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Italy National Rail Strike: Trenitalia and Trenord Disrupted 23–24 July

· 2 min read Travel News
Trenitalia train at an Italian station platform during a national strike

Contents

  1. Who Is Affected
  2. What to Expect
  3. Practical Steps
  4. Context

A national rail strike has been called by the grassroots trade unions SGB (Sindacato Generale di Base) and CUB (Confederazione Unitaria di Base), running from 21:00 on Thursday 23 July to 21:00 on Friday 24 July 2026.

Who Is Affected

The walkout covers staff employed by Trenitalia, Trenord, Trenitalia Tper, and other companies within the FS Group. Both regional and inter-city rail services across the whole of Italy are in scope.

Italo high-speed trains are not part of this action and are expected to operate normally throughout.

What to Expect

Outside the legally guaranteed service windows, trains on Trenitalia and Trenord regional networks may be cancelled at short notice or run without published schedules. Long-distance Trenitalia Frecciarossa and Frecciargento services may also see gaps in departures during the strike window.

Italian law requires a minimum service guarantee during peak commuter hours on weekdays:

  • 06:00–09:00 - minimum services must run
  • 18:00–21:00 - minimum services must run

Outside those windows, no minimum is required.

Practical Steps

  • Check your booking via the Trenitalia app or trenitalia.com before travelling today or tomorrow.
  • If your train is cancelled, you are entitled to rebook on the next available service at no extra cost, or request a full refund.
  • Italo and FlixTrain services can be used as alternatives where routes overlap. Italo’s booking site typically allows same-day changes on strike days without fees.
  • For journeys to airports - Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa - allow extra time or book a taxi or transfer in advance. See our guide to getting around Italy by train for alternative connections.

For a full overview of how Italian transport strikes work and your rights as a passenger, see our Italy transport strikes guide.

Context

This is the fourth significant transport action to affect Italy since mid-July. A rail contractors’ strike hit on 15 July, Venice waterbus workers walked out on 17 July, and a national air strike grounded flights on 21 July. The GNV ferry strike (22–23 July) ended at noon today, shortly before this rail action begins.