London Underground strikes, September 5 to 11

Published on Aug 24, 2025, 3:38 pm CDT

7 min read

Rolling strike action will hit the London Underground for seven days from Friday, September 5, through Thursday, September 11, 2025. Different staff groups will walk out on different days, and Docklands Light Railway workers plan separate action within the same window. Travelers should expect reduced Tube service, short-notice station closures, and heavier demand on the Elizabeth line, Thameslink, and buses. If you are flying via Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, or London City, build extra time and plan a backup route.

Key Points

Why it matters: A full week of rolling strikes will disrupt Tube journeys across central London.
Travel impact: Elizabeth line, Thameslink, and buses will be crucial alternatives, but expect crowding and queues.
What's next: Negotiations could shift the plan, so check status before departure every day.
DLR walkouts within the week will tighten options in Docklands and around London City Airport (LCY).
Black cabs are widely available, but fares and wait times may rise during peaks.

Snapshot

RMT has called a week of rolling strikes on the Underground from September 5 to 11, with different grades, including control, signallers, and train and station staff, walking out on specific days. A separate dispute on the Docklands Light Railway will add two walkout days during the same week. TfL says some stations may close or switch to exit-only at short notice to manage crowds, so allow extra time and expect queues at central interchanges. For airport transfers, anchor your plan on the Elizabeth line and National Rail, including Thameslink, then finish the last mile by bus or licensed taxi. When DLR is out, buses 473 and 474 connect London City Airport to Stratford or Canning Town for onward rail.

Background

Since 2022, London's rail labor relations have swung between temporary truces and fresh disputes over pay, fatigue, and rosters. RMT's latest action targets multiple Underground grades across a week, creating a patchwork of disruption that changes by the day. TfL advises customers that stations can close without notice for crowd control, and that non-Tube services may run but will be much busier. This strike comes soon after a summer of on-off actions, with travelers again relying on the Elizabeth line's high-capacity trunk and National Rail links through London Bridge, Blackfriars, St Pancras, Paddington, and Liverpool Street. For a deeper primer on how these week-long actions unfold, see our earlier coverage, London Underground strike to roll for seven days in September. That guide explains the day-by-day structure and why interchanges sometimes throttle entry even when trains are moving.

Latest Developments

RMT's day-by-day Tube schedule

RMT has set a rolling calendar from Friday, September 5, 2025. A Ruislip depot managers' strike begins at 6 p.m. on September 5 and runs to early evening September 6. On Sunday, September 7, Track Access Controllers, the London Underground Control Centre, power control, and Emergency Response Unit staff are due to strike. Monday, September 8, calls out fleet, engineering, stations, and trains grades. Tuesday, September 9, targets signallers and service control, with a repeat of the Monday pattern on Wednesday, September 10. Thursday, September 11, returns to signallers and service control. The union says it remains open to talks, but the notice is live and legally compliant. Expect reduced or no service on many lines on September 8 to 11, plus intermittent closures of busy central stations for crowd management. Always confirm on the morning of travel.

DLR walkouts narrow Docklands options, including LCY access

In a separate dispute with KeolisAmey Docklands, DLR workers plan 24-hour walkouts on Tuesday, September 9, and Thursday, September 11. That will constrain trips to ExCeL, Canary Wharf, Greenwich, and, critically, London City Airport (LCY). When DLR is out, use local buses to bridge the gap: route 473 links LCY with Stratford Bus Station, a handy Elizabeth line hub, and route 474 runs via Canning Town and Custom House. If the Tube also has restrictions that day, consider licensed taxis for the last mile into Docklands or the City. Expect long queues at Elizabeth line stations around Canary Wharf, Liverpool Street, and Farringdon, and plan 20 to 40 extra minutes for interchanges. If your flight is early morning, pre-book a car, or overnight near your departure airport.

Airport-transfer workarounds you can rely on

Heathrow Airport (LHR): Prioritize the Elizabeth line to or from central London, or use Heathrow Express to Paddington. If the Piccadilly line is disrupted, these rail links are fastest. Gatwick Airport (LGW): Use Thameslink to London Bridge, Blackfriars, or St Pancras, or Southern to Victoria, then walk, bus, or cab for the last mile if Tube links are restricted. Stansted Airport (STN): Stansted Express to Liverpool Street or Tottenham Hale, then Elizabeth line, bus, or cab onward. Luton Airport (LTN): Luton DART to Luton Airport Parkway, then Thameslink to St Pancras, and finish by bus or taxi. London City Airport (LCY): On DLR strike days, take bus 473 to Stratford for the Elizabeth line, or bus 474 to Canning Town and onward by surface modes. Add generous buffer time either way.

Stations that often switch to exit-only or close during strikes

Bank and Monument, London Bridge, Waterloo, Victoria, Oxford Circus, Green Park, Piccadilly Circus, Tottenham Court Road, Bond Street, Holborn, King's Cross St Pancras, Paddington, Liverpool Street, Westminster, Stratford, Canary Wharf.

Analysis

This is not a single all-lines shutdown, it is a shifting map of choke points. The pattern concentrates the worst pain between September 8 and 11, when alternating driver, station, and control-room walkouts can halt entire corridors or fragment service into short, unconnected sections. For visitors, the winning move is to treat the Elizabeth line as your backbone, then patch in short surface hops by bus or black cab. That preserves speed across the West End, the City, and Docklands, while avoiding lengthy waits at closed barriers. Airport travelers should steer clear of Tube-dependent routings where possible. At Heathrow, Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express keeps you moving. At Gatwick, Thameslink to Blackfriars or St Pancras positions you near multiple bus corridors and walkable central districts. Stansted Express into Liverpool Street plugs straight into the Elizabeth line. Luton's Thameslink spine offers similar flexibility. The outlier is London City Airport, where DLR action overlaps with Tube disruption on September 9 and 11. On those days, buses 473 and 474 will be your lifeline to Elizabeth line nodes, but build significant cushion and consider cabs for door-to-door reliability. Finally, remember that central interchanges may cap entry or close entirely without notice. Keep your route flexible, watch live status, and avoid tight connections across Zones 1 and 2.

Final Thoughts

Plan for volatility, not paralysis. Most trips are still feasible if you anchor on the Elizabeth line, then complete the last mile by bus or licensed taxi. On September 9 and 11, assume DLR outages near London City Airport and route via buses 473 or 474. For Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, and Luton, lean on National Rail links, keep your itinerary flexible, and verify openings at interchanges before you leave the hotel. With extra buffer time and a clear plan B, you can navigate the week of London Underground strikes.