The four rules, expanded
1 · Pre-book the moment the date is announced
Strike dates are public days or weeks ahead — that lead time is your entire advantage. A pre-booked Rushxo car carries a fare that cannot move and a named driver who is committed to you; the on-demand alternative reprices by the minute exactly as demand peaks (here is why).
2 · Make the vehicle communal
Strike days are when the office WhatsApp earns its keep. Five colleagues from the same postcode in one 6-seat MPV pay a fraction each of five separate surge quotes — and arrive together, on time, having held the morning stand-up en route. Team leads: organise this the day before, not at 07:45.
3 · Shift the clock, not just the mode
Strike-day roads have a shape: brutal 07:00–09:30, merely heavy until midday, brutal again 16:30–19:00. A pickup at 06:30 or a meeting moved to 11:00 routinely saves more time than any route trick. We’ll happily advise a realistic door-to-door time for your specific journey when you book.
4 · Triage ruthlessly
Not every journey deserves a strike-day car. Book them for the ones with real downside — client meetings, court times, flights, hospital appointments. Sub-two-mile hops are usually faster walked or cycled on strike mornings, and saying so plainly is part of giving honest advice.
The 48-hour checklist
- T-48h: book essential journeys; propose the shared MPV to colleagues; move flexible meetings out of the peaks.
- T-24h: reconfirm pickup times; agree the meeting point to the kerb (strike days are not the day for “somewhere on the high street”).
- The morning: be at the kerb three minutes early; your driver’s time discipline is your margin.
Tube strike: how do I get from Heathrow into London?
Visitors often ask how to leave Heathrow if the Tube is on strike. The key point is that not every train out of Heathrow is part of the Underground.
- Heathrow Express: a separate company. It usually keeps running during Tube strikes and reaches Paddington in about 15 minutes.
- Elizabeth line: it uses different staff from the Tube and usually still runs. It reaches central London in under 40 minutes, calling at Paddington, Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road and Farringdon.
- Piccadilly line: this is the Tube line to Heathrow, so expect it to be shut or very limited.
- Buses and coaches: they run, but they are packed and slow as everyone takes to the roads.
The catch: the Elizabeth line takes you into town, but the last leg to your hotel usually relies on the Tube. Plan for a walk or taxi from Paddington or Tottenham Court Road. Ride-hail prices and waits rise sharply on strike days.
Step by step: check the TfL status page the night before you fly. Note which stations are closed, and decide your last leg before you land.
When a pre-booked car is better: on strike days a car booked ahead skips the queues. Our fares are fixed at booking, so strike demand does not change the price, and we track your flight.
Q: Does the Elizabeth line run during a Tube strike?
A: Usually yes, as it is run separately from the Underground. Always check TfL's status page for the specific strike.
Q: Does Heathrow Express run during a Tube strike?
A: Usually yes. It is not part of the Underground, though trains are busier than normal.