What To Do If There Is A Train Strike In Italy

Train Strikes in Italy are commonplace. This post is all about suggestions for how to prevent booking a train that will get canceled, what to do if your train is canceled due to a strike, and how to receive compensation. The first thing you should do if your train gets canceled is take a deep breath and don’t panic.

As we mentioned, planned train strikes in Italy are a regular occurrence, and this summer will be no different. There is typically a train strike once or twice a month in Italy. The dates that the train strikes will take place, and how many there will be, can change frequently. Sciopero is Italian for “strike.” If you’re at a train station and see signs with “Sciopero” on them, you’ll want to pay attention! There was a scheduled train strike on June 13th, and another strike on June 16th (2025). Right now, we can see that there will be a general strike on June 19-20 (2025). General strikes affect rail, air, and local public transport (including buses and vaporetti). In July 2025, there may be a railworkers’ strike on July 21 & 22, which will affect Trenitalia routes. This is just June and July!

Don’t let a train strike in Italy ruin your trip!

Skip ahead: What to do if there is a train strike in Italy

• Learn about train strikes in advance
• How to avoid being affected by a train strike
• Be proactive when there is a train strike
• Make different arrangements
  • Train
  • Bus
  • Private transfer, taxi, or rental car
• How to get your money back for a canceled train
• How to check your train’s status
• A few of our favorite resources

Learn about potential train strikes in advance

There are several ways to find out when/if a train strike might occur. The Train company is only obligated to announce the strike 10 days before. However, you may find information online in the month or months before that. You can try searching your preferred search engine for “Train strike Italy [travel month and travel day].” Your search results will return several articles about any train strikes planned for the month you put in your search terms. You can check the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport website or Italian news sites. The Trenitalia website may also post information on their traffic information page, but this may only include information for the next week or two.

By going to the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport website, you will find a list of all announced strikes throughout Italy, including transportation strikes ranging from rail to air. The site will also show the status of the strike, including when it is called off; indicated with an icon of a red circle with a line through it. We always check this website for any and all strikes that may affect us.

As we mentioned, though, things can change quickly. There was supposed to be a train strike on Sunday, May 18th, but it was changed because of the Pope’s inauguration. The train strike was moved to the following Friday, May 23rd. We were affected by the train strike on May 23rd, and it’s what prompted us to write this post.

If you don’t find a planned train strike on your travel dates, then you may have nothing to be concerned about. Check back frequently and especially the week before your planned rail travel. Remember that things can change. Being aware of what to do if you are affected by a train strike will make all the difference. Use this method to keep your stress low so you can enjoy your trip!

*It’s important to note that just because the website will sell you a ticket doesn’t mean that the train can’t be canceled. We have bought tickets minutes before the scheduled departure, and then the train was canceled because of a train strike (of course, that was before we knew what we were doing). You’ll probably be surprised to hear that you don’t automatically get a refund when the train is cancelled, more on that later.

HOW TO AVOID BEING AFFECTED BY A TRAIN STRIKE IN ITALY

There is no way to guarantee with 100% certainty that you won’t be affected by a train strike. Here are a few things to consider that may reduce your risk:

• Most train strikes only affect the public lines (Trenitalia and Trenord). Private lines like Italo may not be included in every train strike. Italo only operates on main routes between bigger cities, through central Italy. They don’t cover the west between Genoa and Rome.
• Typically, train strikes run the entire day, but essential lines will still run from 6 am – 9 am or 6 pm – 9 pm. These “essential” lines are standard, and you can find a list of them on the Trenitalia website here. The page is in Italian, and when we tried clicking the option for English, we were directed to a different page. (If you need it in English, we recommend using your browser’s translate option.) In the first part of the page, you can click a link to see all of the guaranteed long-distance trains for weekday travel. If you scroll a little further, you will find the holiday schedule for the General National strikes. Lastly,  scroll down to select a region, and you can view the guaranteed regional trains. Below the regional options, you can see when the next planned strike is.
• If you are traveling on Trenord or Trenitalia Tper, you want to check their websites directly.
• If you check this list before you book, you can rest assured knowing that you booked an essential train during peak hours (6 am – 9 am or 6 pm – 9 pm). If you do this, then it is unlikely that your train will be canceled.
  • Scroll down a little to select the region that your train will be in.
  • Select the weekday or the holiday schedule, and you will be directed to a PDF of the essential train lines for your selected region. Remember that the holidays are Italian holidays. Select the holiday schedule if you are traveling on Italian holidays. 
  • The PDF will be in Italian, but it’s mostly numbers and names of cities, so you shouldn’t need to translate it. From left to right, you will see:
    • The train line number (this is probably the most useful piece to help identify your train/the train you want to book)
    • The city where the train starts (not always the city you are starting in)
    • The scheduled departure time (in military time)
    • The city the train is scheduled to arrive in at the end of its line/final destination (this may not be the city you are going to either)
    • A note. The note may tell you about a specific stop in the final destination city or alert you that the time could be postponed under certain circumstances. 
  • If your train is on the list of essential lines, then it is likely that it will still run during a train strike. If you are on one of these essential lines, it will probably be crowded by savvy travelers (who knew to change their plans, probably because they read a great blog like this one)! Make sure you select the option to choose your seats when it is available. Example: You are catching a train in Florence to go to Rome, and the train probably departs from Venice. As long as that train leaves Venice before 9 am (and is on the essential list), then your train will still pick you up in Florence and take you to Rome.
• Check again and again, especially the week before you leave. We can not stress this enough. Things change quickly, although there isn’t a planned train strike when you booked, doesn’t mean one won’t be announced. If you get to the station and your train is canceled because of a train strike, it is unlikely that you will find someone at a ticket counter who can help you. It will be up to you to figure out what to do. Keep reading for more tips on how you can handle the situation.

