Thanks for joining our live coverage of today's rail strikes. We're closing our coverage now, but here's a recap of the main developments:
Passengers across England, Scotland and Wales have had their travel plans disrupted by the train strike action
Strikes are also planned for Thursday and Saturday
Disruption stemming from today's industrial action will continue until late morning tomorrow because of a lack of overnight staff
Downing Street says Boris Johnson believes pay rises in line with inflation are "not feasible across the board" now
The RMT and rail bosses plan to hold fresh talks on Wednesday
Today's updates have been written by Alex Kleiderman, Marita Moloney, Thomas Mackintosh, Lauren Hirst, Catherine Evans, Andrew Humphrey, Craig Hutchison, Aoife Walsh, Sam Hancock and Jennifer McKiernan. The editors were Rob Corp, Nathan Williams, Marie Jackson and James Clarke.
We'll be back with coverage of Thursday's strikes - pending the outcome of tomorrow's talks, perhaps...
Rail strike made commuting a dream - passenger
The rail strike hasn't been all doom and gloom for commuters.
That's according to Daniel Schofield, who sent us a picture from Fenchurch Street station in London while waiting for the last train home.
"Commuting has been a dream
today with the empty trains," he says.
BBCCopyright: BBC
'I'm with them' - The affected workers in support of strikes
We’ve heard lots of stories today about people whose plans have been in disarray, but what about those who support the workers striking?
Michelle Smit, from Selby, North Yorkshire, told us earlier she was struggling to get to work in Leeds city centre.
However, she said that despite her difficult commute, she had some sympathy with the workers on the picket line. "Sometimes we've got to do what we've got to do."
BBCCopyright: BBC
Michelle Smit says she'll probably end up getting a taxiImage caption: Michelle Smit says she'll probably end up getting a taxi
Electrical engineer Harry Charles, from Lewisham, south-east London, said similar. Despite his normal 10-minute journey to work by train to London Bridge taking 90 minutes, Harry said he supported the action.
"I am with the employees who are striking because their money is not going up and the cost of everything is rising," he told the PA news agency. "The strike has caused a lot of hassle for people but everyone wants be able to eat."
In Manchester, Amber Zito, a canine hydrotherapist from Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, suggested blame for the strike shouldn't be put on workers.
"I blame the government for the strike. I don't blame the people who work for train companies at all," she said while stuck at Manchester Piccadilly station. "They are only trying to do what everyone wants for their job."
ReutersCopyright: Reuters
Commuters were seen running through stations today to catch the limited trains availableImage caption: Commuters were seen running through stations today to catch the limited trains available
Others were less sympathetic. Hospital food supply worker Marie, from Chingford, Essex, told the PA news agency she was forced to walk for 40 minutes from Liverpool Street to Waterloo this morning.
"There are loads of people who have worked right through the pandemic, myself included," she said. "We can't go on strike just at the drop of a hat, so I don't have any sympathy."
Britons appeared divided over the strikes, with 37% in favour compared with 45% against, according to a snap YouGov survey. A separate poll of more than 2,300 people, by Savanta ComRes, suggested 58% thought the action was justified.
The government maintains the issue must be resolved by the private train operators and the unions.
In pictures: Commuters scramble to catch last train home
Here is a selection of images from London stations on Tuesday evening, as services operate at a reduced capacity.
ReutersCopyright: Reuters
A passenger runs to catch a train at Waterloo station before train service ends early.Image caption: A passenger runs to catch a train at Waterloo station before train service ends early.
PA MediaCopyright: PA Media
A person at an almost deserted Euston station in London this evening.Image caption: A person at an almost deserted Euston station in London this evening.
ReutersCopyright: Reuters
Commuters rush to jump on a train at Waterloo station.Image caption: Commuters rush to jump on a train at Waterloo station.
PA MediaCopyright: PA Media
Passengers rushing through Clapham Junction station during rush hour on Tuesday evening.Image caption: Passengers rushing through Clapham Junction station during rush hour on Tuesday evening.
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
The entrance to Westminster Tube station is closed to commuters.Image caption: The entrance to Westminster Tube station is closed to commuters.
Travel diaries: From Manchester to Durham
Paloma is disabled and trying to get home
Andre Rhoden-Paul
BBC News
Paloma MaliaCopyright: Paloma Malia
The strikes are forcing many passengers to either risk the railways or find an alternative route.
Paloma Malia, from Durham, is wondering how easily she'll get back home from Manchester Airport this week.
