Two Edinburgh tourists travelling from London Kings Cross to the capital have spent four hours standing on a packed train with heavy luggage amidst strike chaos affecting services between the cities.
Rail passengers are facing fresh travel disruption over the next few days because of strikes by train drivers and other workers in long-running disputes over pay.
Members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) are on strike today (May 13) which is also the day of the Eurovision Song Contest final in Liverpool.
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The sisters from the Czech Republic were booked on an LNER service set to leave London on Saturday May 13 morning but it was cancelled due to the strikes, the following service was also cancelled.
Speaking to Edinburgh Live Majdi said: "We were travelling with a big heavy backpack and after 30 minutes, when the people in the aisle moved to another coach we managed to put them down and hide them in the gap between the seats.
"We also kind of kept our spot and put the other backpack on the floor and sit on it. People sitting down were trying to help us even though we made their travel less comfortable."
The 28-year-old continued: "The problem was when someone want to pass then we were almost putting our butts to another person's face. It was a long trip but we took it as an adventure.
"We booked our tickets two months ahead to have the perfect seats and enjoy the long ride but maybe another time."
Picket lines will be mounted outside railway stations as the unions continue their long-running campaign for a bigger pay rise than has been offered.
Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan said: “We do not want to go on strike – we do not want to inconvenience passengers, we have families and friends who use the railway too, and we believe in investing in rail for the future of this country.
“But the blame for this action lies, fairly and squarely, at the feet of the employers who have forced our hand over this by their intransigence.
“It is now up to them to come up with a more sensible, and realistic, offer and we ask the Government not to hinder this process."
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LNER advised that customers whose booked service is cancelled are advised to make new seat reservations on the next available service, which can be done for free on LNER the app or on our website.
There will also be a reduced catering offer during Industrial Action on 13 May and the last train to depart from Edinburgh Waverley to London Kings Cross is at 4.00pm.
Further details for customers travelling during the period of industrial action can be found here.
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