Navigating London’s train strikes!

What do you do when there are train strikes and you are stranded in London?
How do you navigate back home in an age of frequent train strikes?

Although central London can be easily accessible from Kingston by train, it becomes a little tricky when trains are on strike! Navigating your way in between London and Kingston can become complicated! Here is a short write up on tips to avoid getting stranded and also some alternative routes!

Check for Industrial Action
Before travelling or making plans, check the national rail website for advance announcements regarding industrial action and train strikes! This may help you better plan your appointments or trips into central London to avoid getting stuck! That said, sometimes there will still be a couple of trains running during the strike days on a limited service! If that happens, do remember to ask when the train services will end, as they usually end earlier than usual! :wink:

Contingency Plan
If you simply have to travel into central London for an appointment or work, I recommend contacting a friend in advance to check if you can stay over for the night! There were a couple of times during my internship where I had to crash with a friend to save me the effort of a long 2h commute back to Kingston by bus! :redface:

Alternative Route
As a last resort, you can always take the bus! Here are some alternative routes that you can consider.

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If you are travelling from London, take a tube to Wimbledon station and catch Bus 57 or 131 from Wimbledon Station (Stop L) to Kingston Station (Stop T). The bus ride between Wimbledon to Kingston is approximately 35 to 45 mins but could be longer due to traffic.

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Alternatively you could take bus 37 from Clapham Junction (Stop M) to Lytton Grove (Stop P) and hop on to bus 85 that will take you to Fairfield Bus Station (Stop D)!

How do you navigate when there is a train strike? Do you know of any other quicker alternative routes? Feel free to share your top tips and strike travel recommendations down in the comments below! I would love to know more! :colondollar: