Rail strike information

(Page last updated: 26th August 2024)

Don’t worry! Upcoming rail strikes should NOT affect Go Cotswolds guests

Since 2022, the UK rail network has been subjected to industrial strike action in a long-running dispute over pay and conditions for rail workers. These strikes have now ENDED following acceptance of a pay deal by all rail workers’ unions.

However, you may have heard about a series of ongoing rail strikes taking place on weekends from August 2024. This is a separate dispute, and ONLY affects rail services provided by the rail company LNER. 

Rail services between London Paddington, Reading, Oxford and our pick up point at Moreton-in-Marsh are operated by a different rail company, Great Western Railway (GWR). Staff at GWR are not striking, so there will be no strike-related travel disruption for Go Cotswolds tour guests taking this route.

Likewise, rail services between Birmingham and Stratford-upon-Avon are operated by West Midlands Railway (WMR). WMR staff are also not striking, so there will be no strike-related travel disruption for Go Cotswolds tour guests taking this route to reach our Stratford-upon-Avon pick up point.

We will update this page if this situation changes. 

What do rail strikes mean for Go Cotswolds tours?

Many of our customers choose to join a Go Cotswolds tour by taking a train, either from London, Reading or Oxford to Moreton-in-Marsh, or from Birmingham to Stratford-upon-Avon. It’s a more environmentally friendly way to travel, and you’ll get to spend more time in the Cotswolds with a local guide.

Unfortunately, unless strikes are called off, then it will be not be possible to travel by train to Stratford-upon-Avon or Moreton-in-Marsh on strike days. In addition, early morning rail services (i.e. those departing before 7.30AM) on the day after a strike are often cancelled or delayed.

There is a very limited rail service on strike days, but the few trains that are able to run will only serve major commuter routes between big cities. In all previous rail strikes, both Stratford-upon-Avon and Moreton-in-Marsh stations have been completely closed.

For more information on rail strikes, please see:

Rail strike information published by GWR (for passengers travelling by train to and from Moreton-in-Marsh)

Rail strike information published by West Midlands Railway (for passengers travelling by train between Birmingham and Stratford-upon-Avon)

What to do during rail strikes: Our recommendations

If you have booked a tour with us on the day of a rail strike, we will always try to contact you to provide advice and options. Ultimately, getting to our pick up point on the day of the tour is your responsibility.

In case of a rail strike, we strongly recommend that you:

• travel on a day that is not affected by strike action and stay the night in Moreton-in-Marsh or Stratford-upon-Avon
• take alternative transport to reach the pick up point for our tours – realistically, this usually means taking a taxi or your own car, but we will let you know if there are any other options
• join a tour on another day when there is no strike action

If you plan to take a taxi on a strike day, then we highly recommend you book this in advance because demand for taxis is likely to be high. Uber is not widely available in the Cotswolds (Uber is available in Birmingham and Stratford-upon-Avon, if you wish to travel from Birmingham to Stratford-upon-Avon).

Our Cancellation Policy

Our standard cancellation policy is in place (see below). If you have booked a tour direct with us on a rail strike day and you would like to transfer your booking to another date, or cancel and receive a refund, then please contact us at least 24 hours before the tour departure.

When we know about strikes or travel disruption in advance, we will always contact you to give you fair warning and to advise you of your options.

Get Your Guide/Tripadvisor/Viator/other third-party customers: please refer to your agent’s cancellation policy. The policy below applies only to bookings made direct with Go Cotswolds at www.gocotswolds.co.uk.

If we have to cancel

Very rarely, we may need to cancel a tour or journey you have booked with us. Examples of such occasions might be if a member of our team becomes ill, one of our vehicles breaks down, or if there is dangerous weather (such as heavy snow or very high winds). Our TourSure Guarantee means we will never cancel a tour due to low numbers of passengers. 

If we have to cancel your tour or journey, we will contact you at the earliest opportunity and offer you:

• A transfer to a future available date, or
• A gift voucher to the value of your purchase (so you can rebook a future available date at your convenience), or
• A full refund

If you need to cancel

If you need to cancel your place on a small-group tour, then please let us know as soon as possible and at least 24 hours before the start of your tour. In line with our usual Terms and Conditions, we will offer you:

• A transfer to a future available date, or
• A gift voucher to the value of your purchase (so you can rebook a future available date at your convenience), or
• A full refund

To cancel or amend a private tour or private vehicle hire booking, please give us 14 days notice. Due to the additional administration involved in a private tour, and higher payment service provider fees, there is a £50 cancellation fee (per day, for multi-day hires).

For our full terms and conditions, please click here.