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Rail Strike dates and Compensation

Isobel Lawrance 15th May 2023 No Comments

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By now, you will have heard the news that many railway workers are striking this month, and it can be confusing trying to keep up with when workers are going to strikes, the dates they will take place on and how you could be impacted.

Fear not, we are here to help. Here are all the dates rail workers will be striking throughout the coming weeks.

Rail strikes

Wednesday 31 May (Aslef)
Saturday 3 June, the day of the FA Cup final (Aslef)

Which lines will be affected

According to National Rail, the following rail operators will see services disrupted on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 May.

Avanti West Coast
c2c (Saturday 13 May only)
Chiltern Railways
CrossCountry
East Midlands Railway
Gatwick Express
Great Northern
GWR
Greater Anglia (including Stansted Express)
Heathrow Express
LNER
London Northwestern Railway
Northern
South Western Railway
Southeastern
Southern
Thameslink
TransPennine Express
West Midlands Railway

Network Rail said passengers may see significant disruption “across large areas of the network”.

It also said: “Services are also likely to be disrupted and start later on the day immediately following a strike day.”

Compensation on rail tickets

Changing your journey

If you’re affected by impending rail strikes, under usual circumstances you can travel one day before the date of your ticket and also up to and including a few days after, depending on the rail operator: most will offer compensation should you be affected by the rail strikes, but it does depend on the type of ticket you bought and whether the rail operator runs a compensation scheme.

Season tickets

If you are a season ticket holder, each ticket operator has its own set of rules: some can make additional claims for ‘Sustained poor performance’ and again, the definition varies depending on the operator. Find your rail operator on this helpful tool from the National Rail website to check the definition and rules on rail compensation.

Full refunds

Rail operators will be able to issue a full refund if your train is cancelled and you choose not to travel. You should be able to get a refudn by using the same website you got your original ticket from, and submitting a refund request. Again, the rules vary depending on the rail operator. You can exchange your ticket for another day, but again, rules may differ.

Missing an event

If rail strikes cause you to miss an event, you’re best speaking to the event organiser to see if you can reschedule. If there are multiple performances of, for example, a show, you may be able to reschedule, but there may be a fee. You may also wish to check whether you are entitled to a refund if the show is on one day. Ticket distribution websites won’t genrally offer a refund unless you have purchased ticket protection or insurance.

Final things to note

Make a note of your train time, the delay and the reason for it.
Take a photo/scan your tickets and receipts.
Go to the National Rail website and click your rail operator’s logo to register your complaint.