October 7, 2026 — Italy’s transport ministry strike calendar shows a new national general strike called by the union USB for Friday, October 30. Unlike an earlier strike set for the same day, this one covers rail, from 9 pm on Thursday, October 29. The calendar also adds a bus strike on the Adriatic coast this Friday.
The new strike
- Who: USB (Unione Sindacale di Base), for public and private sector workers nationwide. The notice was filed on October 6.
- Rail: From 9:00 pm on Thursday, October 29, to 8:59 pm on Friday, October 30.
- Motorways: From 10:00 pm on October 29.
- Other sectors: The calendar entry gives hours only for rail and motorways. Whether flights, local transit and ferries are included is not confirmed (TBA).
- Why it matters: A separate general strike on October 30, called in July by the union USI-CIT, excludes air, rail, local transit and ferries. Press calendars from late September said that day would not affect transport. That is no longer true for trains.
- Guaranteed trains: Trenitalia and Italo have not yet published lists (TBA). We found no ruling from Italy’s strike regulator.
Dates on the ministry calendar
| Date | Action | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Thu, Oct 8 | Rail staff, 24 hours | Regional; press reports say Sicily |
| Fri, Oct 9 | ATM Milan transit, 24 hours | Milan metro, trams and buses; hours vary |
| Fri, Oct 9 | Start Romagna buses, 24 hours (new) | Forlì-Cesena, Ravenna and Rimini areas |
| Sat, Oct 10 | Florence local transit, 24 hours | Florence |
| Wed, Oct 14 | Tuscany regional general strike | Rail 9:01 am – 5:00 pm; local transit 4 hours; air transport excluded |
| Oct 15–16 | Ferry and maritime staff, 48 hours | Local; press reports say Naples and Salerno |
| Thu, Oct 29 | Trenitalia station staff, 24 hours | Emilia-Romagna, including Bologna and Rimini |
| Oct 29–30 | USB general strike (new) | National rail and motorways; other sectors TBA |
| Sat, Nov 21 | Air traffic control (ENAV), 1 pm – 5 pm | National |
| Sun, Nov 22 | ENAV at Milan Malpensa, 24 hours | Milan Malpensa |
| Fri, Dec 4 | General strike | National; sector details TBA |
What it means for airline travelers
- October 29–30: Do not count on trains to or from the airport, including the Leonardo Express in Rome and the Malpensa Express in Milan, until guaranteed-service lists appear. Italian rail strikes normally keep protected trains in commuter hours, but confirm with the operator.
- Milan this Friday: ATM strikes usually stop the metro outside protected time bands. Check ATM’s notice the day before and allow for a taxi to Linate or to the Malpensa train.
- Rimini and Ravenna this Friday: Local buses may not run. Guaranteed time bands are not listed.
- November 21: A four-hour air traffic control strike usually brings cancellations in the afternoon. Standby travelers should fly in the morning or on another day.
- Refunds: Trenitalia and Italo normally allow refunds or rebooking for strike-hit trains. Check their strike pages once the lists are out.
Sources
- Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport: Scioperi (strike calendar)
- Adnkronos: Scioperi ottobre 2026, si apre e si chiude con due “generali”
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