Published on : 31 Oct 2026
November is shaping up as one of Europe’s busiest strike months of the year: a French national rail strike on November 5, a Spanish general strike on November 11, and a triple-hit weekend in Italy on November 20–22 with a general strike, a national rail strike, an air traffic control stoppage and airport walkouts.
Not every date will bring the same level of disruption. Some are confirmed and already causing cancellations, some are still being negotiated, and several have no official minimum-service plan yet. Italy’s calendar has shifted more than once, so travellers should treat every date below as a planning flag and confirm it close to departure.
Here is the full calendar, the three days that matter most, and your rights if your flight or train is cancelled.
Published: October 31, 2026 — Saturday Biggest dates: Thursday, November 5 (France); Wednesday, November 11 (Spain); Friday–Sunday, November 20–22 (Italy) Already confirmed: Ouigo (Spain) has cancelled all trains on November 2 France: National SNCF strike on November 5; the strike plan is due around 5pm on November 4 Spain: 24-hour general strike on November 11; minimum services not yet set for transport Italy: Several rail, air traffic control and airport strikes between November 6 and 22 Belgium: A national strike has been mentioned for the week of November 23, but no airport has confirmed disruption Rule of thumb: Allow a four-hour buffer between flights and train connections on strike days
| Date | Country | Who Is Striking | What’s Affected | Hours / Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mon, Nov 2 | Spain | Ouigo drivers (SEMAF) | All Ouigo trains cancelled | 24 hours; confirmed |
| Tue, Nov 3 | France | SNCF unions meet management | Strike may be lifted or maintained | Meeting day |
| Wed, Nov 4 | France | — | SNCF publishes its strike-day transport plan | Around 5pm |
| Thu, Nov 5 | France | CGT-Cheminots, UNSA-Ferroviaire, SUD-Rail, CFDT-Cheminots | TGV, Intercités, TER, RER and Transilien | National rail strike on an inter-union day of action |
| Fri, Nov 6 | Italy | ENAV, Bari control centre | Flights at Bari only | 13:00–17:00 |
| Fri, Nov 6 | Spain | Ouigo drivers | Partial stoppages | 06:00–12:00 and 18:00–23:59 (as announced) |
| Mon, Nov 9 | Italy | Italo-NTV staff | Nationwide Italo rail strike | 09:01–16:59; local strikes also in Palermo and Genoa |
| Wed, Nov 11 | Spain | CCOO and UGT (general strike) | Renfe, metros, buses, ground handling exposed | 24 hours, 00:00–24:00 |
| Fri, Nov 13 | Italy | Local transport staff | Milan ATM and Venice ATVO (buses linking Venice to its airports) | Local strikes |
| Sat, Nov 14 | Italy | Local transport staff | Bari public transport | Local strike |
| Mon, Nov 16 | Italy | ANM staff | Naples public transport | 11:00–15:00 |
| Fri, Nov 20 | Italy | CGIL general strike; CUB Trasporti and SGB Ferrovie | All sectors; rail strike begins at 21:00 | Full day |
| Sat, Nov 21 | Italy | Rail unions; ENAV (FILT-CGIL, UGL-TA) | Trains until 20:00; local transport in some cities; air traffic control nationwide | ENAV 13:00–17:00 |
| Sun, Nov 22 | Italy | ENAV Milan Malpensa; Sicuritalia IVRI security staff at Venice Marco Polo | Flights at Malpensa; security queues at Venice | 24 hours each |
| Week of Nov 23 | Belgium | National unions | Reported only; no airport has confirmed disruption | Unconfirmed |
| Dec 4 | Italy | National strike | Transport possible | Listed on Italy’s calendar |
| Dec 14 | Italy | Airport staff | Rome Fiumicino and Ciampino | Reported |
Italy’s calendar has changed several times. The nationwide ENAV stoppage is now listed for November 21, while the November 6 action affects only Bari. Always check the latest notice for your date.
For the first time in a while, all four representative SNCF unions have called a strike together, on the same day as a national day of strikes and protests over wages and the 2027 budget. TGV, Intercités, TER, RER and Transilien trains could all be hit. Strikers must declare themselves at least 48 hours ahead, so SNCF will not publish its plan until around 5pm on Wednesday, November 4. Unions meet SNCF management on Tuesday, November 3, which could change the picture.
