The lines that won't be affected by next week's walkouts

Fresh strike action is set to disrupt travel for thousands of commuters across the capital next week.

Whether you’re heading into the office, off to an event, or making your way to the London Marathon Running Show, there’s a fair chance your journey won’t run to plan.

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

The timing of the strikes means the effects are expected to spill across four working days, so even if you’re not travelling on strike days themselves, you might still feel the squeeze.

On the bright side, this could be the week you finally swap the Tube for a Lime bike, or if you’re lucky enough to have an office near the Thames, trade the Underground for a riverboat commute.

To help you stay one step ahead of the disruption, The Standard has pulled together a guide detailing how to dodge the worst of the chaos.

London Tube and bus strikes to spark four days of travel chaos next week as two major lines to shut
All London Underground lines will be affected by the Tube strikes next week, but there are still plenty of ways to get around the city if you plan ahead.

Journeys earlier in the day on both Tuesday and Thursday should run mostly as normal, Tfl says, meaning early commuters can expect a fairly smooth start to the day.

Disruption is expected to build from late morning, as striking staff clock off, building into serious delays by the afternoon, so it may be worth lining up a Plan B before the evening rush hits.

TfL is urging passengers to check the TfL Go app before setting off to avoid any unwelcome surprises.

Several services will continue running as normal.

Here’s a list of all the alternative routes and services that should be unaffected:
Most bus routes will be running as usual, although they are likely to be much busier, so it is important to prepare for queues.

It is also worth noting that a separate bus strike on Friday (April 24) will affect seven east London routes.

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

Dozens of e-bikes, scooters, and hire cycles are expected to be snapped up by commuters next week as they have become a popular alternative during strike action.

During last September’s strikes, central London’s cycleways filled up fast, with operators like Lime and Forest reporting a surge in commuters swapping trains for two wheels.

Lime reported usage jumping more than 50 per cent during morning rush hours, rising to 74 per cent later in the week.

By the end of the strike period, trips were up 70 per cent overall, with longer journeys suggesting many Londoners were cycling further across the city.

Alex Berwin, head of policy at Forest, says they are expecting a similar spike in demand if next week’s strikes go ahead.

In preparation, Forest is gearing up its fleet and systems to handle the rush, particularly around busy stations and commuter hotspots.

Mr Berwin told The Standard: "If next week’s planned strikes go ahead, Londoners should know there are other ways to get around, and that Forest will be ready to help them with their journeys.

During last year’s strikes, we saw demand during peak times more than double, and we expect to see a similar trend next week.

“If you haven’t tried cycling before, it could be the perfect time to give Forest a try - and adopt a more sustainable, affordable and accessible way to travel.”
To get started, download the Lime app or the Forest app to your phone.

Both operate on a dockless system, so you can pick up a bike from the street and unlock it using your smartphone.

If you’re after a more scenic commute, you could swap the Tube for the river and travel via Uber Boat by Thames Clippers, which serves 24 piers between Putney and Barking.

Key commuter stops along the route include Canary Wharf, London Bridge, Blackfriars, and Battersea Power Station.

Services run frequently, with boats departing every 10 to 20 minutes during peak hours, and operating from around 5.30am.

Standard pay-as-you-go fares typically range from £6.20 to £11.40 with an Oyster or contactless card, or around £19.30 for travel across all zones.