The retired mental health nurse, who is currently on a solo trip to Greece, has had her train home on Thursday cancelled.
The 50-year-old, who has scoliosis, says she has since booked another train on the same day, but has been told she'll probably not be able to have wheelchair assistance at the train station because of staffing shortages.
Also, there may not be anyone to help Paloma, who is unsteady on her feet, on to the train.
"It's going to be very hard, but I'm hoping that I can ask some kind people to help me," she says.
Despite the impact on her travels, Paloma supports rail workers taking industrial action.
"The government haven't come to the table. I'm not going to blame the workers for striking," she says.
A quiet but challenging day across the south of England
BBCCopyright: BBC
The vast majority of train services across the south of England have been cancelled today and usually busy train stations have been deserted.
Bournemouth will not see another South Western Railway service until Sunday - in fact, the only services the train operator will provide will be from Southampton to London.
Portsmouth, Poole and Weymouth will also have none at all.
People who did need to use the railways to travel say the few trains that did run were "far quieter than usual" and their journeys were "challenging".
There are normally 35 trains departing from 06:00 BST that can get you from Reading to Paddington by 09:00 BST - today there were just four.
And later in the day trains that were able to run on that line were disrupted and delayed when a person was struck by a train near Slough.
'Everything's been booked for months'
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Alice (l) is hoping her hen do in Manchester organised by Bethan (r) will go ahead this weekendImage caption: Alice (l) is hoping her hen do in Manchester organised by Bethan (r) will go ahead this weekend
The rail strike is complicating hen
do plans that Bethan Lewis from Dinas Powys in the Vale of Glamorgan has worked on
for months. She is organising a hen do for 11 to Manchester this weekend and
says the gathering is now up in the air.
“We're now asking people to find more money to potentially drive
up now… as well as parking in the city centre which isn't ideal,” she says.
Bride-to-be Alice Lally says she's been looking forward to the
weekend as it will be the first time she has gone away since her baby was born in October.
"I'm trying not to think about the worst, but it definitely makes
things a little bit more stressful. I think getting back will be hard
too."
'I support the workers - they don't want to strike but have no option'
Ricky OatesCopyright: Ricky Oates
Ricky
Oates has joined RMT workers on picket lines at two stations today, in support of the striking rail workers.
“I’m registered as a disabled person," he tells the BBC.
“I attended both rail picket lines in Bedford and
Milton Keynes this morning to show my support.
"They worked all through Covid and kept the country
running. And didn’t really get thanks for it. They’re just asking for decent pay.
“It just makes me really upset that the government
has allowed this strike to take place when they could have averted this strike
on day one.
“Some of the workers cried today, when I said I
had friends who had missed hospital appointments.
“They said they really don’t want to strike but
have got no other option. To me, that really brought home the human side of it."
Some disruption tomorrow but less than today - Network Rail boss
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
After a day of cancellations, Network Rail's chief executive Andrew Haines has warned anyone travelling tomorrow to be mindful of a slow start to the day.
He tells the BBC:
Quote Message: Tomorrow morning is going to be very heavily affected because the first trains in the morning will not be able to start up because people who'd normally be working the night shift won't be signing on for duty.
Tomorrow morning is going to be very heavily affected because the first trains in the morning will not be able to start up because people who'd normally be working the night shift won't be signing on for duty.
It's not all bad, though. Haines says by late morning, "we'll be running a full service" and it's expected that will continue throughout the day.
"So, again, disruption but far less disruption than today," he adds.
Could it still be magic for Julia?
BBCCopyright: BBC
Julia McCart from Glengormley,
Belfast, is travelling around the country following Barry Manilow on tour as
part of her 80th birthday celebrations.
After seeing the singer perform
in Cardiff on Monday, she was due to travel to Newcastle on Tuesday where she
was set to meet him.
The Barry Manilow fan then
planned to travel to a concert in Glasgow on Thursday and go back home to Belfast
on Friday.
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
"It has caused quite a bit of hassle," she says, especially as her flight from Belfast to Bristol was cancelled too, but it was nonetheless worth it."
The American crooner's hits include Could it be Magic, Mandy and Copacabana.
"To me and maybe to all of us fans, he's a great artist, a great showman and musician," Julia says.
For now, regular commuters may choose to work from home.
That may blunt the impact of this strike.
But it worries rail bosses, who desperately want to see passenger
numbers return to where they were before the pandemic - from the 70% level we see right now.
Rail strikes are
like trains. Wait long enough,
and three come along at the same time.
