Trains and strikes
Author
Discussion

DaveGrohl

Original Poster:

1,000 posts

119 months

Friday 22nd September 2023
quotequote all
I’m after a bit of advice over which days to travel by train. We’ve tried to travel by train to Edinburgh and Glasgow over the summer on separate occasions from Carlisle, but ended up driving because of the strike situation.

Are rail strikes a weekend thing or do they happen weekdays too?

Reason I ask is that I need to travel to Glasgow early am and return later in the day for a hospital appointment yet to be scheduled. I was just wondering which day of the week would be best to travel for a return train journey the same day?

MitchT

17,089 posts

231 months

Friday 22nd September 2023
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It's a case of Googling rail strike dates and seeing what has been arranged, then crossing your fingers and hoping no new ones are dropped on the dates you want to travel. They've been happening on weekdays and weekends and impacting services on adjacent days to strike days in some cases too.

We went from West Yorkshire to Cornwall by train on 19 June and then spent two weeks hoping a strike wouldn't be announced on 1 July when we were due to return. Fortunately it wasn't. If your journey is important, drive - don't risk it!

ChocolateFrog

34,870 posts

195 months

Friday 22nd September 2023
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They're pretty random, although Saturdays are the most likely days.

Unions have to give 14 days notice so within that time you're OK with the caveat that's there's some knock on disruption.

This is Northern for the upcoming ASLEF strikes. Although that's worst case and the blue days will likely run normally.


djsmith74

464 posts

172 months

Friday 22nd September 2023
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I'm going to try hard not to get on my soap box about the state of public transport in this country, so I'll offer advice to the OP....

It seems to be restricted to weekends (including Fridays) for maximum disruption, and usually when there is a big event on / school holidays, etc. Having said that, we've had trains cancel on us mid-week due to lack of staff, so it really is pot luck. As said above, I would drive just to be on the safe side, and have a break for a brew/food on the way.

Truckosaurus

12,869 posts

306 months

Friday 22nd September 2023
quotequote all
It's a mixture of days - I assume to impact both commuters and leisure travelers.

Even on strike days some of the major routes might still run - but at a lower frequency so would be more busy than usual.

Also, there's impact on days before/after the strike days due to trains being out of position (or not wanting to get out of position)

DaveGrohl

Original Poster:

1,000 posts

119 months

Friday 22nd September 2023
quotequote all
Ok, thanks everyone. It would be an early morning train I’d be getting so I can be flexible, just a dull monotonous drive in a car to Glasgow. Hopefully weekday travel might be slightly better odds. Getting there on time is the important bit, coming home not so much.