One of Italy's largest unions called a general strike starting on Thursday, October 2nd until Friday, October 3rd in “support of the Palestinian people” following “a series of indiscriminate massacres against defenceless civilians” in Gaza, according to a union statement.
The union said that the walkout was a form of “concrete opposition” to the Italian government's “complicity” in the ongoing Israeli offensive in the Palestinian territory.
READ ALSO: Italy's Meloni faces growing calls to recognise Palestinian state
The strike was expected to affect rail services across Italy, as well as education and healthcare services in both public and private institutions.
Flights to, from and across Italy and local public transport services, including buses, metro lines and trams, were not involved in the strike action and were expected to operate as normal.
The exact timing of strike action varies by sector and location, but here's what we know so far.
Trains
National rail network manager Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) said last week that the strike would affect train journeys from 9pm on Thursday, October 2nd, until 9pm on Friday, October 3rd.
High-speed, long-distance and regional services operated by Trenitalia, Trenord and Trenitalia Tper could experience delays or cancellations due to the strike, RFI added, noting that the walkout “may lead to schedule changes even before its start and after its end.”
Trenitalia
National rail operator Trenitalia said in a statement that its services may experience "cancellations or changes” due to the strike, warning of potential disruption even before its start or after its end.
The operator said that it would guarantee several medium- and long-distance services during the walkout. A full list can be found here.
As for regional trains, Trenitalia said it would guarantee the operation of a number of services over the following two time slots: from 6am to 9am and from 6pm to 9pm.
You can find full details about guaranteed regional services in each Italian region on Trenitalia’s website (under treni garantiti: ricerca per regioni).
Trenitalia said that passengers who have booked Intercity or high-speed Freccia journeys may request a refund up until the departure time of the booked train.
READ ALSO: How you can travel in Italy when there's a transport strike
Passengers who have booked regional train journeys must submit their refund requests by midnight on Wednesday, it added.
People planning to travel with Trenitalia during the nationwide walkout were 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 800892021 (toll-free).
Trenord
Trenord, which runs several regional services in Lombardy, including connections to and from Milan’s Malpensa Airport, said the strike could affect the normal operation of regional, suburban, airport and long-distance routes.
The operator said it would guarantee a number of essential services from 6am to 9am and 6pm to 9pm on Friday.
Trains scheduled to depart by 9pm on Thursday and arrive at their final destination by 10pm would complete their journeys, it added.
Should airport link services be cancelled due to the strike, replacement buses will run between Milan Cadorna (Via Paleocapa 1) and Malpensa Airport, and between Stabio and Malpensa Airport, Trenord said.
READ ALSO: Can I get a refund in Italy if my train is cancelled because of strikes?
For all the latest updates, see Trenord’s website or mobile app, or call their support centre at 0272494949. Trenord’s customer support centre is open from 6am to midnight every day.
Trenitalia Tper
Services run by Trenitalia Tper, which operates several lines in the northeastern Emilia Romagna region, may also experience delays or cancellations due to the walkout.
The operator said it would guarantee a minimum level of service over the following time slots: from 6am to 9am and from 6pm to 9pm.
You can find a full list of guaranteed train journeys here.
Trenitalia Tper’s customer support team can be contacted at 840 151 152 every day between 7am and 8pm.
Italo
As of Wednesday, private long-distance operator Italo hadn’t made any announcement regarding the strike.
According to the latest Italian media reports, Italo services shouldn’t be affected by the protest.
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 requesting a refund from Trenitalia and Italo, see our separate article.
Schools and universities
Normal teaching hours and classes at both public and private kindergartens, schools and universities across Italy may be subject to changes on Friday due to the general strike.
Canteen services, after-school activities and school buses could also be affected by the walkout, according to Italian media reports.
For details on how the strike may impact individual institutions, contact the information desk of the relevant kindergarten, school or university.
Healthcare
Scheduled appointments, diagnostic tests and non-emergency services at both public and private hospitals and clinics across Italy may be subject to changes or cancellations on Friday.
Emergency services, including emergency surgery, intensive care and ER operations, were expected to go ahead as normal during the strike, according to the latest media reports.
For details on how the strike may impact individual institutions, get in touch with the information desk of the relevant hospital or clinic.
Keep up with the latest updates in The Local’s strike news section.
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