ScotRail services
are already hit hard by industrial action from train drivers.
They're set to vote
on a pay deal worth more than 5% in the coming weeks.
Thousands of
Scotrail workers are also being offered a similar deal.
If these are any
sort of benchmark, signallers will hold out for a more generous deal than the 3%
they're being offered by Network Rail.
If that happens, it
could be a long, frustrating year on Scotland's railways.
And much now
depends on Network Rail's owner, the UK government, which sets the limits for
any pay deal.
York's tourist exodus
Danny Savage
North of England correspondent
BBCCopyright: BBC
One York tea shop said they'd normally expect to be full, but had very few customersImage caption: One York tea shop said they'd normally expect to be full, but had very few customers
On a summer's day, people would normally be pouring out of York station into the city. It’s arguably the most popular way for visitors to arrive.
By lunchtime you could tell the difference. Outside tables which would usually be taken at pubs were empty and staff were commenting there was little tourism trade.
Outside the railway station, foreign visitors were queueing for the National Express coach to Leeds or London. They were cutting short their stays by 24 hours to make sure they could get to their flights from Manchester or Heathrow. That meant they weren’t spending money in York.
York Dungeon was having a bit of a nightmare - rejigging the rota so staff local to the area could work the strike days and those who travel by train cover the days in between.
This city can probably cope with a weekday outside of the school holidays like this - but Saturday’s planned strike will hit York hard.
Reduced services at closest station to Glastonbury
BBCCopyright: BBC
Glastonbury Festival ticket-holders started arriving at Castle Cary Station todayImage caption: Glastonbury Festival ticket-holders started arriving at Castle Cary Station today
Castle Cary station in Somerset has been busier than many others, serving passengers travelling to the Glastonbury Festival.
While more than half of the regular trains to Glastonbury have been cancelled due to the strike action, many services are specially-run trains to take ticket holders to the festival.
Another music fan, Phil Rice, 49, has been trying to travel home from Liverpool to Chippenham in Wiltshire after attending an Eagles concert at Anfield stadium last night.
"I think I will have to get a train to Stafford, then on to Reading and then from Reading to Chippenham," he says.
"When I booked the tickets last week the staff at my local station said they had no concrete evidence the strike would go ahead."
The last time train services (almost) came to a stop...
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As train services come to a halt across the UK, rail workers and customers are reminded of the last time journeys dipped significantly - the coronavirus pandemic.
The graphic shows how national lockdowns, and the near abandonment of public transport at the time, left train passenger numbers at their lowest in many years.
Back in April 2020, a month after the government announced the UK's first Covid lockdown, rail journeys in Britain were reported to be at about 5% of normal levels.
Cornish station 'like tumbleweed' as trains stop running
BBCCopyright: BBC
Deserted St Austell railway station on the first of three days of strikesImage caption: Deserted St Austell railway station on the first of three days of strikes
Passengers in the South West
have been heavily impacted by the rail strike, with
no services in Cornwall and a threadbare service in Devon.
James Davis, from Great Western
Railway (GWR), says there will be "no
trains west of Plymouth on strike days" and "on non-strike days
significantly reduced services where we are able to operate".
He says: "In Devon and
Cornwall we are more reliant on Network Rail signallers to be able to move
trains, which is why Devon and Cornwall are more adversely affected than other
parts of our network."
Tamsin Melville, BBC Radio Cornwall politics reporter, says St Austell railway station in
Cornwall, pictured, was "like tumbleweed".
"I'm on the platform which
is completely deserted," she says.
One would-be passenger, Andrew,
turned up to the station expecting trains.
"I thought the strike was
all in London," he says.
"I was going to Penzance to
paint somebody's house and now it looks like I won't be going all week."
But he says he
supports the strike.
The Sidmouth Literary Festival in Devon, which was due to start tomorrow, has been rescheduled because of the strikes.
Navigating London on a day of Tube and national rail strikes
Jennifer McKiernan
BBC London
Passengers say it's been "like lockdown again" as Tube and rail services are left empty because of today's strikes.
Many have switched to cycling but one woman says she was almost knocked off her bike multiple times due to the heavy traffic on the roads.
Others walked miles to get to where they needed to be.
Video content
Video caption: Navigating London on a day of London Underground and national rail strikesNavigating London on a day of London Underground and national rail strikes
Swinney accuses UK government of 'dereliction of duty'
A meeting of
the Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGoRR) has been told of the impact
of the UK-wide rail strikes on Scotland.
