National Rail Strike: When is it and how will it affect you?

Mary Sworn
National Rail Strike: When is it and how will it affect you?
© Buena Vista Images / Getty Images
National Rail Strike: When is it and how will it affect you?
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You may have heard that there will be a national rail strike in the UK but when exactly will it be and how will it affect you?

This week’s rail strike is the biggest one in decades according to SkyNews. It is predicted that only 20% of Britain’s trains will be running on strike days. Here’s everything you need to know.

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When is the strike?

The strike will actually happen on three separate occasions. The first strike will be on Tuesday, June 21. Then again on Thursday, June 23, and the last on Saturday, June 25.

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The Network Rail warns the public that even on the days the strikes aren’t happening there will be disruption due to the ‘knock-on effect’.

Why are rail workers striking?

The national rail strike is due to pay and working conditions. Indeed, the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) said that ‘thousands of jobs were being cut’ and many workers' pay rises were below the inflation rate.

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Will any trains be running on strike days?

According to Network Rail, roughly half of Britain’s rail networks will be running, with only 20% of services running on the lines. On non-strike days, about 60% of trains will be running.

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Lines will only be open from 7:30 am to 6:30 pm. A special timetable has been published for June 22 and 26.

The national rail strike also applies to the Tube in London.

Can you get a refund if your train ticket?

If your train has been cancelled, delayed or rescheduled, you are entitled to change your ticket or get a refund. According to Citizens Advice, the type of ticket you bought doesn’t affect your right to a refund.

The Network Rail has said:

If your service has been cancelled, delayed or rescheduled, you will be entitled to a change or refund from the original retailer of your ticket
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It does add that ‘an admin fee of no more than £10 may apply’.

To have a full breakdown of each trainline and its running services, you can check out The Guardianor the TFL’s website for full details.

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