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what lines will be affected by tube strike

Tube strikes in spring 2026 are set to affect most of the London Underground network, with disruption expected across all or nearly all Tube lines on the main strike days, plus separate action on the London Overground’s Windrush line.

Quick Scoop: What lines will be affected by the Tube strike?

The current round of industrial action in London covers both Underground and some Overground services, and it’s spread over several dates in March, April and May 2026. The most up-to-date overviews say that every Underground line is expected to be impacted in some way on the main walkout days, even if a limited or patchy service runs in places.

Key Tube strike dates (spring 2026)

RMT Tube drivers have called 24‑hour walkouts across six date ranges:

  1. 24–25 March 2026 (from midday 24th to 11:59 a.m. 25th)
  2. 26–27 March 2026 (from midday 26th to 11:59 a.m. 27th)
  3. 21–22 April 2026
  4. 23–24 April 2026
  5. 19–20 May 2026
  6. 21–22 May 2026

Each of these is effectively a 24‑hour strike that straddles two calendar days.

Which Tube lines are affected?

Reports on the current dispute say that every Underground line will be affected by the walkouts, with Transport for London warning of “severe disruption” across the entire Tube network. That usually means:

  • Very limited or no service on many sections of:
    • Bakerloo, Central, Circle, District, Hammersmith & City, Jubilee, Metropolitan, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria, Waterloo & City lines.
  • Short operating hours or partial line openings on lines where staff availability allows a skeleton service.
  • Knock‑on crowding and delays on any lines that do manage to run, especially at major interchanges.

Because the action is driven by Tube drivers (RMT), services that rely heavily on those drivers are most at risk of full closure for the strike periods.

Overground: Windrush line strikes

Separate to the Tube drivers’ walkouts, there is also industrial action on a specific London Overground route, the Windrush line.

  • The Windrush line runs between Highbury & Islington and Clapham Junction , with branches to West Croydon and Crystal Palace.
  • Overground strike dates highlighted for 2026 include:
    • Thursday 26 March
    • Thursday 23 April
      (with similar action also noted in late February).

On previous strikes, TfL has sometimes managed to run a near‑normal service despite the walkout, but passengers are still advised to expect disruption and crowding and to check on the day.

At‑a‑glance view: Tube vs Overground impact

Here’s a compact view of what lines are hit and how:

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Service</th>
      <th>Lines / Routes</th>
      <th>Strike dates (spring 2026)</th>
      <th>Expected impact</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>London Underground</td>
      <td>All Tube lines (Bakerloo, Central, Circle, District, H&amp;C, Jubilee, Metropolitan, Northern, Piccadilly, Victoria, Waterloo &amp; City)</td>
      <td>Mar 24–25, Mar 26–27, Apr 21–22, Apr 23–24, May 19–20, May 21–22</td>
      <td>Severe disruption network‑wide, many stations closed, some lines/sections with no service or very limited service.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>London Overground</td>
      <td>Windrush line (Highbury &amp; Islington – Clapham Junction/West Croydon/Crystal Palace)</td>
      <td>Feb 26, Mar 26, Apr 23 (and related dates around these actions)</td>
      <td>Possible reduced or suspended service; knock‑on crowding on nearby Tube and bus routes.</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

How this is playing out online

On forums and social feeds, you’ll see a few recurring viewpoints:

  • Frustrated commuters : People complain about not being able to get to work, medical appointments or the airport, especially where they rely on single‑line journeys (for example only the Piccadilly line to Heathrow).
  • Union supporters : Others argue the strikes are a response to changes such as a compressed four‑day working week and pay/work‑life balance concerns, saying disruption is the only way to be heard.
  • Practical planners : A lot of posts focus on alternatives—walking between Zone 1 stations, using buses, cycling, or booking cabs and minicabs—especially around the affected Windrush line corridor in north and south London.

A typical forum comment right now looks something like:

“Check the official TfL site the night before you travel. Last time they said ‘severe disruption’ and my line ended up shut completely from 7 a.m.”

What you should do next

To stay ahead of the Tube strikes and know exactly what lines will be affected by the tube strike on your specific day:

  1. Check the official TfL strike and status pages the evening before and the morning of travel, as line‑by‑line service levels can change at short notice.
  1. Look up your exact route (e.g., Victoria to Canary Wharf) and identify at least one backup that uses different lines or buses.
  1. If you rely on the Windrush line Overground in north or south London, plan alternatives via buses or other rail services on the March and April strike days.

TL;DR: Expect every Tube line to be hit on the main strike dates, with particularly heavy disruption across the Underground and added pressure where the Overground Windrush line is also on strike.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.