Published on : 27 Feb 2026
Published: February 27, 2026 Strike Status: 🔴 ACTIVE — Starts 21:00 CET Tonight Strike Window: 21:00 Friday Feb 27 → 20:59 Saturday Feb 28 Operators Shut Down: Trenitalia, Italo, FS Group, Trenord, Trenitalia Tper Routes Cancelled: ALL long-distance — Rome–Milan, Rome–Florence, Milan–Venice, Naples–Rome + MORE Guaranteed Windows (Feb 28): 06:00–09:00 ✅ and 18:00–21:00 ✅ ONLY Malpensa Express: ❌ Cancelled — replacement buses from Milano Cadorna (Via Paleocapa 1) Passengers at Risk: Hundreds of thousands across Italy and inbound tourists Refund Status: Full refund available — no cancellation fee
ACTIVE NOW. At 21:00 CET tonight, every Trenitalia, Italo, FS Group, Trenord and Trenitalia Tper train across Italy stops. The national rail strike — called by the National Assembly Pdm/Pdb union in a dispute over below-inflation wages, rest period cuts, and staffing shortages — runs a full 24 hours until 20:59 Saturday February 28. This is the third act of Italy’s four-day transport shutdown after Tuesday’s local transport strike and Wednesday’s aviation walkout. If you are currently in Italy, on a train, or planning to travel by rail anywhere in the country tonight or tomorrow — this guide is for you.
| Time (CET) | What Happens |
|---|---|
| 21:00 Fri Feb 27 | 🔴 Strike begins — all non-guaranteed trains cancelled |
| 21:00 Fri → 06:00 Sat | ❌ Complete shutdown — no long-distance, no regional trains |
| 06:00–09:00 Sat Feb 28 | ✅ GUARANTEED WINDOW — limited service operates |
| 09:00–18:00 Sat Feb 28 | ❌ Full shutdown resumes — no trains |
| 18:00–21:00 Sat Feb 28 | ✅ GUARANTEED WINDOW — limited service operates |
| 20:59 Sat Feb 28 | ✅ Strike officially ends — normal service resumes overnight |
Critical rule for tonight: Any train scheduled to depart by 21:00 and arrive at its final destination by 22:00 will complete its journey. If your train departs before 21:00 but cannot reach its final destination by 22:00, it may be terminated at the next station. Trenitalia will attempt to provide alternative connections where trains remain available.
Every single Italian rail operator is affected. This is not a partial strike.
❌ TRENITALIA — All Frecciarossa, Frecciargento, Frecciabianca high-speed services cancelled outside guaranteed windows. All Intercity and regional trains cancelled outside guaranteed windows. Check: trenitalia.com/tcom-e/index.html
❌ ITALO — All Italo AV high-speed services cancelled outside guaranteed windows. Official guaranteed trains list published at italotreno.com — check your specific train number. Toll-free: 060708
❌ FS GROUP (Ferrovie dello Stato) — All FS network operations cancelled including freight (Mercitalia). The entire national rail infrastructure operator is participating.
❌ TRENORD — All Lombardy regional trains cancelled outside guaranteed windows. This directly affects all Milan suburban, commuter, and airport connections including the Malpensa Express.
❌ TRENITALIA TPER — All Emilia-Romagna regional trains cancelled. Bologna, Ferrara, Ravenna, Rimini, Parma, Modena connections severely affected.
❌ ARRIVA ITALIA (Turin region) — Parallel local strike action. Turin–Milan, Turin–Asti services disrupted.
❌ FERROVIE SUD-EST (Bari/Puglia region) — Parallel local strike. Bari, Brindisi, Lecce, Taranto connections disrupted.
Italian law (Law 146/1990) requires rail operators to maintain minimum essential services during strikes. On Saturday February 28, guaranteed services operate during two windows only:
A limited number of designated long-distance and regional trains operate. These are published in advance on each operator’s website. Seats on these trains are filling fast — if you need to travel Saturday morning, check availability now at trenitalia.com or italotreno.com and book immediately.
