COMMUTERS face travel chaos for the rest of this week, as the biggest rail strike in three decades begins.

Only a fifth of services across the country are operating with half of train lines closed, with thousands of members of the RMT union at Network Rail and 13 train operators walking out today, Thursday and Saturday.

London Underground workers will also walk out today.

Rail companies have urged passengers to only travel if the journey is absolutely necessary and to expect disruption throughout the rest of the week.

Services across Sussex will start from 7.15am, with last trains ending in the afternoon.

How is my journey affected today?

Gatwick Express

No service will be operating on strike days, with passengers travelling to Gatwick Airport able to use Southern or Thameslink services.

Southeastern

Most stations and routes will be closed on strike days, and a “severely reduced service” will operate elsewhere. No services will operate to or from London Victoria or Charing Cross, with the vast majority of its network in Kent and East Sussex closed, apart from the high-speed route to Ashford International.

Southern

Much of the network will be shut on strike days. Services will run on the Brighton Mainline to London Bridge and London Victoria, with additional trains from Tattenham Corner, Epsom Downs, Sutton and West Croydon via Crystal Palace.

Thameslink

There will be far fewer trains than normal on strike days, with no services running between London St Pancras and London Bridge.

The Argus:

Chief operating officer at Govia Thameslink Railway, which operates Southern, Thameslink and Gatwick Express services, apologised to customers and said: “We’re sorry to say that people should only travel by rail between June 21 and 26 if absolutely necessary due to strike action by RMT members at Network Rail and other train companies.

“Unfortunately, there will be very few train services and some routes will be closed altogether on strike days.

“Strikes are terrible for passengers, especially as the country is starting to recover from the pandemic and return to rail.

“We urge the RMT to work with Network Rail and train operators to find a swift solution.”

Motorists have been warned to expect a surge in traffic as train passengers switch to road transport. The AA predicted the worst affected roads are likely to be main motorway arteries, as well as rural and suburban areas.

Last-minute talks yesterday failed to resolve the dispute over pay, jobs and conditions, with both sides blaming each other for the lack of progress.