Published on : 23 Apr 2026

London Tube Strike Day 3 LIVE — Thursday April 23, 2026: Heathrow Piccadilly Line Shut Again From Noon — Complete Guide to All 6 London Airports — PLUS Anzac Day Australia & NZ Travel Alert & Brisbane Rail Final Day

LIVE STATUS — THURSDAY APRIL 23, 2026

Strike Status	🔴 ACTIVE from 12:00 noon today — runs until 11:59am Friday April 24
Strike Day	Day 3 of 4 — final day of disruption is tomorrow April 24 (morning)
Lines Closed	❌ Piccadilly · ❌ Circle · ❌ Metropolitan (Baker St→Aldgate) · ❌ Central (White City→Liverpool St)
Lines Running	✅ Elizabeth line · ✅ DLR · ✅ Overground · ✅ National Rail (Heathrow Express, Gatwick Express, Thameslink)
Heathrow Access	✅ Elizabeth line from Paddington (23 min) · ✅ Heathrow Express from Paddington (15 min)
Gatwick Access	✅ Gatwick Express from Victoria · ✅ Thameslink from London Bridge/St Pancras
Stansted Access	✅ Stansted Express from Liverpool St — but Circle line to Liverpool St is down, allow extra time
More Strikes	⚠️ 8 more strike dates confirmed — May & June 2026
Anzac Day Alert	🇦🇺🇳🇿 Tomorrow April 25 = Australia & NZ’s highest-volume travel day + Brisbane rail FINAL day without Airtrain

The second 24-hour RMT London Underground strike of the week begins again today, Thursday April 23, from 12:00 noon — running through 11:59am on Friday April 24. This is Day 3 of 4 disruption days this week, and the impact is identical to Tuesday’s stoppage: no Piccadilly line to Heathrow, no Circle line to Victoria (for the Gatwick Express), and no Central line between White City and Liverpool Street (for the Stansted Express). If you are travelling through any of London’s six airports this afternoon, evening, or tomorrow morning — this guide tells you exactly how to get there and back safely. Combined with tomorrow’s Anzac Day (Saturday April 25) — Australia and New Zealand’s highest-volume travel long weekend of the year — and the final day of Brisbane Airport’s 23-day rail shutdown, today and tomorrow represent the most complex 48-hour travel window for UK, Australian, and New Zealand passengers in 2026.

🚇 Today’s Strike — Exact Times & What Changes at Noon

This week’s RMT walkout runs across four days split into two 24-hour periods. The first was Tuesday 21 – Wednesday 22 April. Today’s strike is the second — and for many travellers, the more dangerous one, because morning services run normally until 11:59am, then severe disruption begins from 12:00 noon.

Before 12:00 noon today (April 23)

✅ Normal service across all lines — travel now if you can. Trains running on schedule.

12:00 noon — Strike Active

❌ Piccadilly line closes — no direct Tube to Heathrow. ❌ Circle line closes. ❌ Metropolitan line (Baker St→Aldgate) closes. ❌ Central line (White City→Liverpool St) closes. All other lines: reduced / disrupted service.

11:59am Friday April 24 — Strike Ends

⚠️ Strike officially ends — but TfL warns disruption continues as services return to normal through the afternoon. Allow extra time for Friday AM departures.

After April 24 — More Strikes Coming

⚠️ 8 more 24-hour strike dates confirmed in May and June 2026. The RMT dispute is over a proposed compressed four-day working week for drivers — no deal has been reached. If you have Heathrow flights in May or June, check tube.tfl.gov.uk before booking ground transport.

