24-Hour Rail Strike Brings Train Service to a Standstill
Trenitalia, Italo, and Trenord are affected; South Tyrol is an exception
Rome – A nationwide rail strike is causing delays and train cancellations in Italy on Tuesday. The strike began on Monday evening at 9:18 p.m. and will last 24 hours, ending at 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday. Trenitalia, Italo, and Trenord are affected on both long-distance and regional routes, as train drivers and conductors will be on strike for the entire duration.
Several independent unions called for the strike, including Cub Trasporti, Sgb, and Cat, as well as a nationwide assembly of train crew members from the FS Group. In Piedmont, the rail union Orsa also joined the protests. At the heart of the matter is the demand for a swift renewal of the collective bargaining agreement, which, from the employees’ perspective, does not adequately reflect their increasing workload. The unions are also demanding reliable rest periods and vacation policies, as well as an end to frequent last-minute schedule changes. Staff safety is also a key concern, as incidents of violence against conductors and station employees have increased.
Fixed guaranteed service times apply for travelers this Tuesday. For regional service, Trenitalia and Trenord will operate reliably from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. For long-distance service on the Frecce and Intercity lines, Trenitalia and Italo are also publishing lists of guaranteed connections on their official channels, which should be checked before departure. Trains that are already in transit when the strike begins may be stopped at the next station. Delays are also possible in the hours before and after the actual strike window.
An exception applies to the provinces of Trento and Bolzano: Trenitalia staff there are not participating in the 24-hour strike; instead, the confederal unions in South Tyrol and Trentino staged a temporary eight-hour work stoppage. Travelers in South Tyrol can therefore expect significantly fewer disruptions than in the rest of the country. Since the underlying labor dispute remains unresolved, observers believe further strike days in the rail sector are possible in the coming months.