A second limited service window. Same rules apply — book in advance as seats are extremely limited.
Outside these windows: No trains. Not delayed — cancelled. Do not go to the station expecting trains to eventually come. They will not.
Important nuance: Even during guaranteed windows, expect reduced frequency. A route that normally runs every 30 minutes may have only 1–2 trains in the entire 3-hour window. Journey planners may still show timetable entries — a visible timetable does not mean the train is confirmed to run. Always verify on ViaggiaTreno (viaggiatreno.trenitalia.com) or your operator’s real-time status page.
The Malpensa Express — the dedicated rail link connecting Milan city centre to Malpensa Airport (MXP) — is operated by Trenord and is cancelled during the strike.
Official replacement confirmed by Trenord:
🚌 Non-stop replacement buses are operating between:
If you have a flight from Malpensa on Saturday February 28:
✈️ Allow at least 2.5–3 hours before your flight departure for ground transfer ✈️ Buses will be crowded — arrive at Via Paleocapa 1 at least 30 minutes before bus departure ✈️ Pre-book a private taxi or transfer tonight as backup — Saturday morning demand will be extreme ✈️ Check Trenord app or trenord.it for real-time bus schedules and confirmation
For Rome Fiumicino (FCO): The Leonardo Express airport train is a Trenitalia service. It is subject to the same strike rules. Check trenitalia.com for guaranteed Leonardo Express times on Saturday — or book a taxi/transfer tonight.
For Milan Linate (LIN): Linate is served by Milan ATM metro (Line 4 / M4). ATM is a separate operator and not affected by the rail strike — normal service operates. Allow standard transfer time.
Fiumicino Airport (FCO): Leonardo Express rail link affected — check guaranteed times or take taxi (€48 fixed fare to/from central Rome). Journey: 30 minutes Roma Termini: All long-distance departures cancelled after 21:00 tonight. No Rome→Milan, Rome→Florence, Rome→Naples, Rome→Venice until guaranteed windows Saturday. Regional trains (Lazio): Severely reduced. Roma Tiburtina, Roma Ostiense, Roma Tuscolana services disrupted. Metro/Bus Rome: Roman public transport (ATAC) is a separate operator — ATAC metro and bus services are NOT affected by the national rail strike and operating normally.
Malpensa Airport (MXP): Malpensa Express cancelled — use replacement buses from Via Paleocapa 1 (see above) Linate Airport (LIN): M4 metro operating normally — not affected Orio al Serio (BGY / Bergamo): No direct rail — road transfer only (already standard). No change. Milano Centrale: All long-distance departures cancelled after 21:00 tonight. No Milan→Rome, Milan→Venice, Milan→Florence until Saturday guaranteed windows. Trenord regional (Lombardy): Severely reduced. All suburban lines affected.
Santa Maria Novella: All Florence→Rome, Florence→Milan, Florence→Venice departures cancelled after 21:00 tonight. Florence→Pisa Centrale affected. Florence Airport (FLR): Peretola airport — no direct rail connection normally; road transfer unchanged.
Santa Lucia / Mestre: All Venice→Milan, Venice→Bologna, Venice→Rome departures cancelled after 21:00. Venice Marco Polo (VCE): No direct rail to airport normally — water taxi or bus transfer unchanged. Treviso Airport (TSF): Road transfer only — unchanged.
Napoli Centrale: All Naples→Rome, Naples→Florence, Naples→Milan departures cancelled after 21:00. Naples Airport (NAP): Alibus airport bus is a separate Neapolitan transit service — not affected. Journey to/from Piazza Garibaldi: 20 minutes. Circumvesuviana (Pompeii, Sorrento): Separate operator — check local service status separately.
Wednesday’s aviation strike (Feb 26) cancelled 750+ flights. Many of those passengers were rebooked onto trains for Thursday and Friday. Now those same trains are being cancelled in tonight’s rail strike.