❌ What’s Closed vs ✅ What’s Running — Full Line Status

Line / Service	Status Today (From Noon)	Airport Impact
Piccadilly Line	❌ NO SERVICE	🔴 No direct Tube to Heathrow T1/T2/T3/T4/T5
Circle Line	❌ NO SERVICE	🔴 No Tube to Victoria for Gatwick Express; no Tube to Liverpool St for Stansted Express
Metropolitan Line	❌ NO SERVICE Baker St→Aldgate	🟡 Limited impact on airports but disrupts central travel
Central Line	❌ NO SERVICE White City→Liverpool St	🔴 Impacts access to Stansted Express at Liverpool Street
All other Tube lines	🟡 REDUCED SERVICE	Expect delays, crowding, service gaps
Elizabeth Line (Crossrail)	✅ RUNNING NORMALLY	🟢 Best route to Heathrow — direct from Paddington (23 min)
Heathrow Express	✅ RUNNING NORMALLY	🟢 Paddington → Heathrow in 15 min. Runs every 15 min.
Gatwick Express	✅ RUNNING NORMALLY	🟢 Victoria → Gatwick in 30 min — but getting to Victoria harder today
Thameslink (Gatwick)	✅ RUNNING NORMALLY	🟢 St Pancras / London Bridge / Blackfriars → Gatwick — good alternative
Stansted Express	✅ RUNNING but access harder	🟡 Liverpool St is accessible but Circle line is down — use Overground/bus to get there
DLR	✅ RUNNING NORMALLY	🟢 City Airport access unaffected
Overground (all lines)	✅ RUNNING NORMALLY	🟢 Useful for cross-London connections
National Express coaches	✅ RUNNING	🟢 All major airports served — allow extra time for road traffic
Eurostar	✅ NOT AFFECTED	🟢 St Pancras services operating normally

✈️ How to Reach Every London Airport Today — Airport by Airport Guide

🛬 London Heathrow (LHR) — Terminals 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

❌ Piccadilly Line CLOSED from noon

✅ BEST OPTION — Elizabeth line: From Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, Liverpool Street, Stratford. Direct to T2/T3 and T5. Journey: 23 min from Paddington. Runs every 10 min. Will be very busy today — allow extra time.
✅ FAST OPTION — Heathrow Express: Paddington → Heathrow in 15 min. Runs every 15 min. Adults from £25. Book at heathrowexpress.com for best fares.
✅ COACH — National Express: From Victoria Coach Station, Paddington, and other hubs. Slower but cheaper.
🚖 TAXI/UBER: Allow 60–90 min from central London. Road traffic higher than usual on strike days.

⏰ Allow 90 minutes extra travel time to Heathrow today. Aim to be at the Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express platform at least 3–4 hours before your flight.

🛬 London Gatwick (LGW) — North & South Terminals

⚠️ Circle Line to Victoria CLOSED — harder to reach

✅ BEST OPTION — Thameslink: Direct trains from St Pancras, Farringdon, City Thameslink, London Bridge, Blackfriars to Gatwick. Runs every 15 min. Journey ~30 min from London Bridge. Thameslink stations are reachable without the Circle line.
✅ Gatwick Express from Victoria: Runs every 30 min. To reach Victoria today: use bus services or the District/Victoria lines (reduced service). Pre-book at gatwickexpress.com.
✅ Southern Rail: Also runs London Bridge → Gatwick — good alternative to Gatwick Express.
🚖 TAXI/UBER: Allow 60–90 min depending on traffic. More expensive but predictable.

💡 Thameslink from London Bridge is your most reliable route to Gatwick today — it bypasses the Circle line entirely.

🛬 London Stansted (STN)

⚠️ Central Line to Liverpool St CLOSED — allow extra time

✅ Stansted Express from Liverpool Street: Runs every 30 min. Journey 47 min. Liverpool Street IS accessible today — just not via the Central line.
To reach Liverpool Street: Use Elizabeth line from Paddington/central London → Liverpool St directly. Or take Overground. Or National Rail from other city stations.
✅ National Express coach: From Victoria and other hubs — good backup option.

💡 Use the Elizabeth line to Liverpool Street, then walk to Stansted Express. Elizabeth line is not affected by the strike.

