Rail strikes to cause train disruption in Newport & Cardiff

Only 11 per cent of normal services will run and there will be no trains in many areas, the agency added.

The disruption will be worse than this year's previous rail strikes as it is the first time members of three major trade unions have walked out on the same day.

Passengers are advised to check National Rail Enquiries or their train operator's website for updates.

When and why are the strikes taking place?

Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers' Union (RMT) will take the first of two 24-hour strikes on Saturday, October 1.

Union members at Network Rail and 15 train operators will be taking part in the strikes, which the RMT has said are being held over pay and working conditions.

“Transport workers are joining a wave of strike action on October 1, sending a clear message to the government and employers that working people will not accept continued attacks on pay and working conditions at a time when big business profits are at an all-time high," said Mick Lynch, RMT general secretary.

Mick Lynch, general secretary of the RMT Union. Picture: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire (Image: PA Wire)

UK Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng, meanwhile, has said it is “unacceptable” that strike action is causing so much disruption.

RMT members will be joined on strike by those of the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) and train drivers' union ASLEF (the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen).

ASLEF will also strike on Wednesday, October 5 for members working at 11 rail companies.

The RMT plans to hold a second 24-hour strike on Saturday, October 8.

Which services will be running on October 1?

While Wales' main train operator, Transport for Wales (TfW), is not involved in any of this industrial action, services here will still be affected because Network Rail manages most of the rail infrastructure.

The only trains running in Wales on October 1 will be on the Core Valley Lines and a shuttle service between Cardiff and Newport, all operating hourly in each direction between 7.30am and 6.30pm.

Newport Railway Station. Picture: Transport for Wales (Image: Transport for Wales)

No other TfW services across Wales and the Borders network will be able to operate.

Other firms which serve South East Wales, such as Great Western Railway and CrossCountry, will not be running services on those days.

No trains will run before 7am on Sunday, October 2, with TfW warning trains are "likely to be much busier than usual".

What if I have already booked a ticket?

Passengers with a ticket for Saturday whose journey is cancelled or rescheduled are entitled to a refund.

Alternatively, they can travel on another day up to and including Tuesday October 4.

Season ticket holders are entitled to compensation through the delay repay scheme.

Additional reporting by PA Media.