Train strikes: Dates and everything you need to know ahead of next walk-outs

Members of the RMT union working for Network Rail and 14 train operators are staging more walk-outs and overtime bans in the current round of strikes.

Since June 2022, national rail strikes in a tangle of disputes about pay, job security and working arrangements have caused problems for tens of millions of train passengers.

Since then, stoppages causing massive disruption for passengers have been called frequently.

These are the key questions and answers.

Who is striking when?

The main rail union, the RMT, has instructed all its members working for Network Rail and 14 train operators to strike on Thursday 16 March.

In addition, those working for train operators will also walk out on Saturday 18 March, Thursday 30 March and Saturday 1 April.

The train firms are those contracted by the Department for Transport. They include the leading intercity operators:

All the London commuter operators will also be hit:

Operators focusing on the Midlands and north of England will be affected:

What will the effect be?

On 16 March the national strike includes workers at both Network Rail and the train operators.

The intention is to knock out most services across Great Britain. Crucially, signalling staff working for Network Rail will walk out, reducing the nation’s railway to a rump of some intercity lines and commuter routes. Even in Scotland and Wales, where the national operators – ScotRail and Transport for Wales – are not involved, most trains will be cancelled.

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