London Underground strike, September 5 to 11, what to expect**

Published on Aug 30, 2025, 9:37 am CDT

6 min read

A rolling London Underground strike by RMT members will begin on September 5 and run through September 11, with different grades walking out on different days. Transport for London has not issued final line timetables yet, but the combination of control room, signaller, fleet, station, and train staff action means little or no Tube service is likely on several days. DLR staff have separate action during the same week. The Elizabeth line, London Overground, and most National Rail routes plan to operate, although they will be very crowded.

Key Points

Why it matters: Network-wide Tube disruption is likely across September 7 to 11.
Travel impact: Expect station closures, crowding on the Elizabeth line and buses, and longer trips.
What's next: TfL will publish final service levels closer to each date, so recheck plans 24 hours ahead.
DLR overlap: Separate DLR strikes are scheduled on September 9 and 11.
Airports: Heathrow reachable by Elizabeth line and Heathrow Express, Gatwick by Thameslink and Southern, London City by bus when DLR is out.

Snapshot

RMT has announced seven days of action beginning Friday, September 5, citing disputes over pay, fatigue, shift patterns, and a shorter working week. The published schedule targets different roles each day, including control center teams, signallers, station staff, drivers, and fleet. Based on this pattern, TfL warns of severe disruption and potentially no service on strike days, with service also winding down early on September 5. The Elizabeth line and London Overground are not part of this action, but will be much busier than normal. Separate DLR strikes are set for Tuesday, September 9, and Thursday, September 11, removing the primary rail link to London City Airport on those dates.

Background

The RMT announcement on August 21 details a rolling sequence, starting with a depot-specific walkout on the evening of September 5, followed by network-critical grades that have historically forced widespread shutdowns. TfL says negotiations continue and that it has tabled a pay offer, while the union argues that fatigue and extreme shift rotations have not been resolved. News outlets confirm the likelihood of multi-day shutdowns, and emphasize that the Elizabeth line and London Overground are outside the dispute. The DLR action involves KeolisAmey Docklands staff and overlaps two days of the Tube program, which will complicate East London travel and airport access to London City. Travelers should expect dynamic updates as talks proceed.

Latest Developments

Daily service expectations, September 5 to 11

Below are expectations based on the RMT strike plan and prior TfL practice. TfL will confirm exact line timetables closer to each date.

Friday, September 5

All Underground lines, open earlier in the day, then services expected to wind down from 6 p.m. Expect reduced Central line capacity due to Ruislip Depot action.
DLR, operating.
Elizabeth line and London Overground, operating, very crowded after 4 p.m.

Saturday, September 6

Underground, severe disruption possible, with Central line most at risk from depot action through 5:59 p.m. Other lines may see short-notice changes.
DLR, operating.
Elizabeth line and London Overground, operating, very busy.

Sunday, September 7

Underground, little or no service likely as control center, power, and emergency response grades strike.
DLR, operating, heavy crowding expected.
Elizabeth line and London Overground, operating.

Monday, September 8

Underground, little or no service likely as trains, stations, and fleet grades strike.
DLR, operating.
Elizabeth line and London Overground, operating.

Tuesday, September 9

Underground, little or no service likely as signallers and service control strike.
DLR, strike day, no service expected.
Elizabeth line and London Overground, operating.

Wednesday, September 10

Underground, little or no service likely as trains, stations, and fleet grades strike.
DLR, operating.
Elizabeth line and London Overground, operating.

Thursday, September 11

Underground, little or no service likely as signallers and service control strike.
DLR, strike day, no service expected.
Elizabeth line and London Overground, operating.

Alternatives via Elizabeth line and buses

Elizabeth line, core workhorse during the strike. Direct to Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street, Canary Wharf, and Stratford, plus Heathrow Terminals 2 and 3, Terminal 4, and Terminal 5. Trains will be crowded, so allow generous time and consider traveling earlier in the day.
Buses, dense coverage, slower journeys. Expect long lines, especially around closed Tube interchanges. Use TfL's bus spider maps and allow extra transfers. Night buses will be important when Tube services are shut.

Airport-transfer guidance

Heathrow, London Heathrow Airport (LHR)

Elizabeth line, direct to Terminals 2 and 3, Terminal 4, and Terminal 5. Trains are frequent, but expect crowding.
Heathrow Express, non-stop Paddington to Heathrow in about 15 minutes, every 15 minutes. Strong fallback when the Piccadilly line is unavailable.

Gatwick, London Gatwick Airport (LGW)

Thameslink, frequent service from London Bridge, Blackfriars, City Thameslink, Farringdon, and St Pancras International, often up to 6 to 8 trains per hour.
Southern, London Victoria to Gatwick in about 31 to 35 minutes on the fastest services.
Gatwick Express, typically two trains per hour between Victoria and Gatwick. Expect crowding near Victoria when the Tube is down.

London City, London City Airport (LCY)

DLR, normal most days, but no service on September 9 and 11 due to strikes.
Buses, use routes 473 and 474 to connect with the Jubilee line at Canning Town or to Stratford, or take a licensed taxi or pre-booked car. Add significant buffer time on DLR strike days.

Analysis

For travelers, the biggest risk is not a single day, but the sequence of strikes that repeatedly remove core operating staff. When control center teams, signallers, or drivers are out, there is little redundancy, so full-day shutdowns become likely. Even on days when the network is nominally open, staffing gaps can close stations or reduce frequencies without long notice. That pushes demand onto the Elizabeth line, the Overground, and buses. Those modes can absorb some of the displaced ridership, but platforms and vehicles will be full, and trip times will lengthen. The DLR overlap on September 9 and 11 is a special concern for Canary Wharf, the Royal Docks, and London City Airport, where alternatives require bus or taxi links. Airport passengers should book earlier trains, travel with carry-on if possible, and target arrivals at terminals at least 30 to 60 minutes earlier than usual. Recheck conditions the evening before travel, then again on the morning of departure.

Final Thoughts

If you can walk or cycle between central neighborhoods, that will often be faster than waiting for a packed train or bus. Shift meeting times earlier, pad all transfers, and pre-book airport rail. Keep watching TfL updates, but plan as if multiple full-day Tube shutdowns will occur, especially September 7 to 11. Conservative planning will save trips, connections, and reservations throughout the London Underground strike.