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Best region for buses (London) f trains are striking

Posted by on

So
I have become worried about choosing affordable locations that have the easiest bus alternatives to get to central London if March 2024 there are more train strikes and it seems like there were a lot last year. ( I had originally been eyeballing Ealing/ wandsworth/ Brixton/ and also some stops on the Elizabeth line I believe? I just don’t want to have a whole trip ruined based on random striking so I’m trying to plan for all scenarios.

If it helps to know where I want to visit, ( My main interests are art museums and I also might try to venture away from London to Liverpool and Brighton for a few mini trips- again all of this feels very nervewracking given striking etc.

( I have a dad w Alzheimer’s I am a carer to- so me daring to take a real vacation is hard in the first place so I’m really hoping not to have a flop of a time ).

Thanks in advance for any advice

Posted by
16408 posts

Let's clear up some confusion.

The trains from one city to another are different from the "trains" (Underground, the Tube) within London.

If there is an intercity train strike it may not affect the Underground at all. Or vice versa. And they usually only last one day at a time.

The further out you stay from the center of London, the longer it will take to get there especially by bus. (The buses will be crowded and there will be more traffic as commuters look for alternate ways to get to work.)

Buses in London are vast and available just about anywhere you need to go. There are also bus (coach) lines between cities.

The good news is....in the UK any transport strike must be announce at least 14 days in advance.

Posted by
8134 posts

I think if I wasn't staying in the centre of London, and was trying to avoid the strikes I would choose somewhere north of the river where tube coverage is greater.
To me Ealing ticks a lot of boxes as you have many bus routes (none direct to central London in daytime- only overnight, by day there are several one change bus options), the Elizabeth line and Great Western train lines, and two different tube lines which have their western terminus at Ealing Broadway- thus there will always be a transport option. IMO and experience the buses also tend to be faster from west London than they are coming in from South London- due to the nature of the respective road layouts. But other than at night it is still quite a long journey on the bus from Ealing- that would be the last alternative.

Unless staying at Heathrow Ealing is probably as far west along the Elizabeth line as I would want to be, due to the tube alternatives to main line rail.

Also be aware there are spasmodic bus strikes, in various areas of the city. Most recently, in the days before Christmas, in West London. As far as has been reported that dispute has not been settled.

There are bus connections from Ealing to several other tube lines, also to the South Western main line at Richmond and other SWR stations.

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