For a sense of scale, during the last big SNCF strike on June 10 this year, one in three TGVs and one in two Intercités were cancelled. The strike falls the day before the commercial launch of the new TGV M on Paris–Marseille. Eurostar is not named as striking, but connections through Paris and Lille on SNCF services could be affected.
UGT and CCOO have called a 24-hour general strike, from midnight to midnight, over the housing crisis and wages. It is the first general strike backed by both unions since November 14, 2012. Barcelona’s Metro, FGC and Rodalies workers have also joined the call.
A general strike does not mean airports close. The services most exposed are ground handling and baggage, Renfe trains, metros and local buses, which could make airport transfers harder. The unions have asked the Transport Ministry to negotiate “proportionate” minimum services based on those of the 2010 and 2012 strikes, but as of October 29 no minimum-services decision had been published for aviation or rail on November 11.
| Day | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Friday, Nov 20 | CGIL general strike across public and private sectors; the national rail strike starts at 21:00 |
| Saturday, Nov 21 | Rail strike runs until 20:00 (23 hours in total); local transport strikes in some cities, including Turin and Naples; nationwide ENAV air traffic control strike, 13:00–17:00 |
| Sunday, Nov 22 | 24-hour ENAV strike at Milan Malpensa; 24-hour security staff strike at Venice Marco Polo |
Italy protects flights during strikes: services scheduled from 7am to 10am and from 6pm to 9pm must operate, and the aviation regulator ENAC publishes a list of guaranteed flights. Because the air traffic control strike is nationwide, it affects all airlines, not one carrier. One calendar source notes that, of all these dates, only the CGIL general strike on November 20 is fully confirmed, with participation to be verified company by company. Allow a buffer of at least four hours for any flight-to-train connection that weekend.
| Date | Main Risk | Who’s Most Exposed | Risk Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thu, Nov 5 | National rail strike in France | Rail passengers; Paris and Lille connections; tourists using TGV and RER | High for rail |
| Wed, Nov 11 | Spain-wide general strike | Airport transfers; Renfe, metro and bus users; ground-handling queues | Medium–High |
| Fri–Sun, Nov 20–22 | Italy: general strike, rail strike, ATC and airport walkouts | Rome, Milan, Venice and Naples visitors; anyone connecting by train to airports | Very high |
| Mon, Nov 2 | Ouigo (Spain) cancellations | Ouigo ticket-holders on the All Saints bridge | Confirmed |
| Situation | What You Can Usually Expect | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Train cancelled by a strike in Italy | The option of an equivalent service or a full refund | Check Trenitalia, Italo or regional operator guaranteed-train lists |
| Train cancelled in France or Spain | Exchange or refund under each operator’s conditions | Use SNCF Connect, Renfe or Ouigo’s booking tools |
| Flight cancelled by an air traffic control or airport strike | Rerouting, care and refunds; compensation is usually unlikely when a strike is outside the airline’s control | Keep boarding passes and receipts; check your airline’s strike policy |
| Missed connection (train to flight) | Not covered unless on a single booking and a through ticket | Book flight and train on the same ticket where possible, or add a long buffer |
| Travel insurance | Strike cover varies; many policies exclude strikes announced before purchase | Read your policy and buy early |
General guidance, not legal advice. Check your airline’s and rail operator’s conditions, and EU261 or UK261 as relevant.
We’ll update this calendar as SNCF publishes its November 4 plan, as Spain sets its minimum services, and as Italy confirms or moves any dates. Belgium’s reported week-of-November-23 action is not yet confirmed by any airport and is not included in the dated list above.
Posted By : Vinay
This article is provided for general informational purposes only and is based on information available at the time of publication. Travel advisories, airline schedules, airport operations, visa requirements, government regulations, and other travel-related information are subject to change without prior notice. While Travel Tourister makes reasonable efforts to verify information using official announcements, government publications, airline and airport communications, and other reliable sources, we cannot guarantee that all information remains complete, accurate, or up to date at all times. Readers should independently verify any information that may affect their travel plans with the relevant airline, airport authority, government agency, embassy, or other official source before making travel, financial, or other decisions. Travel Tourister shall not be liable for any direct or indirect loss, inconvenience, or damages arising from the use of or reliance on the information contained in this article. Nothing in this publication constitutes legal, immigration, financial, or professional travel advice. If you believe any information in this article is inaccurate or outdated, please contact our editorial team. We review all credible correction requests promptly and update our content whenever appropriate.
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