🛬 London City Airport (LCY)

✅ DLR Fully Operational — No Strike Impact

✅ DLR from Bank or Shadwell — direct to London City Airport. Completely unaffected by the Tube strike. Journey 22 min from Bank.
DLR will be busier than usual with diverted passengers — allow extra time at stations.

🟢 London City Airport is the easiest airport to reach today. DLR running normally.

🛬 London Luton (LTN)

⚠️ Some disruption reaching St Pancras for Thameslink

✅ Thameslink from St Pancras: Trains to Luton Airport Parkway (then shuttle bus to terminal). Journey ~35 min from St Pancras.
St Pancras is accessible via Elizabeth line (to Farringdon, 5-min walk) or Overground.
✅ National Express & easyBus coaches from central London.

💡 Get to Farringdon on the Elizabeth line, then walk 5 min to St Pancras for Thameslink to Luton.

🛬 London Southend (SEN)

⚠️ Access to Liverpool St & Stratford disrupted

✅ Greater Anglia trains from Liverpool Street or Stratford to Southend. Not affected by the strike directly.
Reaching Liverpool Street: use Elizabeth line. Reaching Stratford: use Elizabeth line or Overground.

💡 Southend is the least-used London airport — if travelling there, use Elizabeth line to Liverpool Street, then Greater Anglia.

⚡ What To Do Right Now — Practical Action Guide

🚨 If Your Flight is This Afternoon or Evening

Leave before noon if possible — morning service is running normally until 11:59am. Don’t wait if you can go earlier.
If you can’t leave before noon: Use Elizabeth line (Heathrow), Thameslink (Gatwick), DLR (City), or Stansted Express (Stansted) — none of these are affected by the strike
Add 60–90 minutes extra to your normal travel time to the airport today
Check TfL Journey Planner: tfl.gov.uk — updates in real time, including which stations are open
Download boarding pass offline before leaving home — in case you need to use data in a signal dead zone
DO NOT rely on Piccadilly line to Heathrow from noon — it will not run

🔵 If You Are Arriving INTO London via Heathrow or Gatwick Today

Arriving at Heathrow: Take Elizabeth line from Terminal 2/3 or Terminal 5 — do NOT go to the Piccadilly line platforms after noon (no service). Elizabeth line runs normally to central London and connects at Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon, and Liverpool Street.
Heathrow Express alternative: Paddington in 15 min — then Tube/bus/taxi from Paddington (Elizabeth line still running from Paddington).
Arriving at Gatwick: Gatwick Express and Thameslink are both running normally — no strike impact on these services.
Allow extra time for onward connections within London — all Tube lines running on reduced service; platforms will be crowded.

Which Lines ARE Running? — Quick Reference

Elizabeth line (Crossrail): Running NORMALLY — no strike impact. Best option for Heathrow today.
DLR: Running NORMALLY — best option for London City Airport today.
London Overground: Running NORMALLY (Lioness, Weaver, Liberty, Mildmay, Suffragette lines). ⚠️ Windrush line — possible disruption from separate signaller action. Check morning of.
National Rail (Heathrow Express, Gatwick Express, Thameslink, Stansted Express, Greater Anglia): Running NORMALLY.
Eurostar: Running NORMALLY — not affected by this dispute.
National Express & coach services: Running — allow extra time for road congestion.
E-bikes (Lime, Forest): Good central London option — proved popular during September strikes.

Piccadilly line: NO SERVICE from noon today — no trains to Heathrow.
Circle line: NO SERVICE from noon — impacts access to Victoria and Liverpool Street.
Metropolitan line (Baker St → Aldgate): NO SERVICE from noon.
Central line (White City → Liverpool St): NO SERVICE from noon.
All other Tube lines: Reduced/disrupted service — some stations closed. Check TfL before travelling.
7 east London bus routes (Friday April 24): Routes 8, 25, 205, 425, N8, N25, N205 on strike tomorrow. Check if your route is affected.

