Reminder to only travel if absolutely necessary until end of Sunday, and to complete your journey by 5pm on Saturday’s strike day

• Travel only if absolutely necessary, until end of Sunday 26 June
• On Friday 24 June, a non-strike day, there will be far fewer trains and they will start much later than usual in the morning – around 8am from many stations – travel only if absolutely necessary
• On Saturday 25 June, a strike day, there will be very few trains with many routes closed. Services will start later and stop running shortly after 5pm (at 5.40pm from Brighton, for example)
• On Sunday 26 June the service will again start much later and there may be disruption with engineering work also affecting the entire weekend

People who must travel, are being warned not to get caught out on Saturday, 25 June, when trains will stop running in the late afternoon – as early as 5.40pm at Brighton, for example.

And the message from Southern, Thameslink, Gatwick Express and Great Northern remains to travel only if absolutely necessary, up to the end of Sunday 26 June.

RMT members at parent firm Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) did not vote for strike action but the operator depends on Network Rail signallers and engineers to keep its trains moving, and its services connect with many lines and stations managed by other operators whose staff are taking action.

On Friday 24 June, a non-strike day, there will be far fewer trains and they will start much later than usual in the morning – around 8am from many stations. Anyone planning to travel should check online before setting off.

On Saturday 25 June, a strike day, there will be very few trains with many routes closed and no Gatwick Express – although the airport has a limited service with Southern and Thameslink (see map). Services will start later and – crucially – stop running in the late afternoon (see editors’ notes).

On Sunday 26 June the service will again start much later and there may be disruption. Engineering work will also affect the entire weekend (see editors’ notes).

GTR’s Chief Operating Officer Angie Doll said:

“Thank you to all our passengers for listening so far and not travelling unless absolutely necessary. Please continue to follow this advice throughout the weekend and expect ongoing disruption and limited service until the end of service on Sunday.

“On Saturday, trains will stop running shortly after 5pm and we don’t want people to miss them. Please check and recheck the times at nationalrail.co.uk and bear in mind the last train is likely to be very busy so don’t leave it until then.”

Notes to editors

• Last trains on Saturday will run at 17.40 from Brighton; 17.35 from London Bridge, 17.50 from Victoria, 17.16 from King’s Cross (for Peterborough), 17.32 from King’s Cross (for Cambridge), 17.51 from King’s Cross (for Stevenage).

• Engineering works affecting Southern services - Sat 25 June
  Engineering work is taking place between Norwood Junction and Sutton / Epsom Downs via West Croydon.
  
  No trains will run on the below routes:
  Selhurst – West Croydon
  Norwood Junction – West Croydon
  West Croydon to Sutton
  Sutton to Epsom Downs
  
  Rail replacement buses will run between:
  
  Norwood Junction and Sutton / Epsom Downs via West Croydon
  Journey planners may not reflect this information, however we anticipate this to be corrected on Friday 24 June.
  
  Please remember our advice is that you should only travel if absolutely necessary.
  
  Engineering works affecting Thameslink services - Sat 25 and Sun 26 June
  Major engineering works are taking place between Bedford and London St Pancras International.
  
  Trains will run between Bedford and Luton. Buses will run between Luton, St Albans City and West Hampstead, and also buses between Luton and Hitchin, and St Albans to Potters Bar to connect with alternative Thameslink & Great Northern services to London.
  
  Due to the industrial action, no trains will run between West Hampstead Thameslink and London St Pancras, so if you must travel you will need to use your ticket on London Underground services. Journey planners may show train services on this route, but they will not run. This will be updated on Friday 24 June.
  
  We expect services to be severely disrupted and capacity on buses to be limited. Please remember our advice is that you should only travel if absolutely necessary.