikes
While east London has been hit by bus strikes over the past few months, no more walk-outs are planned.
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