Italy Braces for Widespread Transport Disruption with November and December Strikes

Nationwide General Strike on November 28 to Cause Major Disruption

Italy is preparing for significant travel disruptions as its Ministry of Infrastructure has outlined a series of nationwide transport strikes scheduled for November and December 2025. The most impactful of these is a 24-hour general strike set for Friday, November 28, which is expected to affect various sectors including air, rail, maritime, and local public transport across the country.

The general strike on November 28 has been called by the Unione Sindacale di Base (USB) and the Confederazione Unitaria di Base (CUB). Unions are protesting the government's 2026 budget bill, an austerity budget, and plans to increase military spending. They are demanding a minimum starting wage of €2,000 and a return of the retirement age to 62.

November's Calendar of Industrial Action

Beyond the general strike, November has seen and will continue to see several targeted actions:

• November 7: Local public transport workers staged 24-hour walkouts in cities including Milan, Palermo, and Ponza, with a four-hour strike in Messina.
• November 14: The aviation sector faced disruption with a national air traffic control stoppage for four hours (from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.), a 24-hour strike by airline staff from carriers like Volotea, and a shorter stoppage by easyJet crew. Major airports such as Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa, and Naples Capodichino were particularly affected.
• November 27-28 (General Strike Impact): A 24-hour national rail strike is planned from 9:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 27, until 9:00 p.m. on Friday, November 28. This will impact services from operators like Trenitalia and Italo, with intercity, high-speed, and interregional services most at risk. Motorway services are also expected to be affected from 10:00 p.m. on November 27 to 10:00 p.m. on November 28, with highway personnel stopping work. The general strike is also anticipated to disrupt freight operations across ports, warehouses, motorways, rail, and air cargo, with significant delays expected at key logistics hubs and ports like Genoa, Trieste, Livorno, and Civitavecchia.
• November 30: Milan's ATM network is scheduled for a city-wide walk-out.

December's Planned Disruptions

The strike calendar extends into December, potentially impacting holiday travel:

• December 1: Airport staff walkouts are scheduled in Sicily, affecting Palermo's Falcone-Borsellino Airport for 24 hours and Catania–Fontanarossa Airport for four hours (from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.).
• December 9: Rome's city-wide public transport will face a 24-hour strike.
• December 12: The major Italian trade union CGIL has called for a nationwide general strike. Rail passengers could experience disruption from midnight until 9:00 p.m., though flights and Rome's Atac public transport are not expected to be affected.
• December 17: A four-hour strike (from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.) is planned for airport staff nationwide. This action is expected to involve unions representing handlers, specific airline staff (including Vueling, ITA Airways, Air France, and KLM), and air traffic controllers in Rome.

Advice for Travelers

Italian law mandates minimum service guarantees during strikes, particularly during peak commuter hours (e.g., 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for regional rail, and 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. for flights). However, significant delays and cancellations are still anticipated outside these windows. Travelers are strongly advised to:

• Check the websites of transport operators such as Trenitalia and the civil aviation authority ENAC for the latest information on guaranteed services and potential disruptions.
• Consider flexible booking options.
• Allow extra time for journeys.
• Stay alert to last-minute changes, as strikes are a common feature of the Italian travel landscape.