Train passengers in Italy are expected to face disruption on Wednesday, as staff at state-owned rail operator Ferrovie dello Stato (FS), which includes Trenitalia, Trenord and Trenitalia Tper, and private company Italo are set to walk out from 9.01am to 4.59pm.
The protest was called by three national transport unions – Ugl Ferrovieri, Slm Fast Confsal and Orsa Ferrovie – to demand the renewal of collective labour agreements in the rail sector following their expiration one and a half years ago.
Rail workers are also calling on the government to “review the regulations governing the right to strike” as Italy’s strike laws are “the most restrictive in Europe,” unions said in a statement.
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The walkout is set to affect both regional and long-distance trains, with the overall level of disruption expected to vary by region, city and operator depending on the number of workers choosing to take part in the protest.
Under Italian strike regulations, all rail operators involved in Wednesday’s walkout are required to provide a minimum level of service for passengers.
You can find an overview of the services guaranteed by each operator below.
Trenitalia
National rail operator Trenitalia said in a statement that their services “may experience cancellations or changes” over the entire duration of the strike.
The walkout may also “result in service variations both before its start and after its end,” it added.
Trenitalia said it will operate a number of essential long-distance services during the walkout. These are available here.
As for the regional train network, essential services will be operated over the following windows: from 6am to 9am and then from 6pm to 9pm.
You can see full details about essential services in each Italian region by using the drop-down menu on Trenitalia’s website.
Passengers who have booked Intercity or Frecce journeys for Wednesday and wish to cancel their trips have until the scheduled departure time to request a refund.
People planning to travel with Trenitalia on Wednesday are advised to check the status of their journey before setting off.
This can be done via the Infomobilità section of the operator’s website or mobile app, or by calling their customer support centre at 800 89 20 21 (toll number).
Italo
Private long-distance operator Italo hasn’t released details as to how the strike may impact its services, but delays and/or cancellations cannot be ruled out.
Even in the case of a highly disruptive workout, the company will guarantee the operation of several long-distance services, which you can find highlighted in green here.
For further information, you can contact Italo’s customer support centre at 060 708 (toll number).
Trenord
Trenord, which operates a number of regional trains in the Lombardy region, including connections to and from Milan’s Malpensa Airport, said the strike could have “repercussions on regional, suburban, airport and long-distance services”.
Services scheduled to run between 6am and 9am, and between 6pm and 9pm won’t be affected by the walkout, according to the operator.
Trains scheduled to depart by 9.01am and arrive at their destination by 10am will complete their journey as normal, Trenord added.
Should airport link services be cancelled due to the strike, replacement buses will run between Milan Cadorna station and Malpensa Airport, and between Stabio and Malpensa Airport.
For all the latest updates, see Trenord’s website or mobile app.
Trenitalia Tper
Services by Trenitalia Tper, which operates a number of regional trains in the northeastern Emilia Romagna region, may also experience schedule changes or cancellations due to the walkout.
The operator will guarantee a minimum level of service over the following two time slots on Wednesday: from 6am to 9am and from 6pm to 9pm.
You can find a full list of guaranteed train journeys here.
What to do if your train is cancelled
If a pre-booked rail service is cancelled due to strike action in Italy, passengers are normally allowed to travel on equivalent services or are entitled to a refund.
For further information on how to request a refund from Italy’s two major train companies Trenitalia and Italo, see our separate article.
Keep up with the latest updates in The Local's strike news section.
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