by InTrieste
Travelers across Italy are likely to face significant disruption on Thursday, July 9, as employees of the private high-speed rail operator Italo stage a 23-hour nationwide strike, raising the prospect of cancellations and delays on some of the country’s busiest rail routes.
The walkout, organized by the UIL Trasporti union, is scheduled to begin at 3 a.m. on Thursday and continue until 2 a.m. on Friday. According to Italy’s rail infrastructure manager, RFI, the strike is expected to affect Italo’s high-speed services in multiple regions, including Calabria, Campania, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Lazio, Liguria, Lombardy, Molise, Piedmont, Puglia, Trentino-Alto Adige, Tuscany and Veneto.
The disruption could impact major connections linking Turin, Milan, Bologna, Florence, Rome, Naples, Salerno and other destinations in southern Italy. Rail officials said the extent of the disruption will depend on staff participation, and passengers are encouraged to verify the status of their train before departing.
Under Italy’s regulations governing strikes in essential public services, a minimum number of guaranteed rail services will continue to operate. Italo has published a list of these guaranteed trains on its official website and advises travelers to monitor updates through its website, mobile app and customer service channels.
Trains already in operation when the strike begins will not necessarily be halted. Services scheduled to reach their final destination within one hour of the strike’s start may continue, while others could terminate at intermediate stations, where passengers will receive assistance with onward travel.
Customers whose trains are canceled or substantially modified may rebook their journey or request a refund in accordance with Italo’s conditions of carriage.
Union representatives say the strike has been called to press for improved working conditions for Italo employees. It follows a nationwide airport and airline strike on July 5 and comes ahead of another national rail strike planned for July 24, underscoring a summer of labor unrest in Italy’s transport sector.
For the official calendar of planned transport strikes, visit the Italian Transport Ministry’s website: https://scioperi.mit.gov.it/mit2/public/scioperi.
