Boris Johnson will condemn the unions for what is expected to be the biggest train strike in three decades.
Some 40,000 members of Network Rail’s Railway, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union and 13 train operators will leave throughout Tuesday, as well as on Thursday and Saturday in a dispute over wages, jobs and conditions.
Only one in five trains will run on strike days, mainly on the main lines, and then only for about 11 hours.
Network Rail has warned that industrial action will lead to six days of disruption due to the side effect on services during the intermediate days.
Ahead of a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the prime minister will argue that unions are “harming the same people who claim to be helping” and call for a “sensible compromise”.
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There will also be a strike on the London Underground on Tuesday by members of the RMT and Unite union, in a separate row that will cause major disruptions to the Underground.
Talks to avoid the rail strike continued until Monday afternoon, but remained unresolved, with two sides blaming each other for the lack of progress.
The RMT union is calling for a 7% pay rise, lower than inflation but higher than that offered by employers.
RMT Secretary-General Mick Lynch said the dispute could drag on for months, adding: “It is clear that the Conservative government, after cutting £ 4bn in funding for National Rail and Transport for London, it has now actively prevented a solution to this dispute.
“Railway companies have now proposed payment rates that are well below the relevant inflation rates, which add to the wage freezes of recent years.
“At the urging of the government, companies are also seeking to implement thousands of job cuts and have given no guarantees against compulsory redundancies.”
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2:28 Rail strikes to cause “misery”
The prime minister is expected to accuse unions of “driving away passengers who eventually support the jobs of railroad workers” while hitting companies across the country.
He says: “Too high a demand for payment will also make it incredibly difficult to put an end to the current challenges facing families around the world with the rising cost of living.
“Now is the time to reach a sensible commitment for the good of the British people and the railway workforce.”
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Downing Street said ministers at Tuesday’s meeting would discuss rail strikes as well as the harsh economic climate facing the country.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak and the Prime Minister are expected to argue that wage discipline and moderation are important in managing downward inflationary pressures.
“We have a responsibility to deal with inflation and prevent it from escalating,” he said.
“To do that, we need to ensure that wage agreements are reasonable and do not strive to equalize inflation and, as a result, raise prices as the cost of goods and services increases to incorporate wage increases.”
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2:33 Reaction to the railway strikes
Speaking before the meeting, Johnson said: “It is right that we reward our public sector workers with a pay rise, but that needs to be proportionate and balanced.
“Sustained higher levels of inflation would have a much greater impact on people’s long-term payment packages, destroying savings and prolonging the difficulties we face for longer.”