To be a bit nervous about trip to London on Sunday?

[Trainwoes]

Thinking of cancelling an organised trip into London with ds on Sunday due to disruption due to strikes.

Full disclosure, I'm a bit traumatised from commuting into London for years and getting stuck at the train station for bloody hours. Ds is only 4 and I don't especially want any massive delays in our journey.

Or will it all be back to normal by Sunday?

It won’t be entirely back to normal, but you need to plan ahead and have a back-up plan.

Yes, thanks. Do you mean am alternative way home? It's too far for Uber and no buses... plus we'll be with a load of other small children.

I know the organiser and I'm going to ask her if she has a back up plan I think, as I don't think it'll be back to normal either. Some kids coming without parents too! Could be a total nightmare

Can you check the trains first thing- if trains already being delayed etc then dont go

I can't really cancel last minute no

Can I ask please if you drive? And which bit of London you’re heading to?

I drove into South Kensington on Sunday, from where I live it was the normal hour’s drive and managed to park on street for free.

Ignore the above if not relevant !

If it were just adults, I would go but I would definitely cancel if I were taking young children.

We're going to the middle of London to do all the tourist sights! I could drive but would be abandoning the group somewhat. But maybe an option, thanks

Bump for evening Mumsnetters 😃

Another seasoned commuter

I would cancel.

I'm going to London for a gig and am staying over Saturday night just so I don't have to battle the trains late night while the strike is on. I'm okay about travelling back on the Sunday though, mostly because it should be better then but also because it's during the day rather than 11pm (ish). What time are you planning on travelling?

Travelling early morning and then back in the afternoon. Aiming to be home (an hour on the train) for 6ish

@EmmaH2022 my brother in arms 😄. At least it won't be freezing...might be hot though 😫

It's west end live this weekend too which will make the area around Trafalgar Sq especially busy

Depends where you live. I was on a train today and the staff were talking about the strikes and some of the routes have no trains running from the end of today until next Monday. So Sunday won't be back to normal.

If it involves transpennine at all don't even risk it. They have been cancelling trains all over the place due to lack of drivers.

Whereabouts are you coming in from? Or what lines are you getting?

We’ve been told to plan for severe disruption and overcrowding until Monday. The issue is that where night staff prep all the trains and get them ready for service, there will be no one doing that until the morning shift come on.

I’d consider rearranging or driving if I was travelling with a 4 yo.

If it's early in the morning, the Night Tube strikes might affect you as that will reach into the early hours. That's Friday and Saturday but could easily stretch into Sunday.

stay safe, comrade! Don't go into the trenches unless you have to!

My friends were coming down from Birmingham by train for a long-planned weekend, with us meeting on the Sunday. We went through all the options including them driving down and in the end concluded that the uncertainty and anxiety wasn’t worth it so have re-scheduled

Unless there is something you plan to see that you could not see a week later, suggest you cancel. Likely normalish service but very busy.

I'm leaning towards not going, but ds is really excited and my friend who is organising it isn't planning to cancel ATM, so everyone else may still go!

My battle scars run deep comrade @EmmaH2022 😫. Don't want to go back to that dark time again, unnecessarily 😢😄

Oh sorry and it would be Great Western on the Reading / Waterloo line.

Seasoned Londoner here I would definitely cancel. Trains and tube won't be back to normal until Monday at the earliest.