London transit and entry rules
London faces two travel headaches: RMT plans rolling Tube strikes across April–June with action starting April 21, and separate bus driver walkouts in east London, which could make airport transfers chaotic even if flights run on time. ( ) At the same time, new ETIAS/UK ETA rules are reshaping cruise and Schengen entry logistics — Canada and other non‑EU visitors face fresh online approvals and fees that are already altering cruise bookings and port operations. ( )
London travel is heading into a two-front squeeze: planned London Underground strikes start on Tuesday, April 21, and separate east London bus walkouts begin even earlier, on Friday, April 17. (tfl.gov.uk) Transport for London says some Tube drivers plan to strike from noon to noon on April 21-22 and April 23-24, with more action scheduled for May 19-22 and June 16-19. The agency says the whole Tube network will be affected, with disruption expected to spill into afternoons and evenings. (tfl.gov.uk) The Rail, Maritime and Transport union said it called the action over London Underground’s proposed compressed four-day working week for Tube drivers. The union said members rejected the plan and raised concerns about longer shifts, fatigue, safety and transfer rules. (rmt.org.uk) A separate dispute is set to hit seven Stagecoach bus routes from Bow garage in east London from 05:00 on April 17-18, April 24-25 and May 15-16. Transport for London lists routes 8, 25, 205, 425, N8, N25 and N205 as affected, and says the 25 and 425 should run near-normal service while the others face severe delays and cancellations. (tfl.gov.uk) That overlap matters for airport and rail connections because Transport for London says Elizabeth line, Docklands Light Railway, London Overground and tram services should run normally during the Tube strikes, while local bus alternatives in east London may be thinner on some of the same days. Heathrow passengers have a rail fallback; travellers heading through east London corridors toward Liverpool Street, Stratford or coach links may have fewer options. (tfl.gov.uk) At the border, the United Kingdom’s Electronic Travel Authorisation is already live for most visa-free visitors, including travellers from the United States and Canada. The Home Office says an ETA costs £20, covers multiple trips for up to two years or until the passport expires, and is required before boarding unless a traveller is exempt. (gov.uk, homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk) The Home Office says visitors who pass through United Kingdom passport control while transiting need an ETA, but airside transit passengers at Heathrow and Manchester who do not clear passport control do not currently need one. It also says Europeans have needed an ETA to travel to the United Kingdom since April 2, 2025. (homeofficemedia.blog.gov.uk, gov.uk) The European Union’s separate system, the European Travel Information and Authorisation System, is not live yet. The official European Union ETIAS site says it will start in the last quarter of 2026, and the European Commission says the fee has been set at €20 when it begins operating. (travel-europe.europa.eu, home-affairs.ec.europa.eu) What is live in Europe now is the Entry/Exit System, a digital border record for short-stay non-European Union travellers. The European Commission says it started on October 12, 2025 and became fully operational on April 10, 2026, which means passport scans, facial images and fingerprint checks are now part of Schengen border processing. (home-affairs.ec.europa.eu, travel-europe.europa.eu) For travellers moving through London this spring, the practical checklist is now twofold: check the exact strike dates on the Transport for London site, and make sure any required United Kingdom ETA is approved before heading to the airport or port. Flights can run on time and a trip can still unravel on the ground. (tfl.gov.uk, gov.uk)