Deputy First
Minister John Swinney was joined by Transport Secretary
Michael Matheson and transport minister Jenny Gilruth to hear the latest.
Gilruth has already written to the UK government calling for a swift
resolution to the dispute.
The SGoRR has been
up and running since this morning and will operate until Sunday
evening to monitor the impact and co-ordinate ministers' response.
PA MediaCopyright: PA Media
Deputy First Minister John Swinney is confident that the mitigations that can be taken are being taken in Scotland.Image caption: Deputy First Minister John Swinney is confident that the mitigations that can be taken are being taken in Scotland.
The meeting heard about extra preparedness around major events including the Royal Highland Show, freight mitigation plans from major retailers to keep supermarkets stocked and wider resilience plans.
Speaking after chairing the meeting, Mr Swinney said the lack of action from the UK government was a "dereliction of duty" and accused it of deliberately inflaming the situation, causing misery for the travelling public.
Student's family spend £500 on hotel so she can sit exams
BBCCopyright: BBC
Seryn's family has forked out £500 in hotel bills so she can sit her A-levelsImage caption: Seryn's family has forked out £500 in hotel bills so she can sit her A-levels
Eighteen-year-old Seryn, from Tonbridge, usually gets the train into London to go to school.
This week her family have had to pay £500 in hotel bills so she can stay in the capital and sit her A-levels.
"If I went to a friend's house that would be the only other option and I didn't want to do that because me and my parents decided that I wouldn't be able to have a good night's sleep before my exam," say Seryn.
Tourists aren't immune from the travel woes either. Skot Barnett and his fiancé Andy Jalfon from New Zealand are visiting family in East Grinstead.
"We were just going to use public transport for everything this week, and now it's a massive challenge," says Skot.
"We're here for another week and have events planned today in the West End and we are trying to see other family."
BBCCopyright: BBC
Skot Barnett and his fiancé Andy Jalfon, from New Zealand, are visiting familyImage caption: Skot Barnett and his fiancé Andy Jalfon, from New Zealand, are visiting family
What train services will run tomorrow?
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
Rail services will continue to be disrupted on Wednesday, even though it's not one of the three planned strike days.
There will be reduced train services on many lines tomorrow due to the knock-on effects of today's strike, while the London Underground should return to normal by mid-morning.
Here's what you need to know before planning your journey:
How many trains will run tomorrow?
Only around 60% of the 20,000 normal weekday services will be able to operate.
Why are timetables not returning to normal if there's no strike planned?
Walkouts by signallers and control room staff who would usually work overnight from Tuesday night into Wednesday morning mean trains will leave depots later than normal, delaying the start of services.
What time do trains normally leave depots?
Between around 03:00 BST and 04:00 BST.
What time do passenger services usually begin?
Between around 05:00 BST and 06:00 BST.
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
How will that change tomorrow?
Trains can only be taken out of depots when signallers on daytime shifts start work at around 06:00 BST to 6:30 BST and no passenger services will run before 06:30 BST.
How long will the start of services be delayed?
It is expected to take up to four hours in some locations.
How quickly will services gather pace?
In London, services will increase quickly as trains do not have to travel long distances from depots to stations but it will take several hours in remote locations.
Will services eventually return to normal tomorrow?
Network Rail said that "even during the day the service will stay thinner" than usual.
What about Thursday?
It will be a similar picture to today. Around 20% of services will run and just half of lines will be open, only between 07:30 BST and 18:30 BST.
Is there any chance strikes planned for Thursday and Saturday will be called off?
No negotiations are taking place so passengers are being urged to check with train operators for updates to services.
Shaggy gig goes ahead in west London despite strikes
Alice Hopkins
Reporting from Shepherd's Bush, west London
BBCCopyright: BBC
Jamaican artist Shaggy is due to be performing in west London later tonight despite the Tube and rail strikes.
The 02 Shepherd's Bush Empire theatre is served by the Central line, Hammersmith & City and Circle lines which are all disrupted.
So, I decided to take a bus from central London to see how long it would take to get to the venue.
My journey from Regent Street to Shepherd's Bush took longer than normal - the biggest wait was for the bus to arrive.
BBCCopyright: BBC
It was a fairly slow crawl out of central London - then near Notting Hill and Lancaster Gate was quite normal, constantly moving and not in gridlock traffic.
Staff don't expect people to queue for Shaggy but it is still going ahead as planned they don't intend to cancel it because of the strikes.
The advice from 02 Shepherd's Bush Empire theatre staff is for any Shaggy fans planning on attending the concert to check their journeys before they travel.
