Uk Joins Belgium In Nationwide Rail Strikes Causing Potential Travel Chaos Across London Brussels And Major European Routes As Passengers May Face Widespread Delays And Cancellations

Published on October 31, 2025

United Kingdom, Belgium. Travellers get immoderate contiguous alleviation successful Britain arsenic nan Rail, Maritime and Transport national (RMT) has suspended its planned walkout astatine CrossCountry for Saturday 1 November 2025, pursuing talks pinch nan operator. CrossCountry says it will now tally a full service connected that date—although abstracted engineering useful mean immoderate journeys still change—while nan national keeps nan conflict unfastened arsenic negotiations continue.

Across nan Channel, Belgium’s nationalist usability SNCB/NMBS has formally logged a three‑day onslaught notice covering 22:00 connected Sunday 23 November to 22:00 connected Wednesday 26 November 2025. Under Belgium’s “service minimum” rules, an replacement timetable will beryllium built from nan unit who state they will work, and published 24 hours successful advance crossed SNCB’s website and app. A wider nationalist time of action called by Belgium’s national beforehand is besides group for Wednesday 26 November.

CrossCountry: why 1 November is backmost to normal—and what still hangs successful nan balance

RMT paused Saturday’s onslaught aft CrossCountry tabled proposals addressing nan halfway of nan row—covering safety‑critical roles, staffing and occupation security. The national has signalled that nan operator’s package needs Department for Transport (DfT) approval and says it expects “tangible progress” by 19 November for a broad settlement. In applicable terms, this keeps unit connected nan talks while removing contiguous disruption for passengers.

CrossCountry confirms a normal timetable connected 1 November, but reminds customers that planned engineering works elsewhere connected nan web whitethorn still change immoderate journeys. Check earlier recreation via National Rail Enquiries aliases CrossCountry’s updates page.

Why does DfT sign‑off matter? CrossCountry runs nether a government‑let contract; argumentation aliases fund changes often require support from nan department. That discourse is clear successful nationalist documents astir CrossCountry’s operating arrangements, which show DfT’s cardinal domiciled successful franchise aliases direct‑award oversight.

Belgium: really a 72‑hour obstruction onslaught will beryllium managed

SNCB has confirmed nan strike window from 23 Nov 22:00 to 26 Nov 22:00 and says a conciliation gathering pinch unions will precede nan action. If nan walkout goes ahead, Belgium’s service‑minimum rule kicks in. Here’s really that useful successful practice, per SNCB’s charismatic guidance:

• Eight moving days’ notice: a valid onslaught announcement must beryllium revenge astatine slightest 8 moving days earlier nan first infinitesimal of action.
• 72‑hour declarations: “indispensable” unit state nary later than 72 hours earlier whether they will work.
• Alternative timetable: SNCB past builds a scheme based connected disposable unit and publishes it 24 hours before each onslaught time successful nan travel planner and app, pinch position announcements and accusation screens providing updates.
• Attestations & refunds: SNCB keeps its accustomed refund/exchange rules during strikes and provides online delay/strike attestations for up to 7 days afterwards.

International trips: for Eurostar, TGV, ICE and different cross‑border links, SNCB directs passengers to SNCB International for route‑specific disruption and alternatives.

The 26 November obstruction stoppage dovetails pinch nan broader national inter‑professional strike announced by nan ABVV/FGTB national confederation for that Wednesday, nan capstone of a three‑day escalation. Expect constricted nationalist services nationwide connected nan day.

2025’s different obstruction national actions you should cognize about

While Saturday’s CrossCountry onslaught is disconnected and Belgium’s is still on, 2025 has already seen—and scheduled—several notable obstruction national actions crossed Europe. Below is simply a fact‑checked snapshot from charismatic sources to thief scheme travel.

1) UK: CrossCountry’s months‑long conflict (June–October 2025)
National Rail’s industrial‑action hub shows that RMT’s conflict astatine CrossCountry had weekday and Saturday action scheduled 9 June–25 October 2025. The latest instalment—1 November—is now suspended, restoring a afloat work that day.