📅 Future Strike Dates — May & June 2026: Plan Your Heathrow Trips Now

This week is not the end. The RMT has confirmed eight more 24-hour strike dates across May and June 2026, impacting the same lines each time: Piccadilly (Heathrow), Circle (Victoria/Gatwick Express), and Central (Stansted Express). The dispute centres on a proposed compressed four-day working week for tube drivers — no deal has yet been reached between the union and London Underground management.

⚠️ What This Means for Summer 2026 Travel to London

If you have a Heathrow flight booked in May or June — check tube.tfl.gov.uk for confirmed strike dates before arranging airport transport
The March strikes were called off at the last minute following negotiations — but further strike dates were added to June as compensation
Always have a backup plan: know the Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express route before your travel date
Travel insurance that covers transport strikes may provide additional protection for UK travellers

🇦🇺🇳🇿 ANZAC Day Crisis — April 25, 2026: Australia & New Zealand’s Biggest Travel Day

Tomorrow, Saturday April 25, is Anzac Day — the 111th anniversary of the Gallipoli landings, and one of the two biggest travel days in the Australian and New Zealand calendar (alongside Christmas). Dawn services begin as early as 4:20am in Sydney, 4:28am in Brisbane, and 5:30am in Melbourne, followed by marches, family gatherings, and return travel throughout the day. For Australian and New Zealand travellers currently in the UK or en route home — or for those flying out of Australian cities tomorrow — this creates a perfect storm of dual-crisis conditions:

🎖️ Anzac Day 2026 — Travel Crisis Factors for AU/NZ Passengers

London Tube strike still partially active: Strike ends 11:59am Friday April 24 — disruption continues through Friday afternoon as services recover. Any AU/NZ passenger connecting through Heathrow for flights home this weekend faces reduced Tube service.
Brisbane Airport Airtrain — FINAL day of 23-day closure: The Airtrain does NOT reopen until Saturday April 26. Anyone flying home to Brisbane for Anzac Day has NO rail link to the airport — road only, with 90–120 minute recommended travel times.
Maximum passenger volume: Anzac Day long weekend generates Australia’s highest domestic flight volumes of the year alongside Christmas and Easter.
Road closures from dawn services: Brisbane CBD road closures from 3:00am for Anzac Square dawn service. Sydney Martin Place closures from dawn. Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance closures.
April 2026 aviation crisis — Day 23+: Over 7,400 cumulative disruptions already this month — the ongoing fuel crisis and aircraft positioning issues persist.

🇦🇺 Anzac Day Fast Facts — April 25, 2026

City	Dawn Service Time	Road Closures From	Airport Warning
Sydney	4:20am (Martin Place Cenotaph)	Dawn (Pitt St closed)	Allow extra time — road diversions near CBD
Brisbane	4:28am (Anzac Square — arrive by 3:30am)	3:00am CBD-wide	🔴 NO Airtrain — road only, allow 90–120 min
Melbourne	5:30am (Shrine of Remembrance)	Dawn — Kings Domain area	Allow extra time south of CBD
Perth	5:45am (Kings Park State War Memorial)	Kings Park road closures — no public parking	Use public transport recommended
Adelaide	6:00am (North Terrace War Memorial)	North Terrace area	Standard precautions
Auckland (NZ)	6:00am (Pukeahu National War Memorial)	Wellington closures from dawn	Standard precautions; Monday April 27 = NZ public holiday (Mondayisation)

Brisbane Airport: Final Day Without the Airtrain

Airtrain remains CLOSED until Saturday April 26 — the 23-day rail shutdown has been the longest closure of Brisbane’s airport rail link in history
On Anzac Day (April 25) = maximum passengers + no rail + city-wide road closures from 3:00am = worst airport access conditions of the entire shutdown
Allow 90–120 minutes to reach Brisbane Airport from inner Brisbane on April 25
Coachtrans and bus services are running — pre-book your seat if possible (last-minute availability may be limited on Anzac Day)
The Airtrain reopens Saturday April 26 — if you can delay your Brisbane travel by one day, your journey will be significantly easier

