lime bike battles, vomit on buses and 100ft queues: inside day three of tube strike hell

100ft queues for the Elizabeth line,battles for Lime bikes,buses packed to the rafters,and heavy downpours – welcome to day three of the London Tube strikes.

We’re now more than 72 hours into the Underground shutdown,and it’s safe to say it hasn’t been fun for millions trying to get to work.

In fact,to quote one commuter today,it’s been ‘carnage’.

As rain poured outside this evening,thousands of people rammed themselves into what few London stations are open,with 30-minute journeys home now taking two hours.

Even John Fisher,the Chinese food-loving influencer better known as Big John,got stuck in the ‘chaos’.

Chaos on the trains in London. Tube strike no bosh 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/4FPbbCScni

— big john the boshfather (@Johnfis08605918) September 10,2025

‘It’s crazy in here,’ he said,showing the view from inside the packed Elizabeth Line train.

The early morning wasn’t any better,with the scramble for Lime bikes – thanks ‘strikelists’ – later becoming a race for buses.

If that didn’t help,there have been reports of people taking extreme measures to secure their Lime bikes by fleeing with pedals.

Metro was at hand to see hundreds stuck in a queue for the Elizabeth line at Liverpool Street,with a line stretching for at least 100ft outside.

The queue at Liverpool Street station as people struggled to get to the Elizabeth line,which is running today (Picture: Sarah Hooper/Metro)

Meanwhile,a bus driver reportedly had to cancel a journey after a passenger threw up all over the front door,forcing all passengers to evacuate.

Liverpool Street passengers then became even more confused when the alarm went off suddenly,urging everyone to evacuate due to an ’emergency.’

Is the Elizabeth line open during the strikes?

The 100ft queue wrapped around the Elizabeth line station entrance today at Liverpool Street (Picture: Lucy North/PA Wire)

Most of the Elizabeth line is running today,along with the buses and Overground trains,but services are busy.

The Elizabeth line trains will not stop at Bond Street,Tottenham Court Road,Farringdon,Liverpool Street and Whitechapel stations between 7.30am and 10.30pm today,and before 8am tomorrow,Thursday.

One passenger said Paddington station this morning was ‘carnage.’

paddington station this morning is absolute carnage. i dunno why the elizabeth line has new rules every morning @TfL 😐😐

— nabi (@nabilashehetmon) September 10,2025

When do the Tube strikes end?

The strike is set to end by Friday,September 12. The official TfL statement reads:‘There are strikes on the Tube and DLR between 7 and 12 September. Services are disrupted.‘On Tuesday 9 and Thursday 11 September 2025,there will also be no service on the DLR‘From Monday 8 to Thursday 11 September 2025,Tube services are severely disrupted,with little to no service expected’Wet weather could make journeys – and queueing outside – trickier today.Met Office has forecast rain until at least 8pm tonight across Greater London,with some heavier downpours predicted this afternoon.

When will Tube strikes end and service is normal?

Although the strikes end officially on Thursday,there is no Tube service before 8am,the latest advice from TfL says.Normal Tube service is expected on all lines by late Friday morning.

Why is the strike happening?

The strikes are going ahead after the talks between the Rail,Maritime and Transport union (RMT) and TfL have stalled. RMT members are calling for a 32-hour working week after ‘long-term health effects from working extreme shifts and fatigue.’RMT has said the shift patterns have become unsustainable for staff,with 4 am starts and 1 am finishes,coupled with 2,000 fewer Tube staff.If there's one things Brits love it's a queue and a #tubestrike. Two massive queues outside of Liverpool Street station to use the Elizabeth line service pic.twitter.com/vacWPcGV8K— Shaheena Uddin (@shaheena_uddin) September 9,2025TfL has said the shorter working week is ‘neither practical and affordable,’ and it has offered a 3.4% pay increase instead.Commuters and London leaders have urged RMT and TfL to reach an agreement soon.One frustrated commuter told TfL to give the staff ‘whatever they want,man,I’m having a horrific morning.’Eddie Dempsey,the general secretary of RMT,said his members are ‘absolutely furious’ over TfL’s handling of their demands.He said that the union ‘took no pleasure’ in disrupting people’s lives but that there is a ‘crisis in industrial relations’.