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

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United Kingdom, Belgium. Travellers get some immediate relief in Britain as the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) has suspended its planned walkout at CrossCountry for Saturday 1 November 2025, following talks with the operator. CrossCountry says it will now run a full service on that date—although separate engineering works mean some journeys still change—while the union keeps the dispute open as negotiations continue.

Across the Channel, Belgium’s national operator SNCB/NMBS has formally logged a three‑day strike notice covering 22:00 on Sunday 23 November to 22:00 on Wednesday 26 November 2025. Under Belgium’s “service minimum” rules, an alternative timetable will be built from the staff who declare they will work, and published 24 hours in advance across SNCB’s website and app. A wider national day of action called by Belgium’s union front is also set for Wednesday 26 November.

CrossCountry: why 1 November is back to normal—and what still hangs in the balance

RMT paused Saturday’s strike after CrossCountry tabled proposals addressing the core of the row—covering safety‑critical roles, staffing and job security. The union has signalled that the operator’s package needs Department for Transport (DfT) approval and says it expects “tangible progress” by 19 November for a comprehensive settlement. In practical terms, this keeps pressure on the talks while removing immediate disruption for passengers.

CrossCountry confirms a normal timetable on 1 November, but reminds customers that planned engineering works elsewhere on the network may still alter some journeys. Check before travel via National Rail Enquiries or CrossCountry’s updates page.

Why does DfT sign‑off matter? CrossCountry runs under a government‑let contract; policy or budget changes often require approval from the department. That context is clear in public documents about CrossCountry’s operating arrangements, which show DfT’s central role in franchise or direct‑award oversight.

Belgium: how a 72‑hour rail strike will be managed

SNCB has confirmed the strike window from 23 Nov 22:00 to 26 Nov 22:00 and says a conciliation meeting with unions will precede the action. If the walkout goes ahead, Belgium’s service‑minimum law kicks in. Here’s how that works in practice, per SNCB’s official guidance:

• Eight working days’ notice: a valid strike notice must be filed at least eight working days before the first minute of action.
• 72‑hour declarations: “indispensable” staff declare no later than 72 hours before whether they will work.
• Alternative timetable: SNCB then builds a plan based on available staff and publishes it 24 hours before each strike day in the journey planner and app, with station announcements and information screens providing updates.
• Attestations & refunds: SNCB keeps its usual refund/exchange rules during strikes and provides online delay/strike attestations for up to seven days afterwards.

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

The 26 November rail stoppage dovetails with the broader national inter‑professional strike announced by the ABVV/FGTB union confederation for that Wednesday, the capstone of a three‑day escalation. Expect limited public services nationwide on the day.

2025’s other rail union actions you should know about

While Saturday’s CrossCountry strike is off and Belgium’s is still on, 2025 has already seen—and scheduled—several notable rail union actions across Europe. Below is a fact‑checked snapshot from official sources to help plan travel.

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

2) UK: Elizabeth line strikes—planned, then suspended (March 2025)
Industrial action planned on the Elizabeth line for 1 March, 8 March and 10 March 2025 was suspended, according to National Rail’s disruption feed for London. If you held tickets around those dates, check National Rail’s compensation pages or TfL updates you used at the time for specifics.

3) UK: ASLEF focal points (spring–autumn 2025)
ASLEF, the train drivers’ union, ran targeted actions during 2025, including a one‑day strike at Hull Trains on 18 April 2025. ASLEF also escalated action at other operators over the year as separate disputes evolved. Always verify operator‑specific pages close to travel.

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

5) UK: Northern Trains—outsourced station & revenue staff (autumn 2025)
RMT members employed by Carlisle Support Services on the Northern Trains contract staged 24‑ and 48‑hour actions in September and October 2025, mainly affecting gateline and revenue protection operations at major stations. These were union‑led strikes against an external contractor rather than the train operator itself, but riders felt the knock‑on effects on station operations.

6) Italy: a national rail strike in April 2025
Italy’s strike watchdog—the Commissione di Garanzia Sciopero, the official authority—logged a nationwide railway strike for 8–9 April 2025. The Commission’s calendars and deliberations are the go‑to source for verified dates and scope in Italy.

7) Belgium: earlier strikes in March 2025
Belgium’s federal parliament records note multiple rail strikes in March 2025, including stoppages spanning Sunday 16 March to Monday 17 March, underscoring that the late‑November action is part of a broader cycle.

8) UK: LNER dispute resolved
For those planning East Coast trips: LNER now states there are no further strikes following an agreement with ASLEF, and invites passengers to book “with confidence.” If you saw recurring weekend driver actions earlier in the year, the operator’s current line is that industrial action has ended.

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

• Britain (CrossCountry): The immediate strike is off, but the dispute itself is not settled. The union expects concrete movement by 19 November after DfT consideration of proposals tabled by the company. Keep an eye on the RMT news page and CrossCountry’s industrial‑action hub for any changes.
• Belgium (SNCB/NMBS): Unless a conciliation breakthrough arrives, plan for very limited service between 23–26 November, with the alternative plan visible 24 hours prior on SNCB platforms and the app. The ABVV/FGTB national strike on 26 November signals wider public‑service impact that day.
• Early 2026 outlook: As of 31 October 2025, the UK’s National Rail industrial‑action portal and SNCB strike page do not list specific rail strike dates for early 2026. That can change quickly; travellers should check the same official portals before booking. For Italy, the Commissione di Garanzia’s calendar remains the authoritative source for any new rail strike proclamations.

Practical advice for travellers

• UK (1 Nov): CrossCountry intends to run a full timetable on Saturday, but engineering works elsewhere may require rerouting or retiming. Use National Rail’s journey planner and CrossCountry’s travel‑information pages on the day.
• Belgium (23–26 Nov): Treat the period as severely disrupted unless SNCB says otherwise. Check the SNCB app or the “Grève / Staking” page the day before you travel; that’s when the alternative plan goes live under the service‑minimum law. For Eurostar/TGV/ICE links, consult SNCB International.
• Refunds and attestations: Belgium provides strike/ delay certificates online for seven days after travel; the UK has operator‑specific compensation schemes via National Rail.