Passengers planning festive getaways face significant disruption as CrossCountry train services will be halted by a series of strikes throughout December 2025.
Members of the RMT union working for the rail operator have voted to walk out on four key Saturdays in a dispute over pay and staffing levels, threatening Christmas travel plans for thousands.
Full List of CrossCountry Strike Dates
The industrial action has been strategically planned for Saturdays, a peak travel day for many, but will avoid the core Christmas and Boxing Day holidays. The confirmed strike dates are:
- Saturday, December 6, 2025
- Saturday, December 13, 2025
- Saturday, December 20, 2025
- Saturday, December 27, 2025
Why Are Rail Workers Striking?
The December 2025 rail strikes are the result of a prolonged and unresolved dispute between the RMT union and CrossCountry management. Workers are taking action over what the union describes as 'broken promises' concerning pay, staffing shortages, and honouring previous agreements.
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey stated that the company had returned with a proposal that was 'worse than what was already on the table.' He emphasised that the core issues of unresolved staffing shortages, unfair pay outcomes, and broken commitments have not been addressed, leaving members with no alternative but to strike.
In response, CrossCountry managing director Shiona Rolfe said the company had worked hard to make a reasonable offer and that their priority was reaching an agreement to avoid disruption for passengers during the busy Christmas period. She confirmed the company remains ready to continue talks at any time.
Which Services Will Be Affected?
CrossCountry, which serves over 100 stations and connects major cities from the south of England to Scotland via Birmingham New Street, will see widespread disruption.
The operator has already announced that on the first strike day, Saturday, December 6, a 'very limited' service will run. Several routes will be completely suspended, including:
- Cheltenham Spa to Cardiff Central
- Reading to Bournemouth
- Birmingham to Leicester to Cambridge/Stansted Airport
- Bristol to Plymouth to Penzance
- Edinburgh to Glasgow and Aberdeen
Other key lines will operate with a severely reduced service, such as routes between Birmingham and Manchester, Bristol, and Reading. Passengers are advised that Advance tickets have been temporarily paused for the strike days to prevent customers from being misled about service availability.
Travellers should also be aware that essential engineering works by Network Rail are scheduled over the festive period, which will cause additional disruption on other train services, with very limited options available on Boxing Day.
Passenger Advice and Compensation
For those needing to travel, the best course of action is to plan ahead. Consider travelling on non-strike days or adjusting your schedule to avoid the busiest periods. Exploring alternative transport providers, such as long-distance coaches, is also highly recommended.
Despite the strikes, passengers are entitled to compensation for disruptions. Under the Delay Repay scheme, you can claim money back if your journey is delayed by more than 30 minutes or cancelled. For delays between 30 and 59 minutes, you can claim 50% of the single fare. For delays of an hour or more, a full refund for that ticket is available.
While strike dates are set, there is still a possibility they could be called off if a last-minute agreement is reached between the RMT and CrossCountry. Passengers should monitor updates from CrossCountry's industrial action page and National Rail for the latest timetables and news.