BE PROACTIVE IF THERE IS A TRAIN STRIKE IN ITALY

We often hear “We heard there was going to be a train strike today, but our train wasn’t canceled, so we thought everything was okay…” Or “I didn’t think they would sell me the ticket if it was going to be canceled?!” Here’s the thing: even though the train strike is planned, the train often isn’t cancelled until a few minutes before the train would have departed (typically less than 30 minutes).

If you hear there is going to be a train strike on a day that you purchased train tickets, be proactive. Don’t assume you are safe simply because you already have tickets. The point of these strikes is to make an impact and disrupt things. Train strikes certainly do have the desired effect during tourism season when people are left out in the cold (or heat in this case)! Don’t wait until all of the options are full. Here’s what you should do:

• Check the essential lists that we discussed above; is your train line on the essential list? Does your train depart its original destination between 6 am and 9 am/6 pm and 9 pm? If the answer to these is yes, then you are probably okay, and that is the best that you can do. 
• Avoid the stress! If you do not have a ticket for an essential line (or your plans are flexible), make different arrangements.

MAKING DIFFERENT ARRANGEMENTS WHEN THERE IS A TRAIN STRIKE IN ITALY

Alternate Train Options

When there is a train strike in Italy, it typically includes the personnel who work the customer service counters. You may have to rely on the Trenitalia website or App to change your plans. 

• Depending on the ticket that you purchased, you can probably change your tickets or cancel them for a partial refund. If your ticket allows for it, you can cancel up to 20 minutes before the scheduled departure time and get a refund of 80%. 
• Most tickets allow you to change your ticket. You can change your ticket up to the scheduled departure time of your train. Just make sure you complete the process before that scheduled departure time. For regional tickets, the change shouldn’t cost you anything. For other tickets, there may be a charge for any difference in fees. 

Bus Options

Taking a bus may not be your favorite option, but if you are pressed for time, it may be your only option. Be prepared for a train strike in Italy by knowing what the regional bus company is for the region you will be in. 

• Regional Buses: Check the regional bus company for options to get you from one city to the next. Keep in mind that during a train strike in Italy, you will not be the only person doing this. The bus could show up, but be too full to take you. In this case, you just have to wait for the next bus to come. 

Italian Train Strike Pro Tip 1: Plan to get on the bus from the stop it begins at. You will have a better chance of getting a seat on train strike days.

We once helped a couple who were at the Lucca train station when our train to Florence was canceled. Noticing that they didn’t know what to do, we approached them. We explained that the best, most affordable option would be to take the bus to Florence, and then the tram to the main train station. Our hearts sank when the bus arrived. The bus driver stepped out to tell the crowd that was waiting that he only had space for 3. Immediately, 3 people who arrived far later than the rest of us (but had a plane to catch) jumped on the bus. We were flexible, so we made other plans. The couple we met was trying to catch their train in Florence to get to Rome (an essential train that had already departed Venice). Keep reading to find out what happened. 

• Bus companies: We aren’t familiar (yet) with every bus line in Italy. We can tell you that if you are in the Veneto (region of Venice) you will want to look for the Busitalia Veneto. In Tuscany (where Florence, Lucca, Pisa, and Siena are), it’s Autolinee Toscana (at Bus app). In Rome, you will want to check ATAC for regional buses. If you need to go between regions, look for Itabus S.P.A. Depending on the cities, they may only have one departure per day, but some will have them every 2 hours. 
• Bus ticket payment: Some bus lines, like Autolinee Toscana, offer a tap-to-pay system. You tap (hold) your card to a machine on board. If the line doesn’t offer that, you may be able to purchase the ticket through their app (this was the case when we lived in the Veneto region). In some cases, you will need to go to a tabacchi to purchase your ticket.
• Bus apps: If you intend to make in-app purchases, you will want to set up a profile in advance.  If you can, and to save time, you may want to store your payment information as well.
  

