Are Chiltern operating on 08 May 2024

[Deerfold]

A little confused today. Was trying to book a through ticket via London to High Wycombe on 08 May 2024. This gives me a warning about strikes on various ticket websites but with no apparent reduction in service.

The Chiltern website doesn't make it easy to find information about strikes (if you search for "strike" you get information about June 2022) unless you find this page:https://www.chilternrailways.co.uk/tickets-and-times/changes/202405.

This says there will be no service at all on that date.

If I then try to buy a ticket using Chiltern it's happy to let me (but with a warning to check if my journey is running a week before traveling)

Is there a reason for why this is happening? Are there likely to be services? Whilst strikes are annoying, they're not as annoying as being sold a ticket if there's unlikely to be any trains. On the other hand, if there are trains, I'd like to go ahead and book one.

 

[Adam Williams]

This won't be in the timetable until Wednesday

 

[Watershed]

As shown on their strike page, Chiltern won't be running any services at all on 8 May due to the ASLEF drivers' strike.

Strike timetables are only uploaded approximately a week before the date (in case the strike is called off, amongst other reasons) so it is not surprising that you are still being shown the normal timetabled services. Technically speaking if you bought a ticket then Chiltern would be obliged to provide you with alternative transport but in practice they will refuse to do so and it will possibly require taking them to Court to get anything out of them.

 

[Deerfold]

As shown on their strike page, Chiltern won't be running any services at all on 8 May due to the ASLEF drivers' strike.

Strike timetables are only uploaded approximately a week before the date (in case the strike is called off, amongst other reasons) so it is not surprising that you are still being shown the normal timetabled services. Technically speaking if you bought a ticket then Chiltern would be obliged to provide you with alternative transport but in practice they will refuse to do so and it will possibly require taking them to Court to get anything out of them.

That page looks useful (though even more if the website directed to it when trying to book a train on their website). Shame I couldn't find a link to it.

This seems to be a very good way of stranding a lot of passengers in London or Birmingham.

I'm used to LNER who remove trains once a strike is called until they're sure what will be running.

 

[Haywain]

I'm used to LNER who remove trains once a strike is called until they're sure what will be running.

LNER don't remove the trains, they close them for reservations. Chiltern can't do that because they don't offer reservations.

 

[CyrusWuff]

LNER don't remove the trains, they close them for reservations. Chiltern can't do that because they don't offer reservations.

Other than counted place ones for Oxford and Birmingham services, which are closed for 4th to 12th May inclusive.

Booking horizons and closed dates can be seen here.

As for the OP's problem, there's a banner on the Chiltern home page, but it only appears to have been published about an hour ago.

 

[Deerfold]

LNER don't remove the trains, they close them for reservations. Chiltern can't do that because they don't offer reservations.

OK, I was going off the e-mail LNER sends where they describe it as removing them from sale.

As for the OP's problem, there's a banner on the Chiltern home page, but it only appears to have been published about an hour ago.

Yes, I can see it now, but the information provided when booking is misleading, to say the least.