Train passengers are being urged not to travel today as strike action leaves the majority of services at a standstill.

Southeastern is running an “extremely limited service” across Kent with most of its routes and stations shut.

Trains will finish early and the last services are expected to be incredibly busy.

But it is the first time since Aslef members started their action that Southeastern is continuing to run some services on a strike day.

There are services between Orpington and London Charing Cross, Dartford and London Charing Cross (via Sidcup), Dartford and London Charing Cross (via Bexleyheath), and Ashford International and London St Pancras International.

These will run from 6am to 8pm.

A normal timetable will resume tomorrow.

A statement by the firm said: “If you do travel, expect severe disruption, plan ahead and allow much more time for your journey.

“Trains that are running will be extremely busy, they start later and finish early. You may be unable to board trains at some stations, and we estimate that there could be queues for up to two hours due to the very limited service.

“Only 29 out of 165 Southeastern stations will be open. No rail replacement buses will serve stations that are closed.”

Meanwhile, there are no Thameslink services running, except for a limited shuttle service calling at Luton, Luton Airport Parkway and London St Pancras and another limited non-stop shuttle service between London Kings Cross and Cambridge.

Members of Aslef walked out for the third strike in the past four days, crippling services, especially in East Anglia and the South East.

The strike has hit c2c, Gatwick Express, Greater Anglia, Southeastern, Southern, South Western Railway, Great Northern and Thameslink.

Aslef is embroiled in an almost two-year-long dispute over pay, with no sign of a breakthrough and no talks planned.

The union says the dispute has cost the industry more than £2 billion, way more than it would have cost to resolve the conflict.

Aslef members at 16 train companies are also banning overtime today and tomorrow, which will disrupt services.

Picket lines have been mounted outside the railway stations of operators affected by the strike.

Aslef general secretary Mick Whelan says his members remain solidly behind the industrial action and criticised the government and rail companies for the lack of contact over the past year.

The government introduced a new law last year aimed at ensuring minimum levels of service during strikes, but none of the train companies have opted to use it.

A Rail Delivery Group spokesperson said: “Train companies are working through plans to manage the unnecessary disruption to our passengers caused by this damaging industrial action.

“Minimum service levels are one potential tool for that but they are not a silver bullet.

“In the meantime, we remain committed to resolving this dispute and our offer, which would take average driver salaries to £65,000 for a four-day week without overtime, remains on the table.”

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “Aslef is the only rail union continuing to strike, targeting passengers and preventing their own members from voting on the pay offer that remains on the table.

“Having resolved disputes with all other rail unions, the Transport Secretary and rail minister have ensured that a pay offer is on the table – taking train drivers’ average salaries from £60,000 up to £65,000.”