Those looking to travel home for the festive period could find any train travel plans ruined this year, as Cross Country has announced rail strikes in the lead up to Christmas.
RMT Union members working for Cross Country have announced that they will walk out over pay and other problems on four Saturdays in December 2025.
It comes after a proposal by the rail company, which workers described as ‘worse than what was already on the table’.
Cross Country serves major cities and more than 100 stations across the UK, from the south of England to Scotland.
Full list of Cross Country strike dates
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The strikes will happen throughout December but will not take place on any of the key Christmas public holidays.
The strikes will happen on:
- Saturday, December 6
- Saturday, December 13
- Saturday, December 20
- Saturday, December 27
Why are rail workers striking?
Workers on Cross Country services are striking over long-term problems on pay and staffing – all part of a number of ‘broken promises’.
The union said it has ‘tried repeatedly for months’ to reach an agreement but the company had not honoured agreed decisions on overtime pay, staff resourcing and wage discrepancies for workers on different grades.
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said: ‘Cross Country has not dealt with the core issues in this dispute and has come back with a proposal that is worse than what was already on the table.
‘Our members are still facing unresolved staffing shortages, unfair pay outcomes and broken commitments.’
‘RMT members have been left with no choice but to take strike action.’
‘The company must return with a serious offer that meets the commitments it has already made and treats our members with the fairness and respect they deserve.’
Managing director at Cross Country Shiona Rolfe said the company has worked hard to ‘make a reasonable offer that addresses the key points raised in this dispute’.
She told Sky News: ‘Our priority remains reaching an agreement that avoids disruption for passengers in the busy Christmas period, and we are ready to continue talks at any time.’
Which services will be affected?
It is likely most Cross Country journeys that connect Scotland, England and Wales via Birmingham New Street will be disrupted on strike days.
Cross Country updates can be found on their ‘industrial action’ page for information about specific walkouts.
Customers may notice that Advance tickets have been paused for strike days, as Cross Country stated it does not ‘want to mislead customers’ about services. Once timetables are finalised, they should return.
The operator announced there will be a ‘very limited CrossCountry service’ on the December 6 strike day.
The following services will not be running that day:
- Cheltenham Spa – Cardiff
- Reading – Bournemouth
- Birmingham – Leicester – Cambridge/Stansted Airport
- Derby – Nottingham
- Bristol – Plymouth – Penzance
- Newton Abbot – Paignton
- Edinburgh – Glasgow/Aberdeen
Other lines will also be limited:
- Birmingham – Manchester
- Birmingham – Reading
- Birmingham – Bristol
- Birmingham – Derby
- Derby – Leeds – Edinburgh (very limited)
In the past, the operator kept some of the main corridors open on strike days but longer-distance and less frequent routes were suspended.
Other train services will also be disrupted over the festive period due to essential engineering works across Network Rail, so check your journey ahead of time.
On Boxing Day there will be very limited services across a small number of operators.
What alternatives do travellers have?
The best way to avoid disruptions is to plan your journey ahead, trying to travel on non-strike days and arranging travel earlier or later than planned to avoid busy periods.
Use alternative providers, including switching to buses or coaches which may have more availability on strike das.
Check Trainline or National Rail regularly as temporary timetables will be updated close to the day.
Could the strikes still be called off?
While dates have officially been set, both sides are in ongoing discussions and its possible the strikes could be called off.
The RMT called off a planned strike on November 1 after new proposals were put forward so if a better deal is put forward there’s still room for the dispute to be resolved before the walkouts begin.
What compensation can passengers claim?
Even on strike days you can be compensated for disruptions. If your journey is delayed by more than 30 minutes or cancelled, you can claim money back through the Delay Repay scheme.
For trains delayed between 30 and 59 minutes, you’ll be able to claim half of what you paid for the single journey ticket. Any delays over an hour and you can get all of your money refunded for the ticket.
For return tickets, if either leg is delayed by 60-119 minutes, you can claim half of what you paid for. If it’s delayed by 120 minutes or more, you can claim the full return fare.
If your train is cancelled, you are entitled to a full refund if you do not then use your ticket on alternative service.
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