This is the “double-stranded” scenario: passengers whose ITA Airways or easyJet flight was cancelled Wednesday and who rebooked onto trains for Thursday or Friday now face train cancellations on top. Reports from Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa confirm this is already happening — passengers waiting in airport terminals since Wednesday have no viable alternative route by land either.
If you are currently stranded from Wednesday’s flight cancellations:
🔗 Full EU261 rights guide: Italy Strike LIVE Feb 26: 750+ Flights Cancelled — Rome, Milan, Venice Paralysed — Your €250–€600 Claim
Italian law entitles you to a full refund on cancelled train tickets. Here’s how to claim by operator:
Online: trenitalia.com → My Bookings → Request Refund At the station: Any Trenitalia ticket office — present your ticket and request cancellation/refund App: Trenitalia app → Bookings → Cancel Timeline: Refunds processed within 30 days to original payment method Deadline: You can request a refund from the time the strike is announced until the scheduled departure time of Frecce and Intercity trains. For regional trains: until midnight the day before the strike.
Online: italotreno.com → My Trips → Cancel/Refund Phone: 060708 (toll-free, Italy) Note: Italo has also published its guaranteed trains list at italotreno.com — check if your specific train is on the guaranteed list before cancelling.
If you booked through Rail Europe or ItaliaRail, the refund process goes through those platforms. ItaliaRail customer service: info@italiarail.com or 1-833-482-5421 (US toll-free). Note: Basic fare refunds may take up to 6 months to process through third-party platforms.
trenitalia.it/tcom/Airport/Aeroporto_Malpensa → check for updated replacement bus schedule and refund form.
🚌 Long-Distance Buses FlixBus, Itabus, and MarinoBus all operate between major Italian cities and are NOT affected by the rail strike. Routes between Rome, Milan, Florence, Naples, Venice, and Bologna are available but booking up fast.
Warning: Saturday bus availability is likely very limited given volume of displaced rail passengers. Book within the next hour if this is your only option.
🚗 Car Rental Saturday morning car rentals in Italy will be scarce and expensive by dawn. Book tonight.
✈️ Domestic Flights Limited domestic air connections exist (Rome→Milan, Rome→Venice) on ITA Airways and Ryanair. However, ITA Airways is itself still recovering from Wednesday’s aviation strike — check availability and expect limited seats at elevated prices.
🚕 Taxis / Private Transfers For critical journeys — airport connections, medical appointments, departing international flights — a private transfer may be the only reliable option. Book now via Uber (available in Rome, Milan) or through your hotel concierge.
The national rail strike is the culmination of a dispute over the renewal of the national collective labour contract (CCNL) for rail transport workers.
The National Assembly Pdm/Pdb — a self-organised group of FS Group locomotive drivers and onboard staff — called the 24-hour action citing three specific grievances:
1. Below-inflation wage increases: Rail workers have been offered pay rises that do not keep pace with Italy’s 2024–25 inflation rate. Workers argue their real purchasing power has fallen significantly since the last contract renewal.
2. Rest period cuts: Management proposals include reductions in mandatory rest periods between shifts — a particular concern for safety-sensitive roles like train drivers.
3. Staffing shortages: The Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics construction boom created a labour shortage in northern Italy, compounding existing staffing pressures on the rail network.
The Italian government had originally attempted to requisition (precettare) the strikes when they were planned for February 16 — coinciding with the peak of the Winter Olympics. That attempt succeeded in postponing the aviation strike to February 26 and the rail strike to February 27–28. With the Olympics now concluded (February 23), the government has no current legal grounds to intervene again.
Looking ahead, the unresolved labour dispute signals Italy’s 2026 peak tourism and spring season could see further industrial action, particularly as the Paralympic Games begin March 7 and the ATC strike threat at Rome ACC looms the same day.
