Italy’s rail network faces a 24-hour national strike beginning at 21:18 on Monday, 7 September 2026, and running until 21:17 on Tuesday, 8 September. Train drivers and onboard staff across Trenitalia, Trenitalia Tper, Mercitalia Rail and other Gruppo FS subsidiaries are covered by the industrial action, making widespread cancellations and timetable changes likely.
What to Expect
The strike affects both high-speed (Frecciarossa, Frecciargento, Frecciabianca) and regional services. High-speed trains on the Rome–Milan, Rome–Florence, Milan–Venice and Naples–Rome corridors are all at risk of cancellation or significant delays.
Italian law guarantees certain minimum services during strikes — typically a morning wave and an evening wave of trains — but these are limited in frequency and fill rapidly. Passengers with advance bookings on cancelled services are entitled to refunds or rebooking at no extra cost.
Additional Regional Strikes
Two regional strikes follow closely:
- Trentino-Alto Adige, 7 September, 09:01–17:00: Trenitalia mobile staff, affecting trains in the Dolomites region.
- Bologna / Emilia-Romagna, 21 September, 09:01–17:00: RFI operating and administrative staff at Bologna, disrupting services through the region.
What to Do
If you have train tickets for 7–8 September, check your booking directly with Trenitalia or your regional operator in the days before departure. Trenitalia typically publishes confirmed guaranteed-service lists 48–72 hours ahead of a strike.
If you are still planning your trip, consider:
- Booking outbound and inbound trains on 6 September or 9 September to avoid the disruption window entirely.
- Checking intercity bus alternatives on FlixBus or Itabus, which are not affected by the rail strike.
- Allowing extra time for connections if you must travel on those dates.
Context
This strike follows a period of heavy disruption on Italy’s rail network in August, including the Florence–Rome line maintenance closure (10–28 August) and investigations into suspected sabotage of signalling infrastructure. The September strike adds to an already congested start of autumn, when tourist volumes remain high and Italian schools begin the new term.
Our guide to train travel in Italy has full advice on booking Trenitalia, understanding fare classes, and what your rights are if a service is cancelled. For the latest on disruptions during your trip, the Italy transport strikes page is updated regularly. If the strike affects connections to a flight or pre-paid accommodation, travel insurance for Italy can cover out-of-pocket costs that Trenitalia refunds do not address.