More rail strikes are on the way threatening travel chaos during the peak of summer.

Last month's three 24-hour walk outs caused misery for travellers as the majority of stations closed and trains stopped running.

But with unions including the RMT, ASLEF threatening to walkout in the coming weeks, the country is facing a summer of more disruption on the railways in a worsening dispute over jobs and pay.

Today, Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA) said its staff members at seven train companies will walk out on August 18 and 20.

They are the same days as the Rail, Maritime and Transport union is striking against Network Rail and 14 train operators.

So when is the next rail strike set to take place?

The next national train strike

More than 40,000 workers will walk out for 24-hours on Wednesday, July 27 in an ongoing row over job security, pay and working conditions.

The industrial action will include thousands of staff from both Network Rail and 14 train operating companies - who all stopped work on three separate occasions in June.

RMT general secretary Mick Lynch said he won't give up until his hundreds of thousands of members are offered a pay deal that takes into account the escalating cost of living.

He said: "The rail industry and the government need to understand that this dispute will not simply vanish.

"They need to get serious about providing an offer on pay which helps deal with the cost-of-living crisis, job security for our members and provides good conditions at work.

"Recent proposals from Network Rail fell well short on pay and on safety around maintenance work. And the train operating companies have not even made us a pay offer in recent negotiations.

"We remain open for talks, but we will continue our campaign until we reach a negotiated settlement."

June's national rail strikes organised by the RMT saw only around one in five train services in operation and most ticket offices and stations shut, while there was also significant disruption either side of each strike date as trains were left out of position and safety checks were delayed before services could restart.

Further strikes for July and August

The RMT strike on July 27 is just the start of a wave of strikes set to happen this summer.

That walkout will be very swiftly followed on Saturday, July 30 by industrial action being led by train drivers' union ASLEF.

ASLEF members at eight train companies – Arriva Rail London; Chiltern Railways; Greater Anglia; Great Western; Hull Trains; LNER; Southeastern; and West Midlands Trains – will go on strike as they too campaign for a pay offer that 'keeps pace' with the cost of living.

It remains unclear as to how much disruption their absence will cause across the network and which services will still be able to run.

Mick Whelan, ASLEF general secretary, said: "We want an increase in line with the cost of living – we want to be able to buy, in 2022, what we could buy in 2021 – for those members – who were, you will remember, the people who moved key workers and goods around the country during the pandemic – who have not had a pay rise since 2019.

"It’s not unreasonable to ask your employer to make sure you’re not worse off for a third successive year. Especially as the train companies are doing very nicely, thank you, out of Britain’s railways with handsome profits, dividends for shareholders, and big salaries for managers."

And should July's action by the RMT not resolve the dispute for its members - the union has already given notice for two more strikes this August.

All members - amounting to more than 30,000 - will join what is set to be their fourth and fifth 24-hour walk outs of the summer on Thursday, August 18 and Saturday, August 20.

Again, staff from both Network Rail and 14 of the UK's train operating companies are expected to be involved as they hold out for a pay deal.