London Tube and bus strikes to spark four days of travel chaos next week as two major lines to shut

The impact of planned Tube strikes on London next week is revealed today as Transport for London warns of “significant disruption” across the network, with no service on two major lines.

Drivers belonging to the RMT union are due to walk out from midday on Tuesday (April 21) for 24 hours, and again from midday on Thursday (April 23) for 24 hours.

Most lines will run on a reduced service except for the Piccadilly and Circle lines, which are not expected to run at all, TfL says.

There will also be no service on the Metropolitan line between Baker Street and Aldgate, or on the Central line between White City and Aldgate.

Unlike previous strikes that began in the early hours , this time services will be affected from midday, which could catch commuters out at the busiest times, with the effects of the strike felt across four working days.

Passengers are therefore being urged to plan ahead and check the TfL Go app before travelling.

RMT members are striking primarily over the introduction of a four-day working week , which the union says could increase fatigue and compromise safety, although TfL maintains the changes are voluntary and has described the strikes as “completely unnecessary.”
TfL sources say it is believed the strike action will go ahead, although this could change in the coming days , adding that the network remains open to further discussions.

When approached by The Standard on Wednesday, the RMT said it had nothing further to add.

A separate strike, involving Unite members, will be happening from Thursday to Saturday next week, coinciding with the RMT walkouts.

Over 150 members of the Union are walking out over a dispute around changes to rosters with increased weekend working and further travel to sites across London.

Strike action comes ahead of the London Marathon weekend , when hundreds of thousands of additional visitors are expected to flood the city.

How to beat the Tube strike: The lines that won't be affected by next week's walkouts
Large numbers of runners will be travelling to London ahead of the event — which will see over 750,000 spectators on the day — as they check into hotels and head to the ExCel centre in Custom House to collect their race numbers.

TfL says journeys earlier in the day on Tuesday and Thursday should be mostly unaffected, with services running fairly normally until around midday.

Disruption is expected to build from late morning, with “serious disruption” likely in the afternoon.

While disruption is expected and will vary from day to day, the impact is not expected to be as severe as the strikes in September 2025, TfL says, which saw commuters walking miles to get to work and huge queues outside entrances to the Elizabeth line.

The Elizabeth line, DLR, and tram services will continue to run as normal during the strike action, though they are likely to be significantly busier than usual.

Buses are also expected to operate largely as normal, despite separate strike action on Friday, April 24, which will affect a limited number of routes in east London.

A total of 300 bus drivers represented by Unite and the East London Bus & Coach Company will walk out in a dispute over long-distance shifts and inadequate breaks.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: "Our members at Bow bus garage should not be risking their lives just to go to work.

"The situation is appalling, not just for workers but the general public.

Stagecoach needs to take drivers' concerns seriously and act immediately.

Drivers at Bow bus garage have Unite's complete support during this dispute."
Industrial action will impact seven routes from Bow bus garage to central London and Westfield Stratford City shopping centre.

These are the 8, N8, 25, N25, 45, 205 and N205.

A spokesperson for TCS London Marathon said: "We are aware of planned industrial action by RMT Tube Drivers between Tuesday 21 and Friday 24 April.

"While services on the London Underground are expected to be disrupted, the DLR, Elizabeth line, London Overground, National Rail Services, buses, and River Services are all still running as normal.

"We encourage participants and visitors to the TCS London Marathon Running Show at the ExCel centre to plan ahead using the Tfl Journey Planner and to allow extra time for travel.

“The TCS London Marathon and Friday Night Lights on Friday 24 April, the TCS Mini London Marathon on Saturday 25 April and the TCS London Marathon on Sunday 26 April remain unaffected by the proposed industrial action.

“All event information, including travel advice, is available at tcslondonmarathon.com.”
The TCS London Marathon Running Show takes place at the Excel Centre between 10 and 8pm from Wednesday to Friday and between 8.30am and 5.30pm on Saturday next week.

“Nobody wants to see strike action which has a serious impact on Londoners, businesses and commuters,” a spokesperson for the Mayor of London said.

“The Mayor continues to urge the RMT and TfL to get around the table to resolve this matter and call off this planned strike action.”
Some organisations have voiced opposition to the strikes, with further action also expected in May and June.

Ruth Duston OBE, CEO of London Heritage Quarter, said: “The upcoming strikes are set to severely disrupt London in the coming days, with yet more strike action planned across May and June.

“The Tube is a lifeline for businesses across the capital, and frequent disruption puts serious pressure on staffing, customer access, and productivity.

“At a time when businesses are already navigating difficult conditions, London needs a reliable transport system.

It is in everyone’s best interest to resolve this dispute for the benefit of all who rely on the network.”
Guide Dogs UK said that for many blind and partially sighted people, the Underground is a vital and familiar network, and when it is disrupted, alternative routes can often be less accessible and safe.

Clive Wood, campaigns manager at Guide Dogs UK, said: “The upcoming strike action across the Transport for London network is likely to create additional challenges for people with a vision impairment, as changes to usual routes and travel patterns make getting around more difficult.

“Tube closures can lead to increased traffic, busier pavements, and more crowded public spaces and buses.

We also expect greater use of e-bikes and e-scooters, and as we saw last year, many of these were poorly parked and blocked pavements, posing risks for pedestrians with sight loss.

“For some, these factors may make journeys feel unpredictable or unsafe, and may lead people to avoid travelling altogether, limiting their independence.

“We're asking commuters to remember that while trains may stop, the need for accessibility doesn't.

A small act like moving a hire bike or giving up a space.”