Britain CrossCountry strike: How to reach BHX, MAN, and EMA without XC

Published on Oct 3, 2025, 8:31 am CDT

5 min read

A one-day CrossCountry strike by ASLEF train drivers on October 3, 2025 is expected to cancel most, if not all, CrossCountry services across Britain. A separate refusal to work non-contractual overtime has been in effect since September 21, increasing the risk of short-notice cancellations on surrounding days. Travelers heading to Birmingham Airport (BHX), Manchester Airport (MAN), and East Midlands Airport (EMA) still have viable options via other rail operators and airport buses. Here is what to know, how to reroute, and where to claim refunds if you decide not to travel.

Key points

Why it matters: CrossCountry strike wipes out core intercity links used for airport transfers.
Travel impact: Expect no XC trains on October 3; crowding on alternatives run by West Midlands Railway, TransPennine Express, and Northern.
What's next: Overtime ban continues beyond October 3, so check timetables day-of for residual disruption.
BHX plan: Use New Street-International trains, then the free Air-Rail Link to the terminal.
EMA plan: Use 24/7 Skylink buses from Derby, Nottingham, and Loughborough; connect from East Midlands Railway where available.

Snapshot

ASLEF confirmed that CrossCountry drivers would strike on October 3, 2025, and refuse overtime from September 21. CrossCountry indicates strike-day timetables are heavily curtailed, with advance fares paused for affected dates. For Birmingham Airport (BHX), frequent non-XC trains run between Birmingham New Street and Birmingham International, where a free two-minute Air-Rail Link connects to the terminal. For Manchester Airport (MAN), airport trains are operated by Northern and TransPennine Express from Manchester Piccadilly, typically every 10 minutes and about 20 minutes end-to-end. East Midlands Airport (EMA) has no rail station; use Skylink buses, which run 24/7 with daytime frequencies every 15-20 minutes from Derby, Nottingham, Loughborough, and East Midlands Parkway. If your booked XC journey is canceled or rescheduled, you can claim a refund per National Rail rules.

Background

CrossCountry's network stitches together long north-south and cross-country flows that many travelers use for airport access, including Manchester-Birmingham-South Coast and Birmingham-Leicester-Peterborough-Cambridge. When XC stops, pressure shifts onto overlapping operators and local links. ASLEF's notice sets the one-day strike for October 3, 2025, and a rolling overtime ban from September 21. CrossCountry's strike-day guidance warns of significantly fewer services and suspended advance fares until final timetables are known. On non-strike days, the overtime ban can thin staffing, creating gaps and cancellations at short notice. For airport travelers, the best strategy is to avoid XC entirely on October 3, use operators that normally run the airport legs, and build extra time for queues and potential crowding on the alternatives.

Latest developments

Airport transfer workarounds for Birmingham Airport (BHX)

The simplest reroute is Birmingham New Street ↔ Birmingham International on West Midlands Railway, with additional options on Avanti West Coast and Transport for Wales. WMR indicates around seven trains per hour on the corridor, with typical journey times near 10-12 minutes. From Birmingham International, the free Air-Rail Link runs about two minutes to the terminal between 330 a.m. and 1230 a.m., with walking or taxi options when closed. This path avoids CrossCountry entirely and scales well under crowding. Leave extra time at New Street for platform changes and lines.

Airport transfer workarounds for Manchester Airport (MAN)

CrossCountry does not operate the airport shuttle. Use Northern or TransPennine Express between Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport, which the airport markets as a roughly 20-minute journey with trains running every 10 minutes, seven days a week. Because displaced XC passengers may swell demand on Piccadilly services, arrive early, target earlier departures, and monitor live boards for any engineering-related changes.

Airport transfer workarounds for East Midlands Airport (EMA)

EMA is bus-only. Take Skylink services operated by trentbarton and Kinchbus, which run 24/7 with daytime every 15-20 minutes and hourly overnight patterns on the Skylink Derby and Skylink Nottingham corridors. Typical hubs include Derby, Nottingham, Loughborough, and East Midlands Parkway for rail connections via East Midlands Railway where available. Build buffer time at interchange points because non-XC rail may still be busier than usual due to diversions from the strike.

Analysis

This CrossCountry strike is a classic network-hub shock rather than a point disruption. XC's long-distance flows funnel airport-bound travelers into Birmingham and Manchester, so removing them shifts demand to local and regional operators at the last mile. The ASLEF strike date is fixed, but the overtime ban adds uncertainty on adjacent days as operators juggle crew availability. BHX is the most resilient of the three airports because the New Street-International corridor has high frequency across multiple operators, plus the Air-Rail Link. MAN is also robust because the airport shuttle is run by Northern and TPE in normal times, independent of XC. EMA remains the outlier; reliability depends on Skylink headways and smooth rail-to-bus connections at Derby, Nottingham, or East Midlands Parkway. For ticketing, national refund rules are clear if your train is canceled or retimed, but blanket cross-operator acceptance is not guaranteed in a single-operator strike. For travelers, the safest play on October 3 is to avoid XC entirely, travel earlier than needed, and use high-frequency airport links with proven redundancy.

Final thoughts

The CrossCountry strike on October 3 will be disruptive, but airport access is manageable with preparation. For BHX, pivot to West Midlands Railway or Avanti West Coast, then ride the Air-Rail Link. For MAN, stick with Northern or TransPennine Express shuttles from Piccadilly, padding time for crowding. For EMA, plan your Skylink connection and confirm late-night frequencies. If your booked CrossCountry trip disappears, use National Rail refund channels rather than risking ad-hoc acceptance on other operators. With buffers and backups, travelers can still make flights during the CrossCountry strike.