London Alert: London Travelers Beware – Tube Strikes to Cause Major Disruptions in Early September

If you’re planning to be in London in early September, prepare for travel headaches. The RMT union has announced seven days of rolling strike action across the London Underground, beginning Friday, 5 September 2025. The industrial action is expected to cause widespread disruption across the Tube network, and visitors to the capital should plan alternative routes well in advance.

What’s Happening?

The strike stems from long-running disputes over pay, fatigue management, extreme shift patterns, and working hours. Union leaders say that staff health and wellbeing are at stake, while Transport for London (TfL) maintains that it has made a fair pay offer and progress on several concerns—but reducing the working week, as the RMT has demanded, is “neither practical nor affordable.”

The action won’t hit all lines at the same time. Instead, different grades of staff—engineers, station workers, train operators, signalers, and emergency response teams—will walk out on different days, creating a patchwork of disruption. Travelers should expect sudden service gaps, station closures, and longer waits even on lines not directly affected.

Adding to the turmoil, workers on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) will also stage strikes during the same week, starting 7 September.

Key Strike Dates Travelers Should Note

• 5–6 September: Rolling action begins with depot and operational staff.
• 7 September: DLR staff, control center teams, and power/control units walk out.
• 8–9 September: Tube engineers, station staff, and train operators on strike.
• 9–11 September: Further disruptions from signallers and service control teams.

This means that from 5 to 11 September, visitors should expect unpredictable travel conditions across most of London’s Underground system.

What This Means for Tourists in London

If you’re visiting London during this period, here’s what to expect—and how to cope:

• Crowded Buses: London buses will bear the brunt of displaced passengers. Expect long queues and slower journeys.
• National Rail Alternatives: Overground trains may still run, but they’ll be crowded as well. If you’re traveling from the suburbs into central London, allow extra time.
• Walking and Cycling: Central London is surprisingly walkable, and TfL’s Santander Cycles bike scheme is a good backup. If you’re staying near attractions, you may find walking faster than waiting for disrupted Tube services.
• River Services: The Thames Clippers boats (now branded as Uber Boat by Thames Clippers) are an underrated way to get around. They link Greenwich, the South Bank, Westminster, and Battersea, offering both scenic views and reliable service.
• Apps Are Your Friend: Download Citymapper or TfL Go for up-to-the-minute updates on which lines are running.

Should You Change Your Plans?

If you’re flying into London or planning day trips by train during these dates, don’t panic—mainline National Rail services will not be directly affected. However, connections to and from stations like King’s Cross, Paddington, or Waterloo will be trickier. Taxis and rideshares will also be in higher demand.

For theatergoers, museum visitors, or anyone planning a packed sightseeing schedule, it’s wise to build in extra travel time. Missing a West End curtain-up or a timed slot at the British Museum is all too easy when the Tube is shut down.

A Familiar Story

For Londoners, transport strikes are nothing new. For visitors, however, they can be disorienting. The last RMT Tube strike in November 2024 caused near-total shutdowns across several lines, leaving tourists scrambling for alternatives. The early September strikes may prove equally disruptive.

Final Tips for Travelers

• Check before you travel each morning—services may change suddenly.
• Stay central if possible; it reduces reliance on long Tube journeys.
• Explore differently—sometimes a strike forces you to see the city in new ways, whether on foot, by boat, or even by bus through historic streets.

London remains one of the world’s greatest cities to explore, even when its famed Underground isn’t fully running. With a little planning and flexibility, you can still make the most of your trip—just be prepared for a bit of chaos along the way.