Staff at nine train companies will take part in a 24-hour strike starting at midday on 26 September, the TSSA union has said.
The industrial action is over pay and working conditions, the union said, and will also include Network Rail, the owner of Britain's train infrastructure.
TSSA said it remained in discussion with National Rail over the possibility of a settlement that would avoid the strike.
But union boss Manuel Cortes blasted Transport Secretary Grant Shapps on Wednesday morning, saying that he was getting in the way of real progress.
"The dead hand of Grant Shapps is sadly stopping DfT train operating companies from making a revised, meaningful offer," Mr Cortes said.
"Frankly, he either sits across the negotiating table with our union or gets out of the way to allow railway bosses to freely negotiate with us, as they have done in the past."...
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