REMINDER: Southeastern Strikes from Tuesday 13 December

REMINDER: Southeastern Strikes from Tuesday 13 December

Strike action is due to take place on our network on the following dates:

December 2022

• Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14
• Friday 16 and Saturday 17

January 2023

• Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4
• Friday 6 and Saturday 7

Other industrial action

• Sunday 18 December until Monday 2 January

During these dates there may be some disruption to our timetable due to an overtime ban by the RMT union. This could mean short notice cancellations and some trains not stopping at all stations. Please check before your travel.

We apologise for any inconvenience and disruption that this strike action will cause.

Saturday 24 December and Tuesday 27 December

RMT union strike action means that on Christmas Eve services will end much earlier than usual, with all services finishing by 15:00 and on Tuesday 27 December services will start much later than normal, with no services available before 12:00.

We will publish more information here when it becomes available, with the latest details always available on our dedicated webpage.

Sunday 25 and Monday 26 December

Southeastern do not run any train services on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

New timetable from Sunday 11 December

We are introducing our new timetable from Sunday 11 December, and this will be in place for the post-strike days. Please be aware and Visit our December timetable page for more information.

Travel advice for Tuesday 13, Wednesday 14, Friday 16 and Saturday 17 December

• There will be a limited service running on our network and some routes will be closed. The national advice is please only travel if absolutely necessary. If you have to travel, plan ahead and check your first and last trains across all train operators.
• Online journey planners have been updated for travel up to Friday 16 December. Journey planners for Saturday 17 December will be updated by Tuesday 13 December.
• Only 44 out of 180 stations will be open. No rail replacement buses will serve stations that are closed.
• You may be unable to board trains at stations where a limited service is running, especially at locations such as Ashford and Ebbsfleet.
• The last trains back from London will be much earlier than usual – see timetable information below plus first and last trains.

Tuesday 13 December – Dartford lines, High Speed via Ashford, Sevenoaks line

Wednesday 14 December – Dartford lines, High Speed via Ashford, Sevenoaks line

Friday 16 December – Dartford lines, High Speed via Ashford, Sevenoaks line

Saturday 17 December – Dartford lines, High Speed via Ashford, Sevenoaks line

First and last trains

Ashford International <> London St Pancras International via Ebbsfleet International
First train from Ashford: 07:48, last train: 16:37
First train from Ebbsfleet International: 08:07, last train: 17:05
First train from London St Pancras International: 08:35 (to Ebbsfleet International) or 08:49 (to Ashford International), last train: 17:33 (to both Ebbsfleet International and Ashford International)

Dartford <> London Bridge via Woolwich
First train from Dartford: 07:46, last train: 17:16
First train from London Bridge: 08:04, last train: 17:34 (calling at all stations except Woolwich Dockyard) or 18:04 (calling at Greenwich, Charlton, Woolwich Arsenal, Plumstead, Abbey Wood, Slade Green and Dartford)

Dartford <> London Bridge via Bexleyheath
First train from Dartford: 07:35, last train: 17:05
First train from London Bridge: 08:24, last train: 17:24 (calling at all stations) or 17:54 (calling at New Cross, St Johns, Lewisham, Blackheath, Eltham, Bexleyheath and Dartford)

Dartford <> London Bridge via Sidcup
First train from Dartford: 07:23, last train: 16:53
First train from London Bridge: 08:14, last train: 17:44

Sevenoaks / Orpington <> London Bridge
First train from Sevenoaks: 07:40 (fast to Orpington) or (08:21 calling at all stations), last train: 16:51
First train from Orpington: 07:16, last train: 17:26
First train from London Bridge: 07:56 (to Orpington) or 08:16 (to Sevenoaks), last train: 17:16 (to Sevenoaks) or 18:06 (to Orpington)

Morning after strike action: Thursday 15 and Sunday 18 December

• If you travel on the day after strike action, please note that no services can run till around 07:00.
• First trains may be busy, and queueing systems could be in place to manage space on trains, so please plan ahead, check your entire journey and allow extra time.
• Online journey planners have been updated for Wednesday 14 December. For Sunday 18 December journey planners will be updated by Tuesday 13 December.Sunday 18 December Timetables1 – London, Tonbridge and Ashford International to Canterbury West, Folkestone, Dover, Ramsgate and Margate, includes High Speed
  2 – London to the Medway towns, Sittingbourne, Sheerness, Faversham Dover and Ramsgate, includes High Speed
  3a – London to Ashford International and Canterbury West via Maidstone East
  3b – Strood to Maidstone East, Paddock Wood and Tonbridge
  4 – London and Sevenoaks to Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells, Battle and Hastings
  5 – London to Dartford and Gravesend via Bexleyheath, Sidcup or Woolwich
  6a – London to Catford Bridge, Elmers End and Hayes
  6b – London to Bromley North, Orpington and Sevenoaks via Grove Park
  7 – London to Bromley South, Orpington and Sevenoaks via Herne Hill

Travel Advice for Tuesday 3, Wednesday 4, Friday 6 and Saturday 7 January

• There will be a limited service running on our network and some routes will be closed. The national advice is please only travel if absolutely necessary. If you have to travel, plan ahead and check your first and last trains across all train operators.
• Only 44 out of 180 stations will be open. No rail replacement buses will serve stations that are closed
• You may be unable to board trains at stations where a limited service is running, especially at locations such as Ashford and Ebbsfleet.
• The last trains back from London will be much earlier than usual.
• Online journey planners will be updated a few days before the strike action. We will publish the date here when it becomes available.
  

  Morning after strike action: Thursday 5 and Sunday 8 January

  • If you travel on the day after strike action, please note that no services can run till around 07:00.
  • First trains may be busy, and queueing systems could be in place to manage space on trains, so please plan ahead, check your entire journey and allow extra time.
  • Online journey planners will be updated a few days before strike action. We will publish the date here when it becomes available.

If strike action is cancelled

If the strike action is cancelled at short notice by the RMT before Tuesday 13 December we may not be able to immediately switch back to our normal timetable.

Rail services are built in complex, interrelated IT systems covering fleet, crew schedules and rosters. It takes some time to get everything back into place and more details will be published here if required.

Refunds and ticketing

Customers can apply for a refund if they do not travel during the strike action in December and January.

Customers with advance tickets for strike days can use them on alternative days, please see the Ticketing and Refunds section of our strike website for further details.

Customers who do travel and were delayed for 15 minutes or more, are entitled to Delay Repay compensation.

More information

All of the latest information and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit our dedicated webpage.

You can keep up-to-date here where we’ll post the latest information, follow us on Twitter, or you can sign up to receive service updates on the planned strike action.