Last month I had a trip scheduled to go to Turin to attend a fair. I foolishly booked the train tickets without checking for any upcoming strikes; I say foolishly because you’d expect better from a travel agent but there you have it, it happens to all of us.
Luckily I knew what to do and I swiftly checked if the trains I was supposed to be on were going to be affected by the strike and they weren’t. But when I was at the station, I was surrounded by tourists and people discovering the strike as they arrived at the station and I realized that for foreigners and travellers, transportation strikes in Italy can significantly disrupt travel plans.
Here’s a guide on how to manage your travel during such events.
Table of Contents
- Italian Strikes are Planned in Advance
- Determine the Scope of the Strike
- Check the Duration of the Strike
- Verifying Train Services
- Alternative Means of Transport
- Handling Air Travel Disruptions
- Navigating Museum Strikes
- Conclusion
Italian Strikes are Planned in Advance
Believe it or not, Italian strikes are scheduled ahead of time. It may seem counterintuitive, as strikes are typically unexpected disruptions, but here, you can find a list of upcoming transportation strikes months in advance. This information is available on two websites, albeit only in Italian, that help travellers anticipate and adjust their plans accordingly.
WEBSITE N° 1 – The website you need is Commissione Garanzia Sciopero (where “sciopero” means “strike”), where you have to go to “Calendario scioperi” (lit. Strike calendar) and select the dates of your travel. You’ll see something like this:
“Data” means date. From there move to the second column and scan for the word “Trasporto” (=transportation), which means that the strike will affect some transportation methods. The column that says “Ambito geografico” tells you the city or the region affected by the strike. If you look at a little map of Italy, it’s because it’s a national strike. In the column “Modalità” there will be the duration of the strike (00:00 – 24:00 format) and if you find “intera giornata”, it means that it will last the whole day. Lastly, look for the last column “Dettagli” (=details) and if you find a little do-not sign, that’s because the strike has been revoked.
Clicking the link in this column gives more details, including the duration of the strike, which can range from a few hours to several days, typically lasting 24 hours.
WEBSITE N° 2 – The second website is the Ministero delle Infrastrutture e dei Trasporti (Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport). The first and second column, respectively “Inizio” and “Fine” indicate the start and the finish date. “Sindacati” means union (which doesn’t interest us). What you need to look out for is what’s below the fourth column “Settore”, which means sector:
Ferroviario = railway
Trasporto pubblico locale = Local public transportation
Aereo = airline
Marittimo = naval
This website is slightly more complicated to interpret as you have to extract the geographical area of the strike from the content of the fifth column “Categoria” (lit. category). I suggest you have it translated by Google Translate or DeepL. Under the sixth column “Modalità” you’ll find the duration of the strike. Moving to the next column “Rilevanza”, you’ll see what jurisdiction is affected, if it’s either local, regional or national.
Additionally, Trenitalia’s website lists “guaranteed minimum transport services” during strikes, ensuring that some trains run during peak hours (6-9 am and 6-9 pm, Monday through Saturday). These tickets are highly sought after, so if you manage to secure one in advance, consider yourself quite fortunate.
Given the rarity of snagging one of these tickets, you might want to buy a lottery ticket too – you could be on a lucky streak!
Determine the Scope of the Strike
The first step is to identify the scope and impact of the strike.
Local Strikes
These typically affect city buses, trams, and metro services. Information on these can often be found on local transport authority websites or social media channels.
Regional Strikes
These affect regional buses, metro services, and regional trains. Check regional transport websites for detailed information.
National Strikes
These have the broadest impact, affecting intercity trains, high-speed trains (e.g., Frecciarossa), and sometimes even long-distance bus services.
Air Traffic Strikes
These can involve airline staff, air traffic controllers, or airport ground staff. These strikes are typically the most disruptive.
Taxi Strikes
These may occur independently or alongside other transportation strikes. Alternative options include rideshare services or renting a car.
Be careful that taxi strikes are not included in the calendar of the aforementioned websites.
Check the Duration of the Strike
Strikes can last for a few hours, a whole day, or even longer. The duration is usually announced in advance and can be found on official transport websites or news outlets.
Verifying Train Services
Do you get a refund?
Even after researching and planning you encounter a strike and your train gets delayed or cancelled, you might be eligible to get a refund.
Trenitalia – Compensation for delays varies from case to case so it’s better to check out their official “Compensation for delays and refund” page to verify which solution applies to your specific case.
Italo – The same goes for Italo so compensation varies according to this page, but how do you receive a refund if you purchased as an unregistered customer? Italo will send you a notification via email but if you don’t receive anything in your mailbox, be sure to check out this page.
Alternative Means of Transport
As soon as you hear about the strike, check if your train is affected, consider car rentals, ridesharing services, or even bicycles for shorter distances.
Handling Air Travel Disruptions
For air travel, the best course of action during a strike is to:
- Check Airport Websites – Major airports like Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa, and others will have updates on their websites.
- Contact Your Airline – Airlines will provide specific information on flight cancellations or rescheduling.
- Travel Agencies – If you booked through a travel agency, they can offer assistance and alternatives.
Navigating Museum Strikes
Museum strikes happen rarely but when they do, they can be particularly frustrating for tourists. Here’s how to handle them:
- Check Ahead – Visit the official website of the museum you plan to visit. Major institutions like the Uffizi Gallery, the Vatican Museums, and the Colosseum usually provide advance notice of any closures.
- Alternative Plans – If a strike is announced, plan alternative activities. Explore outdoor sites, smaller museums, or local cultural attractions that might not be affected.
- Stay Flexible – Be prepared to adjust your itinerary. Museum strikes are often resolved quickly, so you might be able to visit later in your trip.
Conclusion
Stay informed about transportation strikes in Italy with these tips and resources. For a smoother travel experience, plan ahead and explore alternative transport options when disruptions occur.
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