Live Reporting
Edited by James Clarke
All times stated are UK
Get involved
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images -
Passengers across England, Scotland and Wales have had their travel plans disrupted by the train strike action
-
Strikes are also planned for Thursday and Saturday
-
Disruption stemming from today's industrial action will continue until late morning tomorrow because of a lack of overnight staff
- Downing Street says Boris Johnson believes pay rises in line with inflation are "not feasible across the board" now
-
The RMT and rail bosses plan to hold fresh talks on Wednesday
BBCCopyright: BBC 
BBCCopyright: BBC Michelle Smit says she'll probably end up getting a taxiImage caption: Michelle Smit says she'll probably end up getting a taxi 
ReutersCopyright: Reuters Commuters were seen running through stations today to catch the limited trains availableImage caption: Commuters were seen running through stations today to catch the limited trains available 
ReutersCopyright: Reuters A passenger runs to catch a train at Waterloo station before train service ends early.Image caption: A passenger runs to catch a train at Waterloo station before train service ends early. 
PA MediaCopyright: PA Media A person at an almost deserted Euston station in London this evening.Image caption: A person at an almost deserted Euston station in London this evening. 
ReutersCopyright: Reuters Commuters rush to jump on a train at Waterloo station.Image caption: Commuters rush to jump on a train at Waterloo station. 
PA MediaCopyright: PA Media Passengers rushing through Clapham Junction station during rush hour on Tuesday evening.Image caption: Passengers rushing through Clapham Junction station during rush hour on Tuesday evening. 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images The entrance to Westminster Tube station is closed to commuters.Image caption: The entrance to Westminster Tube station is closed to commuters. 
Paloma MaliaCopyright: Paloma Malia 
BBCCopyright: BBC 
.Copyright: . Alice (l) is hoping her hen do in Manchester organised by Bethan (r) will go ahead this weekendImage caption: Alice (l) is hoping her hen do in Manchester organised by Bethan (r) will go ahead this weekend 
Ricky OatesCopyright: Ricky Oates 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images 
BBCCopyright: BBC 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images Analysis
BBCCopyright: BBC One York tea shop said they'd normally expect to be full, but had very few customersImage caption: One York tea shop said they'd normally expect to be full, but had very few customers 
BBCCopyright: BBC Glastonbury Festival ticket-holders started arriving at Castle Cary Station todayImage caption: Glastonbury Festival ticket-holders started arriving at Castle Cary Station today 
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BBCCopyright: BBC Deserted St Austell railway station on the first of three days of strikesImage caption: Deserted St Austell railway station on the first of three days of strikes 
Video caption: Navigating London on a day of London Underground and national rail strikesNavigating London on a day of London Underground and national rail strikes 
PA MediaCopyright: PA Media Deputy First Minister John Swinney is confident that the mitigations that can be taken are being taken in Scotland.Image caption: Deputy First Minister John Swinney is confident that the mitigations that can be taken are being taken in Scotland. 
BBCCopyright: BBC Seryn's family has forked out £500 in hotel bills so she can sit her A-levelsImage caption: Seryn's family has forked out £500 in hotel bills so she can sit her A-levels 
BBCCopyright: BBC Skot Barnett and his fiancé Andy Jalfon, from New Zealand, are visiting familyImage caption: Skot Barnett and his fiancé Andy Jalfon, from New Zealand, are visiting family 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images 
BBCCopyright: BBC 
BBCCopyright: BBC
Latest PostWhat's been happening today?
Thanks for joining our live coverage of today's rail strikes. We're closing our coverage now, but here's a recap of the main developments:
Today's updates have been written by Alex Kleiderman, Marita Moloney, Thomas Mackintosh, Lauren Hirst, Catherine Evans, Andrew Humphrey, Craig Hutchison, Aoife Walsh, Sam Hancock and Jennifer McKiernan. The editors were Rob Corp, Nathan Williams, Marie Jackson and James Clarke.
We'll be back with coverage of Thursday's strikes - pending the outcome of tomorrow's talks, perhaps...
Rail strike made commuting a dream - passenger
The rail strike hasn't been all doom and gloom for commuters.
That's according to Daniel Schofield, who sent us a picture from Fenchurch Street station in London while waiting for the last train home.
"Commuting has been a dream today with the empty trains," he says.
'I'm with them' - The affected workers in support of strikes
We’ve heard lots of stories today about people whose plans have been in disarray, but what about those who support the workers striking?
