Italy rail station protests slow access and airport transfers

Published on Sep 26, 2025, 10:19 am CDT

6 min read

Large, sporadic demonstrations continue to flare near Milano Centrale, Roma Termini, Bologna Centrale, and Napoli Centrale, periodically triggering police cordons and short-notice transit diversions. Travelers should expect slower taxi and rideshare pickups, diverted buses and trams, and extended times to reach Trenitalia or Italo platforms. Where metro stations remain open, use them to bypass street closures, and hold flexible or refundable tickets during peak protest windows.

Key points

Why it matters: Street-level closures around key hubs can add 30-60 minutes to station access.
Travel impact: Bus and tram routes detour without much notice; some metro entrances may close temporarily.
What's next: Authorities signal more weekend actions; check city mobility pages the night before travel.
Trenitalia and Italo trains continue running, but expect heavier lines at security and ticket counters.
Airport transfers to MXP, LIN, FCO, BLQ, and NAP may be slower, especially in late afternoon and evening.

Snapshot

Police briefly sealed parts of Milano Centrale's entrances during clashes tied to a September 22 national strike, and similar large gatherings formed at Roma Termini, Bologna, and Naples. Since then, organizers have staged follow-on rallies that intermittently constrain streets and squares around the stations. Rome authorities have temporarily closed the Termini stops on Metro A and B during certain protests, while bus routes are diverted on short notice. Bologna's TPER and Naples operators have posted rolling detours and service notices. Milan's ATM lists planned diversions and advises riders to watch day-of updates. Trains generally continue, but last-mile access is the bottleneck. Build in buffer time, favor metro when open, and confirm your platform and ticket flexibility before departing for the station.

Background

On September 22, nationwide actions in solidarity with Gaza triggered port slowdowns and city-center marches across Italy, with the largest crowds in Rome, Milan, Bologna, and Naples. At Milano Centrale, confrontations led police to restrict access to parts of the concourse, creating knock-on delays for travelers. Rome's Termini saw crowds exceeding tens of thousands near the forecourt, prompting periodic closures of nearby metro access points. While the 24-hour strike has ended, organizers and affiliated groups have continued to call localized rallies, often in the late afternoon and early evening. These events rarely halt rail operations outright, but they do disrupt surface transit, taxi ranks, and drop-off lanes closest to the main doors-especially at peak times.

Latest developments

Station-area access advisories for Milan, Rome, Bologna, and Naples

Milan: Expect intermittent detours on bus and tram lines near Milano Centrale. ATM maintains an active "Info Traffico" page with planned changes and day-of advisories; during larger gatherings, police may meter access to station entrances, which slows luggage screening and ticketing lines. Rome: Roma Mobilità has repeatedly announced temporary closures of Termini Metro A and B during demonstrations, along with bus diversions around Piazza dei Cinquecento and Via Marsala. Bologna: TPER flagged the September 22 strike windows and continues to push detour updates via its deviations portal and Telegram; streets around Bologna Centrale can clog quickly even with short-duration marches. Naples: Local operators, including EAV and ANM, have issued service bulletins tied to strike activity and maintenance; Funicolare and selected bus lines have seen temporary closures or limits, which can lengthen transfers to Napoli Centrale. If you are heading to or from airports-Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP), Milan Linate Airport (LIN), Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO), Bologna Guglielmo Marconi Airport (BLQ), or Naples International Airport (NAP)-pad transfers by at least 30 minutes, and confirm the pickup point if rideshare staging areas shift.

Practical tips for Trenitalia and Italo departures

Arrive earlier than usual for evening departures, when rallies most often peak. Check your specific train in the app, then choose the least congested entrance and go straight to security or your platform. Use metro connections where open to avoid surface closures. If you hold a non-flexible ticket, consider upgrading to a fare class that allows same-day changes. For missed connections tied to street closures, document the disruption with time-stamped photos or official mobility alerts to support goodwill rebooking. If your itinerary involves airport rail links, verify any shuttle or people-mover changes-Bologna's Marconi Express, for example, has published recent strike announcements that can affect BLQ transfers.

Related Italy transport coverage

For air travelers, see our airport-by-airport minimum-services guide for the current Italy air transport actions and protected windows. It pairs well with this rail-area advisory if you are connecting between stations and airports. Italy air transport strike: Minimum services and airport advisories

Analysis

For travelers, the risk profile is less about trains being canceled and more about station-area friction. Demonstrations concentrate around plazas and taxi ranks that form the last hundred yards of the journey, which means a five-minute tram hop can balloon into a 25-minute walk as buses detour and rideshares are waved off. Rome's practice of temporarily closing Termini metro access points during dense gatherings keeps the platforms safe but forces riders to re-route via adjacent stations, adding time and confusion. Milan's diversified access to Centrale helps, yet police metering at doors can still slow throughput. In Bologna and Naples, narrower streets around the hubs can gridlock faster, so light-rail or metro links, when available, are the best bypass. Build a personal buffer of 30-60 minutes for evening trains, carry a flexible ticket when possible, and favor metro over surface modes when alerts indicate street actions. If you are airport-bound, re-check your transfer an hour before departure and shift to rail or metro if surface congestion worsens.

Final thoughts

Italy's protest calendar remains fluid, and the geography of marches targets station forecourts and access roads. Treat the last mile as the constraint, build buffer time, and lean on metro options when they are open. With a flexible ticket and a plan to bypass surface closures, you can keep your trip on track despite Italy rail station protests.