KEY DATES: The transport strikes to expect in Italy in May 2025
Transport strikes are something of a regular occurrence in Italy, with at least two or three nationwide walkouts called each month.
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 major walkouts that you should know about if you're travelling to, from or across Italy in May.
May 5th and 6th - National rail strikes
Monday, May 5th is set to mark the beginning of one of the month's major transport strikes, though the bulk of the disruption is expected on May 6th.
Starting at 9pm on May 5th and running until 8.59pm on May 6th, union USB Lavoro Privato is expected to launch a 24-hour strike targeting the national rail sector.
The walkout is due to overlap with an eight-hour national train strike on Tuesday, May 6th, with staff from key operators including Trenitalia, Trenord and the FS Group set to walk off the job from 9am to 5pm.
You can find the Trenitalia services guaranteed in the event of a strike here.
May 9th – Nationwide air transport strike
Air travellers should prepare for delays on May 9th, when a four-hour nationwide strike is set to hit the aviation sector, led by union CUB.
From 1pm to 5pm, staff working in airlines, airports and related services are expected to stop work.
This includes airline employees and ground handling crews at airports across the country.
Specifically, workers at Swissport Italia, which provides check-in, boarding and lost-and-found services at Milan Linate airport, as well as staff of Aviation Services at Venice Marco Polo airport, are expected to participate.
Flight schedules may be disrupted, and passengers are advised to check with their airlines before heading to the airport.
May 27th – Regional train strike
Staff of Trenord, which operates a number of regional trains in Lombardy, including connections to and from Milan's Malpensa Airport, are set to strike for 23 hours on May 27th into May 28th.
The walkout, called by the Orsa Ferrovie rail workers' union, is scheduled to start at 3am on Tuesday, May 27th and end at 2am on Wednesday, May 28th.
Trenord guarantees minimum train services from 6am-9am and 6pm-9pm on weekdays.
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 some essential services 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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