Tube Drivers Announce Eight Strike Days From 26 November — Into the New Year
London Underground drivers in the RMT union will strike on eight separate days starting Thursday 26 November, in a dispute over Transport for London’s plans for a four-day week. The announcement came on Friday 6 November, and the action runs through Christmas and into February.
Each strike lasts 24 hours, but note the timing: they run from noon to noon the following day. That means every strike day takes out an afternoon and evening, then the next morning’s rush hour as well.
The eight start dates are:
- Thursday 26 November 2026
- Thursday 17 December 2026
- Saturday 19 December 2026 — the last big shopping weekend before Christmas
- Monday 4 January 2027
- Wednesday 6 January 2027
- Wednesday 17 February 2027
- Tuesday 23 February 2027
- Thursday 25 February 2027
The argument, in short: RMT says TfL’s four-day week is not the gentle option it sounds like. The union argues the new rosters mean more time actually driving, longer duties and earlier starts and later finishes, and it fears job cuts further down the line. TfL says the four-day week is voluntary. There is a wrinkle, too: ASLEF, which represents the majority of Tube drivers, has welcomed the plan and has not called strikes. So some trains will run — how many, nobody will know until each strike day.
Every Tube line is in scope: Bakerloo, Central, Circle, District, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee, Metropolitan, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria and Waterloo & City. The Elizabeth line, London Overground, the DLR, buses and National Rail are not part of the strike — expect all of them to be much busier than usual on strike days.
What to do
- On strike days, travel outside the peaks if you can, or work from home if your employer allows it.
- Check TfL’s website the day before each date. Strikes do get called off when talks move — sometimes at short notice.
- Allow extra time for the Elizabeth line and Overground, which absorb most of the displaced passengers.
StrikeWatch will publish a reminder with the expected service level before each strike date.
Sources: RMT announcement reported by The Guardian and PA Media, 6 November 2026; TfL statements.