Rail strikes: Many Sussex stations and routes will be closed during walkouts - update on Wednesday June 15

Tens of thousands of rail workers have decided to walk out on Tuesday June 21, Thursday June 23 and Saturday June 25 across Network Rail and 13 operating companies.

Southeastern is one of these, and while Govia Thameslink Railway, which operates Southern and Thameslink services, is not, the firm is still telling passengers to travel ‘only travel if your journey is absolutely necessary and expect disruption’ between Tuesday and Sunday June 26.

On the strike days themselves, Southern’s website says: “Many stations and routes will be closed. Trains will only be able to run during limited hours and will finish in the late afternoon. This means, if you do have to travel, you should carefully check the first and last train for your station. Expect these trains to be very busy.”

It anticipates National Rail journey planners for these days will be updated on Friday (June 17).

For Wednesday and Friday, Southern says services will also be severely disrupted and it will run an amended Sunday service, with no trains starting before 7.15am allowing it to run ‘a more reliable and consistent service throughout the day’.

Journey planners for these days are expected to be updated on Saturday June 18.

Details for services due to run on Sunday June 26 are expected shortly.

It adds: “As this industrial action is affecting the whole country, we will be unable to provide alternatives such as replacement buses and ticket acceptance with other local rail and bus operators. We recognise that it will be very difficult to travel and our advice, regrettably, is to travel only if your journey is absolutely necessary.”

Meanwhile Southeastern’s website suggests that no Sussex services will be running on any of the strike days.

It says: “We expect significant disruption across our network. Most of our stations and routes will be closed and we will only be able to run a severely reduced service.

“We strongly recommend you plan ahead and make alternative plans.

“Services will also be affected on the days following the industrial action, particularly in the mornings.”