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Italy rail strike: guaranteed trains and airport links for Sept 4-5

Italo and Trenord have posted guaranteed trains for Italy's September 4-5 rail strike. See protected windows, airport links for FCO and MXP, and refund options.
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5 min read

Italy's national rail strike will run from 900 p.m. Thursday, September 4, to 600 p.m. Friday, September 5, local time. Operators will cut services across high speed, InterCity, and regional lines. Italo and Trenord have now published their guaranteed-service lists, and Trenitalia has confirmed protected commuter windows for regional routes. Airport connections in Rome and Milan will operate with adjustments. Travelers should recheck itineraries, avoid tight transfers, and use official lists to confirm whether a planned train is protected. See our earlier briefing for broader impacts and tips in Italy rail strike Sept 4-5: What to know.

Key Points

  • Why it matters: Guaranteed trains are limited, so unprotected departures face cancellations and long gaps.
  • Travel impact: Morning commuter window 600-900 runs on Friday, with service resuming for departures after 6:00 p.m.
  • What's next: Expect day-before timetable trims and same-day cancellations on September 4-5.
  • Italo and Trenord lists are live, with route-by-route details.
  • Airport links, Leonardo Express and Malpensa Express, have guarantees or replacement buses.

Snapshot

The strike covers staff at Gruppo FS companies, Italo, and Lombardy's Trenord from 900 p.m. September 4 to 600 p.m. September 5. On Friday, regional services run during the protected morning window from 600 to 900, then resume for trains scheduled to depart after 6:00 p.m. Italo has posted an extended list of guaranteed high-speed and long-distance trains for both September 4 and September 5. Trenord has issued its guaranteed list for Lombardy, including Malpensa Airport adjustments. In Rome, the Leonardo Express between Roma Termini and Fiumicino Airport (FCO) is treated as an essential service. Expect crowding on protected departures, and plan backups for connections.

Background

Italian strike law requires "servizi minimi" during commuter peaks, which operators fulfill with guaranteed trains. For a daytime strike ending at 600 p.m., protections typically include the 600-900 a.m. window on weekdays, with regular service resuming for departures after the strike ends at 600 p.m. Trenitalia publishes national and regional guaranteed lists, Italo posts ad hoc PDFs ahead of each action, and Trenord issues its own lists for Lombardy. Airport-rail links receive special handling. The Leonardo Express to Fiumicino is designated as a minimum essential service in the Lazio contract. Malpensa Express operations are guaranteed with rail or non-stop replacement buses when required.

Latest Developments

Italo publishes guaranteed trains for September 4-5

Italo's guaranteed list covers late afternoon and evening departures on September 4 that finish before or shortly after the 900 p.m. start, plus a broad set of morning and midday services on September 5. Examples include Roma Termini to Milano Centrale departures in the 630 to 11:15 block, Torino Porta Nuova to Napoli Centrale during the morning and early afternoon, and long-distance links such as Reggio Calabria to Milano. If your train number appears on the list, it is planned to run. If not, assume cancellation or significant retiming is possible and rebook to a guaranteed option where available. Check the PDF again the day before travel for any last-minute edits.

Trenord confirms protected windows, lists, and Malpensa buses

Trenord states that on Friday, September 5, only trains on its guaranteed list will run in the 600-900 window. In the afternoon, departures after 6:00 p.m. are scheduled to resume. For airport access, if Malpensa Express services are canceled, non-stop replacement buses will operate between Milano Cadorna and Milano Malpensa (MXP). Trenord has posted an eight-page roster of guaranteed regional, suburban, and cross-border trips. Travelers should expect crowding on the S-lines and key Bergamo, Varese, and Como corridors, and should pad transfers at Milano Centrale and Cadorna accordingly.

Analysis

This strike's timing concentrates risk in two periods, late evening on September 4 and daytime on September 5. Long-distance travelers should pivot to guaranteed options early, since open inventory will tighten as the lists circulate. Commuters benefit from the 600-900 protections but should expect reduced frequencies and heavier loads. The afternoon ramp is nuanced, because the strike ends at 600 p.m., making the standard 600-900 p.m. protection moot; instead, operators plan to resume normal departures scheduled after 600 p.m. Airport links are comparatively resilient. In Rome, the Leonardo Express is treated as an essential service, with buses possible if infrastructure or staffing constraints require. In Milan, Malpensa access is assured through rail or non-stop buses via Cadorna. Refund pathways differ by operator, but all three outline strike-period refunds or EU-required delay compensation. Build a Plan B using guaranteed trains, and keep rail-to-air buffers of at least three hours.

Final Thoughts

Plan around the morning 600-900 window on September 5, then aim for departures after 6:00 p.m. as service resumes. Use the Italo and Trenord PDFs to confirm train numbers, and consult Trenitalia's regional lists for protected services. For Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa, airport links have guarantees or buses, but leave extra time. With a limited timetable and heavy demand, flexibility is your friend during the Italy rail strike.

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