Private Transfer, Taxi, or Rental Car in Italy

To most, this is an obvious option, but it could be quite expensive; nonetheless, we felt we should mention it. Although more expensive, it could relieve some stress to take a private transfer or taxi in the event of a train strike in Italy. Keep in mind, though, that the roadways become a little more congested when rail isn’t an option. 

• Private transfer: You will want to arrange this in advance. This could be difficult to do on the day of a train strike. Search your favorite search engine for private transfers from the city your transfer will originate in. Alternatively, if you are staying in a hotel, ask the hotel staff for help. Or if you have a host who has already offered to help you with transportation options, then asking for their help may reduce your stress. 
• Taxis: Almost always an option, but taxis can be pretty expensive. That couple who couldn’t get on the bus to Florence, that we mentioned earlier, had no other choice but to take the taxi. We helped them get a taxi from Lucca to Florence because they had to catch their train to Rome that day. The trip to Florence cost them €215; the regional train from Lucca to Florence is less than €9 per person. 

We agreed that it was worth it. They only had 1 day in Rome, and one of them had never been to Rome. They made their train and made it to Rome. We’re sure it was a bit stressful up until the moment their train pulled away from Santa Maria Novella in Florence. In the end, everything worked out, so remember not to panic or stress out if this happens to you!

• Car rental: Drive yourself… We only recommend this if you planned ahead and made a reservation well in advance. If you show up at a rental counter on the day of a train strike, you will probably be out of luck. We once planned to drive from Rome to Siena, and reserved a car well in advance. We later found out that there was a train strike that day. We were fine because we had a reservation, which wasn’t prompted by the strike. There were a ton of people at the airport’s rental center, all trying to get out of Rome. The majority of them ended up having to change plans because they couldn’t get out of Rome that day!

GETTING YOUR MONEY BACK FOR A CANCELED TRAIN IN ITALY

It sucks to have your train canceled. It would suck even more to lose the money that you paid for the ticket. Unfortunately, the Italian Government and Trenitalia won’t just issue refunds when they know your train was canceled because of a train strike. You need to request the refund.

• You are not eligible to request a refund if you took steps to change your ticket. Unless, of course, the new train you booked was canceled because of a train strike (then you can request a refund for that trip).
• You are not eligible if you took steps to cancel your ticket. Per the terms of that cancellation, you will most likely only get 80% back. 
• If the train/ticket is canceled because of the train strike, then you can request a full refund here.
• To be crystal clear here, what you want to do is let them cancel so that you can request a full refund. Book alternate options separately because in the end, you will lose more by canceling your ticket yourself. (If there is a clear option to change your ticket and it won’t cost you anything, proceed with caution. It will get sticky if you change to another train that gets canceled too, and that is why we don’t recommend this.)

Italian Train Delays Pro Tip 2: If your train is delayed by 30 minutes or more, you may be entitled to compensation. Check the Trenitalia website for details.

CHECKING YOUR TRAIN’S STATUS IN ITALY

On the Trenitalia App: So, you’ve decided to take your chances and hope that your train isn’t canceled. There are several ways you can check your train’s status. In the Trenitalia app, you can open your ticket and click the option to see the train status. You can also click the train status option at the bottom of the screen to enter a specific train and see its status. 

The status screen will show you the entire journey. You can see where it starts, expected/actual arrival/departure times, and which platform it is/was/will be on in each city. You can see if the train is on time, or how late/early it will be. If your train hasn’t been canceled and has left its originating city, then you most likely won’t have a problem.

Online: There are also a few websites that you can use to track train statuses. If you aren’t using the Trenitalia app, you can use their website to check all the lines they offer (regional, intercity, FrecciaRossa, FrecciaBianca, and FrecciaArgento lines). You can also check Trenord, which serves the Lombardy region, where Milan is. Or, Italo, if you have chosen this private option for a fast connection between major cities.   

Checking the monitors at the station

At the station: If you’re at the station, you can check the monitors. The monitors will only tell you if the train is delayed, will be early, which platform it will be on, and if it’s canceled. Remember that if it’s canceled, it may not be announced until minutes before the scheduled departure time.

Learn to navigate Italy by train like a pro and read our post about train travel in Italy. Get inspiration for where to travel to in Italy from our inspiration page. Or read all about some of our favorite places in Italy in our city travel guides.

Have you experienced a canceled train because of a train strike in Italy? We’d love to hear about any tips or resources you have that we might have left out. Please use the comment section below to share! If you have questions, ask them in the comments section, and we’ll follow up with you.

Italian Train Travel Pro Tip 3: If you are traveling by train multiple times throughout Italy and/or in Europe, then you might want to consider a rail pass. Check the Rail Europe site to learn more and purchase your tickets.

-XO, The Twins

How can we help? We would love to hear your questions!

Contact us by email at thetwins@twicethetraveler.com

---

---