Luton train passengers told to plan ahead as 8 days of strikes confirmed

Passengers at Luton are warned of disruption as union workers stage industrial action over eight days.

Thameslink trains will be affected as part of the national strike by the ASLEF union. On Saturday (September 30) and next Wednesday (October 4), no trains will run across the majority of the Govia Thameslink Railway network, which operates Southern, Gatwick Express, Thameslink and Great Northern services.

There will be walkouts on Friday, (September 29), Monday (October 2), Tuesday (October 3), next Thursday (October 5) and next Friday (October 6) which will see amended timetables with fewer trains running due to an ASLEF overtime ban. On Sunday, October 1 and 5, the first train services will start later than normal.

Passengers are told to expect busier trains, especially during peak hours, and longer waiting times than usual. Jenny Saunders, GTR’s customer service director, said: “We know how difficult this ongoing national industrial action is for our customers and we're really sorry for the continued inconvenience it’s causing.

"So that you can travel with confidence, we’ll be operating the most resilient timetables we can, but when trains are running, they’re likely to be busier than normal, especially in the peaks, and you might need to wait longer than usual.

“Please plan all your journeys carefully in advance, allowing plenty of extra time, and check again before you set off.”

You can find more details on how journeys will be impacted online here.

Updated train times are now available for Friday and Saturday in online journey planners. These also will be available five to seven days before the affected dates.