A five-day strike on the Southern Rail network has started which will see 40% of normal services cancelled for the majority of this week.

Southern and the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers union (RMT) are involved in a dispute over the role of guards. Talks to try to reach an agreement at the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) failed last week, the RMT union said.

The strike will begin on Monday 8 August, with hundreds of trains cancelled across south east England. Here is how to get into London during the walkout:

Which routes are running a limited service?

A limited service will run between 7.30am and 6pm on the following routes:

  • London Bridge - Norwood Junction - East Croydon - Sanderstead - Riddlesdown - Upper Warlingham - Woldingham - Oxted - Hurst Green - Lingfield - Dormans - East Grinstead
  • London Victoria - Clapham Junction - East Croydon - Redhill - Gatwick Airport - Three Bridges
  • Three Bridges - Crawley - Ifield - Littlehaven - Horsham - Christ's Hospital - Billingshurst - Pulborough - Amberley - Arundel - Ford - Barnham - Chichester (note that the last trains from London to Three Bridges connecting with this route will be at approximately 16:30 to some stations)
  • Brighton - Hove - Aldrington - Portslade - Fishersgate - Southwick - Shoreham - Lancing - East Worthing - Worthing - West Worthing - Durrington - Goring - Angmering - Littlehampton - Ford - Barnham - Bognor Regis (note that the last connecting trains from London to Brighton will be at approximately 16.30)
  • Brighton - London Road - Moulsecoomb - Falmer - Lewes - Glynde - Berwick - Polegate - Hampden Park – Eastbourne (note that the last connecting trains from London to Brighton will be at approximately 16.30)

Will there be a replacement bus service?

There will be a replacement bus service calling at Lewes, Southease, Newhaven Town, Newhaven Harbour, Bishopstone and Seaford.

Will taxis be paid for by Southern?

No, Southern has said there are not enough buses or taxis available to provide a service across the entire route.

Will I be able to use my ticket on other train operators' services, the tube or London buses?

Thameslink, Southern and Gatwick Express will accept each other's tickets on the strike days.

Tickets that are normally valid on other routes - such as Oyster on the Tube - will be valid as usual.

The following operators will accept tickets:

  • Brighton & Hove Buses
  • - Between central Brighton, Moulscomb, Falmer & Lewes on routes 28 & 29
  • - Between central Brighton, Moulscomb & Falmer on routes 25 & 25X
  • - Between central Brighton & Eastbourne on routes 12, 12A & 12X
  • - Between central Brighton, Newhaven & Seaford on routes 12, 12A & 12X
  • - Between central Brighton, Hove & Shoreham on route 2
  • - Between Brighton Station, Hove & Portslade Station on route 6
  • - Between Brighton Station & Hove Station on route 7
  • - Between central Brighton, Hove & Portslade on routes 1 & 49
  • - Between central Brighton, Hove, Portslade Station & Southwick Station on route 46
  • - Between Uckfield, Crowborough, Eridge & Tunbridge Wells on route 29.
  • - Great Western Railway
  • - Redhill and Reigate
  • - Portsmouth Harbour and Southampton Central
  • London Buses
  • - Between Tulse Hill and West Norwood on routes 2, 432, 468, 68, and 196
  • - Between Crystal Palace and Beckenham Junction on route 358
  • - Between Peckham Rye and Herne Hill via North Dulwich on route 37
  • - Between Queens Road Peckham and New Cross Gate on routes 171, 177, 436 and 136
  • London Midland
  • Tickets routed Kensington Olympia or Southern Only between:
  • - London Euston and Milton Keynes Central
  • London Overground
  • Tickets between:
  • - West Croydon / Crystal Palace and New Cross Gate / Canada Water
  • - London Euston and Watford Junction
  • - Peckham Rye and Canada Water
  • - Clapham Junction and Watford Junction via Willesden Junction
  • London Underground
  • - Southern tickets can be used on London Underground services for any reasonable journey for transfer between London Bridge, Blackfriars, Victoria, Euston, Canada Water, Balham.
  • - Passengers arriving at Waterloo who need Victoria will need to travel via Clapham Junction.
  • Metrobus
  • - Between Brighton, Burgess Hill, Haywards Heath, Crawley and Three Bridges on routes 270, 271, 272 & 273
  • - Between Lingfield Station, Dormans & East Grinstead on route 281 (not evenings)
  • - Between East Grinstead, Three Bridges & Crawley on routes 281, 291 & 400
  • - Between Crawley Station, Faygate & Horsham Station on route 23 (not evenings)
  • - Between Gatwick, Ifield Station, Faygate, Littlehaven Station & Horsham Station on route 200 (not evenings)
  • - Between Horsham town centre, Warnham village, Holmwood Station & Dorking Station on route 93
  • - Between Redhill & Reigate on routes 420, 430, 435 & 460.
  • - Between Redhill, Earlswood, Salfords, Horley, Gatwick, Crawley and Three Bridges on routes 100, 400 & 460
  • - Between Horley, Gatwick & Three Bridges on route 20
  • - Between Gatwick & Crawley on route 10
  • - Between Three Bridges, Crawley on routes 4, 5, 84, 100, 281, 291 & 400
  • - Between Redhill, Nutfield, Godstone on route 400 between Redhill Station, Nutfield (A25) & Godstone village (not evenings).
  • - Between Edenbridge, Penshurst Station & Tunbridge Wells Station on routes 231 & 233 (not evenings).
  • South West Trains
  • Tickets routed 'Southern only' can be used between:
  • - Portsmouth Harbour / Havant and Southampton Central
  • - Dorking and London via Wimbledon
  • Southeastern (Southern tickets will NOT be accepted on High Speed services)
  • - Hastings and London via Tonbridge
  • - Ashford International and London
  • - Birkbeck to London Terminals Season tickets will be accepted on Southeastern trains to/from Elmers End.
  • Thameslink
  • - Southern tickets can be used on Thameslink services. Customers with tickets for Milton Keynes route services can also use these on the Bedford route for equivalent journeys.
  • Tramlink
  • The acceptance of rail tickets across the whole Tramlink network