🇳🇿 New Zealand — Mondayisation: April 27 is the NZ Public Holiday

Because April 25 falls on a Saturday in 2026, New Zealand observes the Anzac Day public holiday on Monday April 27 under Mondayisation rules
This means New Zealanders get a long weekend — but Monday April 27 is the highest travel day for NZ domestic flights, not the Saturday
Air New Zealand domestic routes on April 27 will be under maximum demand pressure — book early and arrive at the airport with extra time
Air NZ has already cut 4% of May flights and 5% of June flights due to the fuel crisis — availability on popular April 27 routes may be limited

⚖️ Your Rights: UK261 — What Heathrow Delays Mean for Your Claim

If a strike-related delay causes you to miss a flight, your rights under UK261 / EU261 are nuanced. Transport strikes are typically classified as “extraordinary circumstances” by airlines and airports — meaning cash compensation for the missed flight is unlikely. However, if your delay exceeds the relevant threshold, you are still fully entitled to care and assistance.

Situation	Your Right	Who Pays
Miss flight due to Tube strike delay	Airline should rebook you on next available service at no cost	Airline — but may dispute “extraordinary circumstances”
Delay over 2 hours (short haul)	Meals & refreshments at airport	Airline — unconditional right
Delay over 3 hours (short haul, airline fault)	Up to £220 cash compensation	Airline — only if airline at fault (not Tube strike)
Overnight delay	Hotel accommodation + airport transfer	Airline — unconditional if delay is overnight
Taxi to airport (Tube strike)	Travel insurance may cover this	Your insurer — check your policy now

🔵 Key Takeaway on UK261 & Tube Strikes

Airlines are NOT liable for cash compensation if you miss a flight because of a tube strike — this is “extraordinary circumstances” outside their control
However, airlines MUST rebook you on the next available flight to your destination at no extra cost
If your new flight departs the next day, the airline must provide hotel and transfers
Travel insurance is your best protection — many policies cover “transport disruption” including strikes for taxi costs and accommodation
Always keep all receipts — taxi fares, meals, hotels — for insurance claims

📌 The Bottom Line

Day 3 of the RMT London Underground strike is active from noon today, Thursday April 23, through 11:59am Friday April 24. The Piccadilly line to Heathrow is closed. The Circle line is closed. If you’re travelling through any London airport this afternoon or evening, your route depends on which airport you’re using: Heathrow passengers use the Elizabeth line or Heathrow Express from Paddington; Gatwick passengers use Thameslink from London Bridge or St Pancras; City Airport passengers use the DLR. Add 60–90 minutes to your normal travel time and leave before noon if you can. For Australian and New Zealand passengers, the situation tomorrow is equally complex: Anzac Day (April 25) is Australia’s second-busiest travel day of the year, Brisbane Airport still has no Airtrain until Saturday, and city-wide road closures for dawn services will congest approaches to airports from 3:00am. If you are flying into or out of Brisbane on April 25 — allow 90–120 minutes to reach the airport and pre-book ground transport tonight. The broader picture: 8 more RMT strike days are confirmed in May and June. The dispute shows no sign of resolution. If you have Heathrow flights this summer, bookmark the Elizabeth line and Heathrow Express as your permanent Plan A — the Piccadilly line can no longer be relied upon as a guaranteed route.

Posted By : Vinay

As a lead contributor for Travel Tourister, Vinay is dedicated to serving our Tier 1 audience (US, UK, Canada, Australia). His mission is to deliver precise, fact-checked news and actionable, data-driven articles that empower readers to make informed decisions, minimize travel risks, and maximize their adventure without compromising safety or budget.

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London Tube Strike Day 3 LIVE — Thursday April 23, 2026: Heathrow Piccadilly Line Shut Again From Noon — Complete Guide to All 6 London Airports — PLUS Anzac Day Australia & NZ Travel Alert & Brisbane Rail Final Day