More Trains for New Year’s Revellers and More Strikes in the New Year

Published on: 28 Dec, 2022
Updated on: 28 Dec, 2022

South Western Railway (SWR) has confirmed 21 additional services from London Waterloo in the early morning of Sunday, January 1, New Year’s Day.

These limited, extra services will allow customers to travel back from New Year’s Eve festivities in the capital, which will host its first New Year’s Eve fireworks since 2019.

But due to RMT industrial action, services into London Waterloo will end by 2200 on Saturday, December 31, with some London-bound trains departing much earlier. The 21 additional services out of London Waterloo will then begin from 0030 on New Year’s Day with the final service leaving at 0315.

Those services will include those going to Guildford and Woking. Customers should check journey planners before travelling to confirm which stations trains will stop at.

More strikes planned for January

Mick Lynch RMT

Meanwhile, despite press reports that RMT union boss Mick Lynch has, in recent meetings, softened his stance and has been “the most deal-minded” rail bosses have ever found him , the rail industry is gearing up for another five days of strikes in early January called by the RMT and ASLEF leaderships, which will mean that only a limited number of trains can run.

Passengers are being reminded to expect significant disruption, to check the latest travel advice and:

only travel if it is absolutely necessary;
allow extra time and check when their first and last trains will depart.

There may also be some disruption to services on Sunday, January 8 as workers return to their duties.

Thousands of specially trained and fully qualified back-up staff will step in during the RMT walkouts on 3-4 and 6-7 January to keep vital services running for those who need them. On RMT strike days, around half of the network will shut down, with only about 20 per cent of normal services running.

Trains that do run will start later and finish much earlier than usual – with services typically running between 7.30am and 6.30pm on the day of the strike.

A walkout by train drivers taking part in a strike called by ASLEF on January 5 will affect 15 operators and will result in even fewer services running – with some operators running very significantly reduced timetables. Timetables for January 5 will be published tomorrow (December 29). Normally there are no trains from Guildford on strike days.

Daniel Mann, director of industry operations at the Rail Delivery Group, said: “No one wants to see these strikes go ahead, and we can only apologise to passengers and to the many businesses who will be hit by this unnecessary and damaging disruption.

“This dispute will only be resolved by agreeing the long overdue reforms to working arrangements needed to put the industry on a sustainable footing, rather than unions condemning their members to losing more pay in the new year.”

Ticketing and refund information

Tickets for January 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 can be used the day before the date on the ticket, or up to and including Tuesday, January 10.
There is also likely to be some disruption in the early morning of Sunday, January 8 as workers return to their duties.

Passengers with advance tickets can be refunded fee-free if the train that the ticket is booked for is cancelled, delayed or rescheduled.