Michelle Smit, from Selby, North Yorkshire, told us earlier she was struggling to get to work in Leeds city centre.
However, she said that despite her difficult commute, she had some sympathy with the workers on the picket line. "Sometimes we've got to do what we've got to do."
Electrical engineer Harry Charles, from Lewisham, south-east London, said similar. Despite his normal 10-minute journey to work by train to London Bridge taking 90 minutes, Harry said he supported the action.
"I am with the employees who are striking because their money is not going up and the cost of everything is rising," he told the PA news agency. "The strike has caused a lot of hassle for people but everyone wants be able to eat."
In Manchester, Amber Zito, a canine hydrotherapist from Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, suggested blame for the strike shouldn't be put on workers.
"I blame the government for the strike. I don't blame the people who work for train companies at all," she said while stuck at Manchester Piccadilly station. "They are only trying to do what everyone wants for their job."
Others were less sympathetic. Hospital food supply worker Marie, from Chingford, Essex, told the PA news agency she was forced to walk for 40 minutes from Liverpool Street to Waterloo this morning.
"There are loads of people who have worked right through the pandemic, myself included," she said. "We can't go on strike just at the drop of a hat, so I don't have any sympathy."
Britons appeared divided over the strikes, with 37% in favour compared with 45% against, according to a snap YouGov survey. A separate poll of more than 2,300 people, by Savanta ComRes, suggested 58% thought the action was justified.
The government maintains the issue must be resolved by the private train operators and the unions.
In pictures: Commuters scramble to catch last train home
Here is a selection of images from London stations on Tuesday evening, as services operate at a reduced capacity.
Travel diaries: From Manchester to Durham
Paloma is disabled and trying to get home
Andre Rhoden-Paul
BBC News
The strikes are forcing many passengers to either risk the railways or find an alternative route.
Paloma Malia, from Durham, is wondering how easily she'll get back home from Manchester Airport this week.
The retired mental health nurse, who is currently on a solo trip to Greece, has had her train home on Thursday cancelled.
The 50-year-old, who has scoliosis, says she has since booked another train on the same day, but has been told she'll probably not be able to have wheelchair assistance at the train station because of staffing shortages.
Also, there may not be anyone to help Paloma, who is unsteady on her feet, on to the train.
"It's going to be very hard, but I'm hoping that I can ask some kind people to help me," she says.
Despite the impact on her travels, Paloma supports rail workers taking industrial action.
"The government haven't come to the table. I'm not going to blame the workers for striking," she says.
A quiet but challenging day across the south of England
The vast majority of train services across the south of England have been cancelled today and usually busy train stations have been deserted.
Bournemouth will not see another South Western Railway service until Sunday - in fact, the only services the train operator will provide will be from Southampton to London.
Portsmouth, Poole and Weymouth will also have none at all.
People who did need to use the railways to travel say the few trains that did run were "far quieter than usual" and their journeys were "challenging".
There are normally 35 trains departing from 06:00 BST that can get you from Reading to Paddington by 09:00 BST - today there were just four.
And later in the day trains that were able to run on that line were disrupted and delayed when a person was struck by a train near Slough.
'Everything's been booked for months'
The rail strike is complicating hen do plans that Bethan Lewis from Dinas Powys in the Vale of Glamorgan has worked on for months. She is organising a hen do for 11 to Manchester this weekend and says the gathering is now up in the air.
“We're now asking people to find more money to potentially drive up now… as well as parking in the city centre which isn't ideal,” she says.
Bride-to-be Alice Lally says she's been looking forward to the weekend as it will be the first time she has gone away since her baby was born in October.
"I'm trying not to think about the worst, but it definitely makes things a little bit more stressful. I think getting back will be hard too."
'I support the workers - they don't want to strike but have no option'
Ricky Oates has joined RMT workers on picket lines at two stations today, in support of the striking rail workers.
“I’m registered as a disabled person," he tells the BBC.
“I attended both rail picket lines in Bedford and Milton Keynes this morning to show my support.
"They worked all through Covid and kept the country running. And didn’t really get thanks for it. They’re just asking for decent pay.
“It just makes me really upset that the government has allowed this strike to take place when they could have averted this strike on day one.
“Some of the workers cried today, when I said I had friends who had missed hospital appointments.
“They said they really don’t want to strike but have got no other option. To me, that really brought home the human side of it."
Some disruption tomorrow but less than today - Network Rail boss
After a day of cancellations, Network Rail's chief executive Andrew Haines has warned anyone travelling tomorrow to be mindful of a slow start to the day.
