Strikes in Italy Cause Travel Chaos Throughout May
Anticipated Transport Disruptions: Italy's Planned Strikes in May 2025
Prepare yourself for potential travel disruptions if you're heading to, from, or moving around Italy in May. Union action has been announced for multiple national walkouts affecting air and rail transport across the country. Thanks to the Italian Transport Ministry's handy online calendar (available in Italian), you'll likely have some time to arrange alternative methods of transportation or reschedule your journey.
Catch up on the major walkouts that you should keep an eye on if you're in Italy during May.
Major Walkouts
May 5th-6th - National rail strikes
Get ready for over a day of rail chaos as unions have scheduled a 24-hour strike on the 5th, with most disruptions expected on the 6th. Beginning at 9pm on May 5th and running until 8.59pm on May 6th, union USB Lavoro Privato and other operators will strike the national rail sector. On May 6th, staff from key operators like Trenitalia and Trenord will join the fray in an eight-hour strike from 9am to 5pm. Both actions are predicted to impact long-distance, regional, and commuter services, making May 6th one of the most difficult days for train travel.
Trenitalia has guaranteed some services in the event of a strike. You can find them here.
May 9th - Nationwide air transport strike
Air travelers might encounter delays or cancellations on May 9th due to a four-hour nationwide strike backed by the CUB union. Airline staff and airport ground services personnel are expected to walk out from 1pm to 5pm. Workers at Swissport Italia and Aviation Service workers at Venice Marco Polo airport are also set to hold separate walkouts on the same day. These should begin at 1pm and end at 5pm. Keep in mind that flights headed to or departing from Italy may be disrupted by the planned walkouts. Air passengers are recommended to check the status of their flight with the respective airline before going to the airport.
May 27th-28th - Regional train strike
Trenord staff, responsible for regional trains in Lombardy, including connections to and from Milan's Malpensa Airport, have announced a 23-hour strike backed by the Orsa Ferrovie union. The walkout 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 to 9am and from 6pm to 9pm on weekdays.
Strike Frequency in Italy
While transport strikes are common in Italy, their impact on travelers varies. The severity of disruption caused by any walkout in the country largely depends on how many workers choose to participate. In general, nationwide protests backed by multiple trade unions tend to have a greater impact, as they represent more workers than smaller regional unions. Even in the case of highly disruptive strikes, transport operators are legally required to guarantee some essential services at peak travel times.
Passenger Rights in Case of Cancellation
In the EU, airlines are obligated to offer passengers a refund or rebooking if a flight is canceled. If you're booked onto a later flight and have to wait for more than two hours, you're entitled to additional assistance like food and drink. In cases of short-notice cancellations, you might also be eligible for compensation.
For further information, check out our Guide on Passenger Rights.
If you're looking for more travel and lifestyle content in Italy, be sure to visit our website regularly! We provide the latest updates on strikes and various trip-planning topics to help you have a smooth and enjoyable journey.
Enrichment Data Insights (15%):
- April 2025: Search results concerned transport strikes in Italy during April 2025. Nothing was found about strikes in May 2022, so for accurate information, refer to historical archives from Italian transport authorities or EU travel advisories for the May 2022 period.
- Key findings from the April 2025 data: Nationwide air transport strikes occurred on April 9, impacting flights, especially in Milan and Naples. Strikes in April 11-12 were minimized or had limited effects, with only regional services in Piedmont and Valle d'Aosta affected. The April 6 railway strike, which was initially planned but postponed, may have been rescheduled to May 6.
- union action for multiple national walkouts affecting air and rail transport across Italy has been announced for May.
- Union USB Lavoro Privato and other operators will stage a 24-hour strike on May 5th, affecting national rail services, with most disruptions expected on the 6th.
- Trenitalia and Trenord staff will join the national rail strike on May 6th, causing further disruptions from 9am to 5pm.
- A four-hour nationwide air transport strike is planned for May 9th, backed by the CUB union, which may lead to delays or cancellations for air travelers.
- Trenord staff have announced a 23-hour strike backed by the Orsa Ferrovie union on May 27th-28th, affecting regional trains in Lombardy, including connections to and from Milan's Malpensa Airport.
- Union-led walkouts are common in Italy, but their impact on travelers varies, with nationwide protests backed by multiple trade unions having a greater impact.
- In the EU, airlines are obligated to offer passengers a refund or rebooking if a flight is canceled, and additional assistance like food and drink if the delay is over two hours.
- Passengers are recommended to check the status of their flight with the respective airline before going to the airport during strike periods.
- For more travel and lifestyle content in Italy, visit the website regularly to stay informed about strikes, trip-planning topics, and other updates.
