Travellers heading from Austria to Italy on Monday should check their connections carefully, as a nationwide strike is expected to cause major disruption to rail and local public transport.
The strike affects staff at FS Italiane, Italo and Trenord from 9pm on Sunday, May 17th until just before 9pm on Monday, May 18th, according to Rete Ferroviaria Italiana. Disruption may also occur before the strike officially begins and after it ends.
Austria’s motoring association ÖAMTC warned of “massive traffic disruption” on May 18th, with both rail and local transport affected. ORF also reported that schools, healthcare and parts of the public administration could be affected in Italy.
For people travelling from Austria, an Italy-bound train will likely not run as normal, especially if your journey involves South Tyrol, Trenitalia, Italo, Trenord or local public transport after arrival.
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Which trains are affected?
The strike is expected to affect high-speed, regional and long-distance rail services in Italy.
ÖAMTC said Frecciarossa and Italo high-speed trains, as well as regional services, are among those affected. RFI said the strike covers FS Italiane, Italo and Trenord staff.
For South Tyrol and cross-border travellers, Südtirol News reported that long-distance services operated by Trenord/ÖBB/DB are affected, as well as the RegioExpress from Bolzano to Milan departing Bolzano at 4:56pm. Trenitalia and Italo connections may also be cancelled.
The following cross-border trains are listed as guaranteed:
- RJ82 from Bologna Centrale at 1:52pm to Munich Hauptbahnhof at 8:26pm
- RJ83 from Munich Hauptbahnhof at 9:33am to Bologna Centrale at 4:08pm
However, Südtirol News said that the Railjet trains Innsbruck-Bozen 184 and 185 are cancelled. It also said Railjet trains 80, 84, 86 and 88 will be replaced by buses.
Are there guaranteed travel windows?
For Trenitalia and Trenitalia Tper regional transport, essential services are guaranteed on weekdays from 6am to 9am and from 6pm to 9pm, according to Trenitalia.
But that doesn’t mean every train will run in those windows, so passengers should still check the specific connection before travelling.
For longer-distance trains, Trenitalia says guaranteed services can be checked through its list of long-distance trains guaranteed during strikes.
READ ALSO: Everything you need to know about travelling by train in Austria
What about city transport in Italy?
Local public transport in many Italian cities may also be affected.
In Rome, the strike affects Atac and Cotral. In Milan, the ATM transport company had also warned of possible restrictions. Rome’s bus, tram and metro operator Atac would guarantee services until 8:29am and again between 5pm and 7:59pm. In Milan, ATM listed guaranteed windows from 4:30am to 8:45am and from 3pm to 6pm.
Travellers flying via Milan Malpensa should also check airport links, as substitute buses may be used if rail services are cancelled.
What should travellers from Austria do?
Anyone travelling from Austria into Italy on Monday should check their train shortly before leaving, even if it was running at the time of booking. That is especially important for journeys via Innsbruck, Brenner, Bolzano, Verona, Milan, Venice or Bologna, and for anyone relying on Italian regional trains after crossing the border.
If your journey includes a guaranteed train, check whether any connecting services before or after it are still running. A cross-border train may operate, but the local connection at the other end may not.
Travellers should also allow more time in Italian cities, where buses, trams, metros and regional trains may be disrupted.
READ ALSO: EXPLAINED: How you can travel in Italy when there’s a transport strike
Key vocabulary
der Bahnstreik – rail strike
der Nahverkehr – local public transport
der Fernverkehr – long-distance transport
die Verbindung – connection or service
der Schienenersatzverkehr – rail replacement service, usually by bus
die Erstattung – refund