2) UK: Elizabeth statement strikes—planned, past suspended (March 2025)
Industrial action planned connected nan Elizabeth line for 1 March, 8 March and 10 March 2025 was suspended, according to National Rail’s disruption provender for London. If you held tickets astir those dates, cheque National Rail’s compensation pages aliases TfL updates you utilized astatine nan clip for specifics.

3) UK: ASLEF focal points (spring–autumn 2025)
ASLEF, nan train drivers’ union, ran targeted actions during 2025, including a one‑day onslaught astatine Hull Trains connected 18 April 2025. ASLEF besides escalated action astatine different operators complete nan twelvemonth arsenic abstracted disputes evolved. Always verify operator‑specific pages adjacent to travel.

4) UK: London Underground and DLR (late summertime 2025)
Industrial action that affected London Underground and nan Docklands Light Railway done early September ended by 12 September 2025, National Rail’s archived alert shows. Underground action often impacts National Rail interchanges crossed London.

5) UK: Northern Trains—outsourced position & gross unit (autumn 2025)
RMT members employed by Carlisle Support Services connected nan Northern Trains statement staged 24‑ and 48‑hour actions successful September and October 2025, chiefly affecting gateline and gross protection operations astatine awesome stations. These were union‑led strikes against an outer contractor alternatively than nan train usability itself, but riders felt nan knock‑on effects connected position operations.

6) Italy: a nationalist obstruction onslaught successful April 2025
Italy’s onslaught watchdog—the Commissione di Garanzia Sciopero, nan charismatic authority—logged a nationwide railway onslaught for 8–9 April 2025. The Commission’s calendars and deliberations are nan go‑to root for verified dates and scope successful Italy.

7) Belgium: earlier strikes successful March 2025
Belgium’s national parliament records statement multiple obstruction strikes successful March 2025, including stoppages spanning Sunday 16 March to Monday 17 March, underscoring that nan late‑November action is portion of a broader cycle.

8) UK: LNER conflict resolved
For those readying East Coast trips: LNER now states location are no further strikes pursuing an statement pinch ASLEF, and invites passengers to book “with confidence.” If you saw recurring play driver actions earlier successful nan year, nan operator’s existent statement is that business action has ended.

What to expect next—and what to show for early 2026

• Britain (CrossCountry): The contiguous onslaught is off, but nan conflict itself is not settled. The national expects actual activity by 19 November aft DfT information of proposals tabled by nan company. Keep an oculus connected nan RMT news page and CrossCountry’s industrial‑action hub for immoderate changes.
• Belgium (SNCB/NMBS): Unless a conciliation breakthrough arrives, scheme for very constricted service betwixt 23–26 November, pinch nan replacement scheme visible 24 hours prior connected SNCB platforms and nan app. The ABVV/FGTB nationalist onslaught connected 26 November signals wider public‑service effect that day.
• Early 2026 outlook: As of 31 October 2025, nan UK’s National Rail industrial‑action portal and SNCB onslaught page do not database circumstantial obstruction onslaught dates for early 2026. That tin alteration quickly; travellers should cheque nan aforesaid charismatic portals earlier booking. For Italy, nan Commissione di Garanzia’s almanac remains nan charismatic root for immoderate caller obstruction onslaught proclamations.

Practical proposal for travellers

• UK (1 Nov): CrossCountry intends to tally a full timetable connected Saturday, but engineering works elsewhere whitethorn require rerouting aliases retiming. Use National Rail’s travel planner and CrossCountry’s travel‑information pages connected nan day.
• Belgium (23–26 Nov): Treat nan play arsenic severely disrupted unless SNCB says otherwise. Check nan SNCB app aliases nan “Grève / Staking” page nan day before you travel; that’s erstwhile nan replacement scheme goes unrecorded nether nan service‑minimum law. For Eurostar/TGV/ICE links, consult SNCB International.
• Refunds and attestations: Belgium provides strike/ hold certificates online for 7 days aft travel; nan UK has operator‑specific compensation schemes via National Rail.