Practical

Italy strike on Friday 30 October: the government bans it, the union says it's going ahead

29 October 20264 min read

Heading to Italy this weekend? Or already there? Then read this before Friday.

The USB union (Unione Sindacale di Base) has called a 24-hour national general strike on Friday 30 October 2026. Planes, trains, taxis, public transport, ports: almost everything is affected.

Then, on the evening of 27 October, a twist: transport minister Matteo Salvini signed an order to postpone the strike to a later date. The union's response: it calls the order "illegitimate" and is going ahead with the strike.

The result: nobody can guarantee today what will run, or fly, on Friday.

Why the government wants to block the strike

Italy's strike guarantee commission warned of "serious harm to citizens' freedom of movement". The strike falls just before the All Saints' long weekend and the commemoration of the dead on 2 November, when many Italians travel to visit their loved ones' graves.

The order covers air, rail and maritime transport, local transport, taxis and road safety services.

Why the union is going ahead

USB is calling for:

higher wages and pensions indexed to inflation;
an end to rearmament policies and military spending;
opposition to recent public order and security measures.

The union says it is ready to accept the financial consequences. The penalties are heavy: €500 to €1,000 a day for each worker who strikes despite the order, and €2,500 to €50,000 a day for the union.

What's planned, sector by sector

Here are the announced strike hours:

✈️ Flights

Strike from 00:00 to 23:59 on Friday 30 October.
The protected windows are generally 7–10am and 6–9pm, but this doesn't guarantee that every flight in those hours will operate.
A separate 24-hour ground-handling strike is also announced at Florence and Pisa airports.

🚆 Trains (Trenitalia, Frecciarossa, Italo, Trenord)

Strike from Thursday 29 October at 9pm to Friday 30 October at 8:59pm.
On Thursday evening, trains departing before 9pm and arriving at their destination by 10pm will run.
On Friday, only medium- and long-distance trains on the official lists of guaranteed minimum services will run.
Cancelled airport links, such as the Malpensa Express, will be replaced by direct buses.

🚕 Taxis

Strike from 00:01 to 23:59 on Friday 30 October.

🚌 Buses and metro

Rome: Atac metro and buses, and Cotral buses, on strike for 24 hours. Service guaranteed only from start of service until 8:29am, then from 5pm to 7:59pm.
Milan: Atm staff (metro, buses) are not striking. In the region, it's Trenord trains that are affected.

⚓ Ports

24-hour strike by port workers. Ports named: Civitavecchia, Genoa, Gioia Tauro, Ravenna, Livorno and Trieste. Check with your ferry company.

Demonstrations are also planned on Friday, including in Rome (10:30am, Piazza dei Cinquecento) and Milan (10am, Piazza Duca d'Aosta, outside Central Station).

Your flight is cancelled: what are your rights?

Under the EU air passenger rights regulation:

You choose between a refund within 7 days and rerouting to your destination, as soon as possible or on a date of your choice.
The refund must be in cash. A voucher is only possible if you agree to it.
The airline must provide meals and refreshments in proportion to the wait, a hotel if you need to stay overnight, and transport between the airport and the hotel.
Compensation of €250 to €600 depends on the flight distance, but it isn't automatic in a strike. A strike by the airline's own staff generally doesn't exempt it. However, an external strike (air traffic control, airport staff, a national general strike) is more likely to count as an "extraordinary circumstance". One thing never changes: the refund and assistance are owed in every case.

By train: Trenitalia refunds at no cost if you cancel. With Trenord, you must apply within 30 days of the strike.

Our tips before Friday

Check your flight in your airline's app and on the ENAC (Italian civil aviation authority) list of guaranteed flights.
Check your train on the Trenitalia and Italo lists of guaranteed trains.
Allow extra time for your journeys: taxis and local transport are affected.
Keep all your proof (boarding passes, meal or hotel receipts) in case you make a claim.
Book your airport transfer in advance so you don't depend on taxis that day.

Plan your stay in Italy

Airport transfers, museum tickets and tours in Rome, Milan, Florence: see Klook Italy deals
Mobile data from the moment you land, to follow live updates: Airalo eSIM or Saily eSIM
Already booked a hotel for later? Prixofy alerts you if the price drops before your stay.

The situation may still change before Friday. Check with your airline or rail operator before you travel.

Sources

Your take

A strike hits during your trip. What do you do?

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