He tells the BBC:
It's not all bad, though. Haines says by late morning, "we'll be running a full service" and it's expected that will continue throughout the day.
"So, again, disruption but far less disruption than today," he adds.
Could it still be magic for Julia?
Julia McCart from Glengormley, Belfast, is travelling around the country following Barry Manilow on tour as part of her 80th birthday celebrations.
After seeing the singer perform in Cardiff on Monday, she was due to travel to Newcastle on Tuesday where she was set to meet him.
The Barry Manilow fan then planned to travel to a concert in Glasgow on Thursday and go back home to Belfast on Friday.
"It has caused quite a bit of hassle," she says, especially as her flight from Belfast to Bristol was cancelled too, but it was nonetheless worth it."
The American crooner's hits include Could it be Magic, Mandy and Copacabana.
"To me and maybe to all of us fans, he's a great artist, a great showman and musician," Julia says.
"I've tried my best to follow him.”
You can read more about people whose leisure plans have been affected by the strikes here
What next for commuters in Scotland?
David Henderson
BBC Scotland Business and Transport Correspondent
For now, regular commuters may choose to work from home.
That may blunt the impact of this strike.
But it worries rail bosses, who desperately want to see passenger numbers return to where they were before the pandemic - from the 70% level we see right now.
Rail strikes are like trains. Wait long enough, and three come along at the same time.
ScotRail services are already hit hard by industrial action from train drivers.
They're set to vote on a pay deal worth more than 5% in the coming weeks.
Thousands of Scotrail workers are also being offered a similar deal.
If these are any sort of benchmark, signallers will hold out for a more generous deal than the 3% they're being offered by Network Rail.
If that happens, it could be a long, frustrating year on Scotland's railways.
And much now depends on Network Rail's owner, the UK government, which sets the limits for any pay deal.
York's tourist exodus
Danny Savage
North of England correspondent
On a summer's day, people would normally be pouring out of York station into the city. It’s arguably the most popular way for visitors to arrive.
By lunchtime you could tell the difference. Outside tables which would usually be taken at pubs were empty and staff were commenting there was little tourism trade.
Outside the railway station, foreign visitors were queueing for the National Express coach to Leeds or London. They were cutting short their stays by 24 hours to make sure they could get to their flights from Manchester or Heathrow. That meant they weren’t spending money in York.
York Dungeon was having a bit of a nightmare - rejigging the rota so staff local to the area could work the strike days and those who travel by train cover the days in between.
This city can probably cope with a weekday outside of the school holidays like this - but Saturday’s planned strike will hit York hard.
Reduced services at closest station to Glastonbury
Castle Cary station in Somerset has been busier than many others, serving passengers travelling to the Glastonbury Festival.
While more than half of the regular trains to Glastonbury have been cancelled due to the strike action, many services are specially-run trains to take ticket holders to the festival.
Another music fan, Phil Rice, 49, has been trying to travel home from Liverpool to Chippenham in Wiltshire after attending an Eagles concert at Anfield stadium last night.
"I think I will have to get a train to Stafford, then on to Reading and then from Reading to Chippenham," he says.
"When I booked the tickets last week the staff at my local station said they had no concrete evidence the strike would go ahead."
The last time train services (almost) came to a stop...
As train services come to a halt across the UK, rail workers and customers are reminded of the last time journeys dipped significantly - the coronavirus pandemic.
The graphic shows how national lockdowns, and the near abandonment of public transport at the time, left train passenger numbers at their lowest in many years.
Back in April 2020, a month after the government announced the UK's first Covid lockdown, rail journeys in Britain were reported to be at about 5% of normal levels.
Cornish station 'like tumbleweed' as trains stop running
Passengers in the South West have been heavily impacted by the rail strike, with no services in Cornwall and a threadbare service in Devon.
James Davis, from Great Western Railway (GWR), says there will be "no trains west of Plymouth on strike days" and "on non-strike days significantly reduced services where we are able to operate".
He says: "In Devon and Cornwall we are more reliant on Network Rail signallers to be able to move trains, which is why Devon and Cornwall are more adversely affected than other parts of our network."
Tamsin Melville, BBC Radio Cornwall politics reporter, says St Austell railway station in Cornwall, pictured, was "like tumbleweed".
"I'm on the platform which is completely deserted," she says.
One would-be passenger, Andrew, turned up to the station expecting trains.
"I thought the strike was all in London," he says.
"I was going to Penzance to paint somebody's house and now it looks like I won't be going all week."
