Strike in Rome is fortunately rare. Here you can find tips for the case that a strike tumbles your planning.
Strikes are generally announced in a timely manner. Wild strikes and sudden sicknesses of the staff are extremely rare. A spectacular case, however, has occurred some year ago in Rome on the occasion of an important football match, which the staff wanted to watch rather than follow their work.
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If you’re aware of a strike announcement, you should adjust your planning to spend your precious time not with the adverse consequences of the strike.
Strikes in Rome can be suspended in the event of storm or snow warning, major events or in particularly critical situations.
Strike in Rome in the public transport, ATAC, Metro and COTRAL
Strikes in Rome’s public transport are more frequent, but usually only for a few hours. The metro will be completely closed and there will be only a few buses and trams. The operation in the morning hours and in the evening is usually ensured. During the peak hours, strikes are forbidden. Until 8:30am and from 5 to 8pm strikes are not allowed.
Alternatives
Taxis are difficult to get on strike days.
Even if the regional trains do not go so often, they can be a great help in the event of a local public transport strike in Rome. Thus the line FL1 runs from the airport via Trastevere, Ostiense, Tuscolana, Tiburtina to the north of Rome, the lines FL3 and FL5 from Saint Peter to Termini and the lines FL4 and FL6 to Ciampino. Even in case of a strike of the regional bus COTRAL, often a train connection can help you.
Train strikes in Italy
Train strikes are extremely annoying because they can take quite a long time. As a rule, the operation of the high-speed trains is secured, while all other connections are not or are irregular. For the Leonardo Express from Fiumicino Airport to Termini there is a substitute bus service.
Alternatives to the train
In a strike announcement you should check the timetable of the regional buses. If there are no suitable connections, you should not venture into the Roman countryside, for example to Tivoli, Ciampino or Nettuno, if you need a return train.
For the trip to the airport you can use shuttle buses, pre-ordered taxis or a limousine service. In case of a strike the taxis are mostly booked out and you have to pre-order.
General Strikes in Italy
General strikes are extremely rare. In these cases, public transport and rail are affected, in rare cases also air traffic. Municipal and state museums, post offices and other public services may also be closed.
In these cases, the railways will serve an emergency timetable only for the regional traffic, but the high-speed trains shall operate normally.
The metro will be completely closed and there will be only a few buses, trams and trains. Also the regional buses are only sporadic.
Your alternatives
In the case of a general strike, you should cancel your program requiring public transport. You can use private transport services, hop on hop off buses, taxis, shuttle buses and limousine service.
But in Rome there is enough to experience. You can stroll through the alleyways and go shopping, visit the parks and churches and eat a good ice cream or sip a coffee in a piazza.
Strikes in the air traffic
In air traffic, there may be a variety of strikes.
It is extremely rare in Italy for air traffic controllers to strike. But also ATC strikes in other countries affect the air traffic in Italy. In these cases there are flight cancellations or delays.
Also strikes of the handling personnel are rare and concern only some airlines. In this case there will be delays in the check-in and the return of the baggage. If you want to leave with your luggage, you should allow additional hours for the baggage handling. If you are traveling only with hand luggage, you should get the boarding pass on the Internet.
A bigger problem can be airline strikes. In these cases, it depends on the willingness and ability of the airline you have booked to provide alternative solutions.
Taxi strike in Rome
In Rome it is not always easy to find a taxi when you need it. In a strike it is practically impossible. You may then pre-order a limousine service or plan a public transport route.
Strike of the city police in Rome – Vigili urbani
Strikes of the city police are a curiosity. If there is no blackout of the traffic lights, the traffic flows better when there is no police on the street.
