KEY DATES: The transport strikes to expect in Italy in March 2025
Transport strikes are something of a regular occurrence in Italy, as most months of the year count at least two or three nationwide walkouts.
Quite conveniently though, most protests are planned and announced well in advance, with the Italian Transport Ministry listing them on a handy online calendar (available in Italian).
This usually gives commuters and international visitors some time to arrange alternative methods of transportation or, when possible, reschedule their journeys.
Here's a look at the walkouts that you should know about if you're travelling in Italy in March.
March 8th – General strike
People travelling to, from or across Italy may face delays and/or cancellations on Saturday, March 8th, as air, rail and public transport services are set to be affected by a general strike.
The exact start and end times of the walkout will vary by transport sector.
According to information currently displayed on the Transport Ministry website, air transport staff plan to strike for the whole day on Wednesday, whereas rail workers plan to walk out from 9pm on Tuesday, March 7th, to 9pm the following day.
The Transport Ministry didn't provide any details regarding the possible start and end times of protests in the local public transport sector.
Details on guaranteed transport services are expected to become available closer to the date of the strike.
Besides transport services, the strike, which is backed by national unions SLAI-COBAS, USI-CIT and CUB, may also affect healthcare and school services at both public and private institutions around the country.
March 10th – Public transport strikes in Catania and Messina
Commuters in the Sicilian cities of Catania and Messina may face disruption on Monday, March 10th, as staff at public transport operators AMTS and ATM plan to strike for four hours.
AMTS staff in Catania are expected to strike from 12pm to 4pm, whereas ATM workers in Messina are expected to walk out from 4pm to 8pm.
Under Italian strike laws, both operators will be required to guarantee the operation of essential services to allow commuters to travel to and from work.
Details about such services are expected to be announced closer to the date of the protests.
March 16th – National baggage handlers' strike
Baggage handlers at airports around Italy are set to take part in a 24-hour walkout on Sunday, March 16th.
Workers at Techno Sky, which provides and manages air navigation services at Milan Malpensa, are expected to stage a four-hour walkout (from 12pm to 4pm) on the same date.
It's currently unclear whether the walkouts will affect the scheduled departure times of flights headed to or departing from Italy. No flight cancellations have been announced so far.
Besides scheduled flights, the protest may also affect ground airport operations including check-in and baggage drop-off or collection services.
The national handlers' strike is backed by national transport union FLAI.
March 18th-19th – National rail strike
Train passengers in Italy are expected to face delays and/or cancellations on March 18th and March 19th as staff at rail operators Trenitalia, Trenitalia Tper, Trenord and Italo plan to take part in a 24-hour strike.
The walkout is set to start at 9pm on March 18th and end at 9pm on March 19th, affecting both regional and long-distance trains.
The overall level of disruption is expected to vary by region, city and operator, as well as the overall number of workers choosing to take part in the protest.
All involved rail operators will be required to provide a minimum level of service for passengers (this is generally made to coincide with peak travel hours).
The strike, which is backed by the USB union, was originally meant to be held over the February 22nd-23rd weekend.
It was later called off and rescheduled by the USB union after Italy's strike watchdog signed off on a series of urgent measures curbing the protest.
How bad are strikes in Italy?
Transport strikes in Italy are frequent, but not all of them cause major disruption for passengers.
The severity of disruption caused by any walkout in the country largely depends on how many workers choose to participate in it.
Generally speaking, nationwide protests backed by one or more major trade unions tend to have a bigger impact, as they represent more workers than smaller regional unions.
Even in the case of highly disruptive strikes though, transport operators are legally required to guarantee essential services (servizi essenziali or minimi) at peak travel times.
What to do if your flight is cancelled
If you're flying to, from or within the EU, you have the right to either a refund or rebooking, and the airline must always offer you the choice.
If you're booked onto a later flight and have to wait for more than two hours, you're entitled to assistance such as food and drink.
And in the case of cancellations at short notice you may also be able to claim compensation.
Find full details 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 given the option to travel on an equivalent service or ask for a full refund.
Private long-distance operator Italo and state-owned Trenitalia issue refunds automatically within 30 days of the cancelled trip.
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