KEY POINTS: What to expect from Italy's national rail strike on Tuesday
Train passengers in Italy are expected to face delays and cancellations on Tuesday as staff at Ferrovie dello Stato (FS), which includes Trenitalia, Trenord and Trenitalia Tper, plan to walk out from 9am to 5pm.
The protest was called by six of Italy's major trade unions, including Filt Cgil, Fit Cisl and Uiltrasporti, after the latest round of talks with the transport ministry over the renewal of collective labour agreements in the rail sector fell through.
Filt Cgil said last week that 'no agreement that aligns with trade unions' demands has been found yet'.
The protest is 'necessary' to 'defend the dignity of work, [workers'] safety, and the future of the Italian railway sector," it added.
Collective labour agreements in the rail sector expired in December 2023, according to a union statement.
Tuesday's walkout is set to affect long-distance, regional and commuter routes, with the overall level of disruption expected to vary by region, city and operator.
Under Italian public transport laws, rail operators must provide a minimum level of service during strikes held on weekdays.
Here's a look at how the upcoming protest is expected to affect Italy's main rail operators, as well as guaranteed services.
Trenitalia
National operator Trenitalia said in a statement that their services 'may experience cancellations or changes' due to the strike.
The operator added that it will operate several 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 from 6pm to 9pm.
You can see full details about essential services in each Italian region on Trenitalia's website.
Passengers who have booked Intercity or Frecce journeys for Tuesday and wish to cancel their trips have until the scheduled departure time to request a refund.
Passengers who have purchased regional train tickets must submit their refund requests by midnight on Monday, May 5th.
People planning to travel with Trenitalia on Tuesday are advised to check the status of their journey before setting off.
You can do so via the Infomobilità section of the operator's website or mobile app, or by calling 800 89 20 21 (toll-free number).
Trenord
Trenord, which operates a number of services 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 journeys.
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 final destination by 10am will also go ahead as normal, Trenord said.
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.
Trenitalia Tper
Services run 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 time slots on Tuesday: from 6am to 9am and from 6pm to 9pm.
You can find a full list of guaranteed train journeys here.
Italo
according to the latest Italian media reports.
How bad are rail strikes in Italy?
Rail strikes in Italy are frequent but not all cause major disruption for passengers.
The severity of disruption caused by any transport walkout in the country largely depends on how many workers decide to participate.
Generally speaking, nationwide protests backed by one or more major trade unions are the most likely to cause significant delays and/or cancellations as they represent more workers than smaller regional unions.
Even in the case of highly disruptive strikes though, national operators Trenitalia and Italo usually guarantee a number of essential services at peak travel times.
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.
see our separate article.
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