Last updated 1 December
Use this page to plan your journey around the rail strikes
We hope we can avert strike action and come to an agreement with the ASLEF union. We apologise for the inconvenience.
Changes to Greater Anglia services
This is not a strike day. Most of our services will be running but there are some cancelled services due to action called by ASLEF.
Use our journey planner and app to check your train.
Travelling on Sunday 3 December?
The following routes will have no trains:
- Wickford to Southminster
- Manningtree to Harwich
- Ipswich to Felixstowe
- Marks Tey to Sudbury
In addition, there will be limited train options in the Cambridge area due to industrial action and engineering works. Read travel advice.
We strongly advise you to check your train on our journey planner or app before you travel as there may be last-minute changes to the service.
- Reduced service between Norwich and London Liverpool Street, Colchester and London Liverpool Street, Southend Victoria and London Liverpool Street. (approx. 1 train per hour).
- Small number of Cambridge to London Liverpool Street services (approx. every two hours and across a very limited period).
- Great Northern will be running 1 train per hour between Cambridge and London Kings Cross.
- First trains of the day start later and last trains finish earlier than normal.
- No services running on other lines, including regional/branch lines
Timetable
Check your train with our journey planner or app.
This is not a strike day but first trains will start later than usual because of the strike.
Use our journey planner or app to check your train.
This is not a strike day. Most of our services will be running but there are some cancelled services due to action called by ASLEF.
Check your train with our journey planner or app. Train times will are incorrect for Saturday 9 December, these Timetables will be updated saturday
Check your train with our journey planner or app. For journeys on Saturday 9 December, please check it after 2 December for the updated train times.
Changes to UK services
Strikes will impact other UK operators between Saturday 2 December and Friday 8 December. If you're going beyond our network, please check your journey using our journey planner or app a few days before you travel.
Are there going to be more strikes?
It’s possible there will be more strikes. Unions have to give two weeks' notice of any further strike dates. We’ll share our travel advice for ones that will ll affect our trains on this page.
Our travel advice
- Booking engines and apps are updated with the new timetables a few days before a strike so remember to check your full journey on all train company websites you're using, before deciding to travel.
- If you're planning to attend events in the evening you may want to use alternative transport.
- Be aware of engineering works.
Ticket options
Timetables are usually updated a few days before a rail strike so it's recommended that you confirm your train is running before buying a ticket.
- If you bought your ticket before 17 November and its dated for travel between Saturday 2 and Friday 8 December 2023, you can use the ticket on another day between Friday 1 up to and including Tuesday 12 December 2023.
- Journeys should be made at the closest possible time to the original booking
- You'll need to buy a new London Underground ticket for its portion of your journey
- We recommend checking for engineering works and avoiding the day before and after a strike day as trains could be busy
- This doesn't apply for journeys with Caledonian Sleeper, Grand Central, Hull Trains or Lumo.
Seat reservations
We don't offer seat reservations but other train companies do. Your seat reservation won't apply if you travel on a different day so if you purchased online with us, you might be able to reserve a new seat by calling our Web Support Team on 0345 600 7245 (option 3). Or, visit one of our ticket offices.
You can change your ticket with no admin fee on strike days, but we won't refund the difference if your new ticket is cheaper and you'll have to pay for the difference if it's more expensive.
If you booked two Advance tickets with us to be used as a return journey (an outbound and a return), you can change any unused ticket if either leg is scheduled on a strike day.
| How did you buy your ticket? | How to change your ticket |
|---|---|
| Greater Anglia website or app |
|
| Greater Anglia ticket office |
|
|
Other |
|
You can get a full refund on unused daily tickets. This applies when you decide not to travel because your intended service is cancelled, delayed, rescheduled or if your seat reservation will not be honoured.
If you have an Advance or return ticket and don't travel, you can claim a full refund if your intended outbound or return journey is on a strike day. For this scenario, please contact our Customer Relations.
| How did you buy your ticket? | How to claim a Daily ticket refund |
|---|---|
| Greater Anglia website or app |
|
| Greater Anglia station |
|
| Other |
|
If you activated a Flexi Season pass, or are a monthly or longer Season ticket holder, you can claim a day back if your train operator is impacted by a full strike day, and don't travel because you're unable to, with Delay Repay.
Please select the 'Did Not Travel' option when filling in your claim. You'll just need to tell us the outward portion of your trip only (not return journey) to claim a full day of your ticket.
If your journey is delayed on the day after a strike day, you can claim Delay Repay compensation in the usual way.
Weekly Season Tickets and Travelcards that haven’t started yet can be refunded but a £10 admin fee may apply. It’s recommended you use the Season Ticket Calculator to make sure that a Weekly Season ticket is the best value during a period of industrial action, as compensation won’t be available unless your service is cancelled or delayed.
Assisted Travel
If you need assistance, please plan your journey in advance with Passenger Assist.
New bookings will be available for strike days when the timetable is confirmed.
If you’ve already booked assistance it may be affected by timetable changes due to strike action so you should check if your train is running before making your journey. We will endeavour to contact you to notify you if this is the case.
Got a question?
Get more information about rail strikes and your travel options on National Rail's website.