But he says he supports the strike.
The Sidmouth Literary Festival in Devon, which was due to start tomorrow, has been rescheduled because of the strikes.
Navigating London on a day of Tube and national rail strikes
Jennifer McKiernan
BBC London
Passengers say it's been "like lockdown again" as Tube and rail services are left empty because of today's strikes.
Many have switched to cycling but one woman says she was almost knocked off her bike multiple times due to the heavy traffic on the roads.
Others walked miles to get to where they needed to be.
Video content
Swinney accuses UK government of 'dereliction of duty'
A meeting of the Scottish Government Resilience Room (SGoRR) has been told of the impact of the UK-wide rail strikes on Scotland.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney was joined by Transport Secretary Michael Matheson and transport minister Jenny Gilruth to hear the latest.
Gilruth has already written to the UK government calling for a swift resolution to the dispute.
The SGoRR has been up and running since this morning and will operate until Sunday evening to monitor the impact and co-ordinate ministers' response.
The meeting heard about extra preparedness around major events including the Royal Highland Show, freight mitigation plans from major retailers to keep supermarkets stocked and wider resilience plans.
Speaking after chairing the meeting, Mr Swinney said the lack of action from the UK government was a "dereliction of duty" and accused it of deliberately inflaming the situation, causing misery for the travelling public.
Student's family spend £500 on hotel so she can sit exams
Eighteen-year-old Seryn, from Tonbridge, usually gets the train into London to go to school.
This week her family have had to pay £500 in hotel bills so she can stay in the capital and sit her A-levels.
"If I went to a friend's house that would be the only other option and I didn't want to do that because me and my parents decided that I wouldn't be able to have a good night's sleep before my exam," say Seryn.
Tourists aren't immune from the travel woes either. Skot Barnett and his fiancé Andy Jalfon from New Zealand are visiting family in East Grinstead.
"We were just going to use public transport for everything this week, and now it's a massive challenge," says Skot.
"We're here for another week and have events planned today in the West End and we are trying to see other family."
What train services will run tomorrow?
Rail services will continue to be disrupted on Wednesday, even though it's not one of the three planned strike days.
There will be reduced train services on many lines tomorrow due to the knock-on effects of today's strike, while the London Underground should return to normal by mid-morning.
Here's what you need to know before planning your journey:
How many trains will run tomorrow?
Only around 60% of the 20,000 normal weekday services will be able to operate.
Why are timetables not returning to normal if there's no strike planned?
Walkouts by signallers and control room staff who would usually work overnight from Tuesday night into Wednesday morning mean trains will leave depots later than normal, delaying the start of services.
What time do trains normally leave depots?
Between around 03:00 BST and 04:00 BST.
What time do passenger services usually begin?
Between around 05:00 BST and 06:00 BST.
How will that change tomorrow?
Trains can only be taken out of depots when signallers on daytime shifts start work at around 06:00 BST to 6:30 BST and no passenger services will run before 06:30 BST.
How long will the start of services be delayed?
It is expected to take up to four hours in some locations.
How quickly will services gather pace?
In London, services will increase quickly as trains do not have to travel long distances from depots to stations but it will take several hours in remote locations.
Will services eventually return to normal tomorrow?
Network Rail said that "even during the day the service will stay thinner" than usual.
What about Thursday?
It will be a similar picture to today. Around 20% of services will run and just half of lines will be open, only between 07:30 BST and 18:30 BST.
Is there any chance strikes planned for Thursday and Saturday will be called off?
No negotiations are taking place so passengers are being urged to check with train operators for updates to services.
Shaggy gig goes ahead in west London despite strikes
Alice Hopkins
Reporting from Shepherd's Bush, west London
Jamaican artist Shaggy is due to be performing in west London later tonight despite the Tube and rail strikes.
The 02 Shepherd's Bush Empire theatre is served by the Central line, Hammersmith & City and Circle lines which are all disrupted.
So, I decided to take a bus from central London to see how long it would take to get to the venue.
My journey from Regent Street to Shepherd's Bush took longer than normal - the biggest wait was for the bus to arrive.
It was a fairly slow crawl out of central London - then near Notting Hill and Lancaster Gate was quite normal, constantly moving and not in gridlock traffic.
Staff don't expect people to queue for Shaggy but it is still going ahead as planned they don't intend to cancel it because of the strikes.
The advice from 02 Shepherd's Bush Empire theatre staff is for any Shaggy fans planning on attending the concert to check their journeys before they travel.