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London Underground and DLR strikes, September 5 to 11

London Underground entrance with roundel sign on a quiet, sunlit central London street, framed by historic buildings and clear blue sky.
by
5 min read

Rolling industrial action will affect the London Underground and Docklands Light Railway over seven days, with the heaviest disruption from September 7 to 11. Transport for London has issued final guidance, including a pair of full DLR shutdowns and limited, sometimes non stopping, Elizabeth line operations at specific times. Airport travelers should default to Elizabeth line, Thameslink, and Heathrow or Gatwick Express, and leave large buffers for taxis or coaches. Negotiations may continue, but travelers should plan for severe service cuts across multiple days.

Key Points

  • Why it matters: Multi day disruption hits core London transport from September 7 to 11.
  • Travel impact: Little to no Tube service on most weekdays, plus two full DLR shutdowns.
  • What's next: Friday, September 12 recovers gradually, with no Tube before 8 a.m. per TfL.
  • Elizabeth line runs, but skips core stations during certain windows.
  • Airport plan, use Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express for LHR, Thameslink or Gatwick Express for LGW.

Snapshot

TfL expects limited Tube service on Sunday, September 7, then little to no service from Monday, September 8 through Thursday, September 11. The DLR will not operate on Tuesday, September 9 and Thursday, September 11. The Elizabeth line is not on strike, but at defined times trains will not stop between Whitechapel and Bond Street, affecting connections to Liverpool Street, Farringdon, Tottenham Court Road, and Bond Street. Friday, September 12 begins with no Tube before 8 a.m., then a normal service by late morning. Travelers should avoid tight connections and use rail to airports where possible, shifting to buses or licensed taxis when the DLR is out.

Background

The RMT announced rolling action beginning Friday, September 5, with different grades, including control center, signallers, station, and train staff, walking out across the week. TfL has published day by day expectations and airport advice, noting two DLR blackout days. Our earlier brief outlined likely patterns and alternatives; see London Underground strike, September 5 to 11, what to expect. Today's update reflects final TfL service guidance by day, the confirmed DLR shutdown dates, Elizabeth line non stopping windows, and specific airport routing workarounds for Heathrow, Gatwick, London City, Stansted, and Luton.

Latest Developments

Final TfL service expectations by day

Friday, September 5, and Saturday, September 6, no customer impact expected on the Tube per TfL. Sunday, September 7, limited Tube service with early finish, complete journeys by 6 p.m. Monday, September 8 to Thursday, September 11, Tube service severely disrupted with little to no service, no service before 8 a.m., and complete journeys by 6 p.m. DLR will run except Tuesday, September 9, and Thursday, September 11, when no DLR service is expected at all. Friday, September 12, no Tube before 8 a.m., then normal service by late morning.

DLR blackout dates and Elizabeth line caveats

DLR is fully shut on Tuesday, September 9, and Thursday, September 11. On other days it may still be affected at shared stations. The Elizabeth line will run through the week, but trains will not stop between Whitechapel and Bond Street at specific times, Monday, September 8 and Wednesday, September 10 before 730 a.m. and after 1030 p.m., and Tuesday, September 9 and Thursday, September 11 before 8:00 a.m. Expect very busy trains and potential queuing at interchanges.

Airport routing workarounds

Heathrow Airport (LHR), Piccadilly line unavailable on core strike days, use the Elizabeth line to Terminals 2 and 3, Terminal 4, or Terminal 5, or use Heathrow Express from London Paddington. Gatwick Airport (LGW), use Thameslink from London Bridge, Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon, or St Pancras International, or Gatwick Express and Southern from London Victoria, but allow time to reach these stations without the Tube. London City Airport (LCY), when the DLR is shut on September 9 and 11, use bus routes 473 or 474 to or from Stratford or Canning Town, or a licensed taxi or pre booked car. Stansted Airport (STN), use Stansted Express from London Liverpool Street, or National Express coaches from Victoria or Stratford, allowing extra time to reach rail hubs. Luton Airport (LTN), use Thameslink to Luton Airport Parkway, then the shuttle to the terminal.

Analysis

The pattern of strikes removes multiple critical functions on consecutive days, which is why TfL guides travelers to assume little to no Tube service from September 8 to 11. Even partial service is likely to be irregular, with station closures and crowd control at short notice. The two DLR stoppages are the sharpest pain points for East London, Canary Wharf, ExCeL London, and London City Airport access. The practical workaround is to pivot to heavy rail where possible. For Heathrow, the Elizabeth line and Heathrow Express provide redundancy and capacity, but expect long queues and packed carriages. For Gatwick and Luton, Thameslink offers frequency and late night coverage, while Gatwick Express remains a fast option from Victoria if you can reach it without the Tube. For London City, plan on buses 473 and 474 or a booked car on the two blackout days. Across the board, move earlier, book airport rail in advance where applicable, travel light, and avoid tight connections.

Final Thoughts

Plan conservatively for the entire window, especially September 7 to 11. Use the Elizabeth line, Thameslink, and airport expresses as your defaults, add 30 to 60 minutes for surface transfers, and have a bus or taxi fallback when the DLR is out. Recheck TfL the evening before travel, then again the morning of departure. These habits will help you ride out the London Underground strike.

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