The rail strike is not the last disruption Italy travelers face. Rome Air Traffic Control (Rome ACC) has signalled a 4-hour strike on March 7, 2026 — the opening day of the Paralympic Winter Games.
A 4-hour ATC strike would affect every single flight across Italian airspace during that window — not just ITA Airways. Unlike the aviation strike which allowed protected flight windows, an ATC action can halt flights from all carriers simultaneously.
March 7 falls directly in the opening week of US and UK Spring Break. Travelers with Italy departures or connections on March 7 should monitor this situation closely and consider booking flexible fares.
🔗 See our full Italy strike history: Italy Aviation Strike Feb 26: ITA Airways, easyJet, Vueling — Pre-Cancellations & Rail Strike EU261 Guide
If you have a train booked TONIGHT (departing before 21:00): ✅ Board your train — it will run if departing before 21:00 and arriving by 22:00 ⚠️ If your train departs before 21:00 but arrives after 22:00, it may be terminated early ✅ Check real-time status at ViaggiaTreno (viaggiatreno.trenitalia.com) before leaving for the station
If you have a train booked TOMORROW (Saturday Feb 28): ✅ Check whether your specific train is on the guaranteed list at trenitalia.com or italotreno.com ✅ If NOT on the guaranteed list — cancel now and claim a full refund (no penalty) ✅ If travelling during 06:00–09:00 or 18:00–21:00 windows — some trains will run but book immediately as seats are very limited ❌ Do not go to the station without confirming your train is running
If you have a Malpensa flight Saturday: ✅ Use replacement buses from Via Paleocapa 1 (Milano Cadorna) — allow 2.5 hours minimum ✅ Pre-book a private taxi/transfer tonight as backup ✅ Check Trenord app for real-time bus confirmation
If you were stranded by Wednesday’s flight cancellations: ✅ Your EU261 rights are still active — keep all receipts ✅ Contact your original airline directly — not the train operator ✅ ITA Airways claim deadline: March 8, 2026
| Operator | Real-Time Status | Guaranteed Train List |
|---|---|---|
| Trenitalia | viaggiatreno.trenitalia.com | trenitalia.com → Alerts |
| Italo | italotreno.com/en | italotreno.com → Strike Notice Feb 27–28 |
| Trenord | trenord.it/en | trenord.it/en/news/strike |
| Rail Europe | help.raileurope.com | See Italy Delays article |
| ItaliaRail | italiarail.com/strike | italiarail.com/strike-information |
Emergency contacts:
Italy’s national rail strike is active tonight from 21:00 CET. Every Trenitalia, Italo, and FS Group train on every major route — Rome–Milan, Rome–Florence, Milan–Venice, Naples–Rome — is cancelled outside two guaranteed windows on Saturday: 06:00–09:00 and 18:00–21:00.
The Malpensa Express is cancelled — replacement buses from Via Paleocapa 1. Full refunds are available on all cancelled trains with no penalty. Alternative options are buses (FlixBus, Itabus), car rental, and taxi.
If you are currently in Italy: check your specific train at ViaggiaTreno now, book guaranteed-window trains immediately if needed, and arrange Malpensa transfers tonight — not Saturday morning.
The strike ends 20:59 Saturday February 28. Normal service resumes overnight into Sunday March 1.
Posted By : Vinay
Lastest News
2nd Floor, 39, Above Kirti Club, DLF Industrial Area, Kirti Nagar, New Delhi, Delhi 110015
Travel Tourister is a leading Travel portal where we introduce travellers to trusted travel agents to make their journey hasselfree, memorable And happy. Travel Tourister is a platform where travellers get Tour packages ,Hotel packages deals through trusted travel companies And hoteliers who are working with us across the world. We always try to find new and more travel agents and hoteliers from every nook and corners across the world so that you could compare the deals with different travel agents and hoteliers and book your tour or hotel with the one you have chosen according to your taste and budget.
Copyright © Travel Tourister, India. All Rights Reserved
Call
Enquiry