Guaranteed service bands are the reason some vehicles keep running even on a strike day. They are required by law 146/1990 to protect people travelling for work or out of necessity, and they differ from one sector to the next. Understanding them is the most effective way to limit disruption.
Local public transport: buses, trams and metro
On local public transport the general rule is six hours of guaranteed service in total, split into two bands at the busiest times. The exact placement is not the same across Italy: each company sets it through local agreements and announces it before every strike.
Many cities use bands close to 06:00–09:00 and 18:00–21:00, but exceptions are common. Rome and Milan, for example, use their own hours. The source to check is always the local operator's website: the strikes by region pages list local operators.
Within the guaranteed bands service should be complete rather than reduced. In practice the last minutes before the stoppage begins are the least certain, because vehicles head back to depot so they are off the road at the stated time.
Regional trains
For regional and suburban trains, used mostly by commuters, guaranteed services concentrate on weekdays from 06:00 to 09:00 and 18:00 to 21:00. It is not a guarantee by time band, though: each railway company publishes a list of guaranteed trains, and only those are certain to run. A train leaving at 07:30 is not guaranteed just because it falls inside the band. See the guide to guaranteed trains.
High-speed and long-distance
Frecce, Intercity and Italo do not follow commuter bands: a named list of guaranteed services applies, published by the operator. National rail strikes also often start at 21:00 the evening before and end at 21:00 on the stated day, so evening travellers the day before are affected. The live situation is on the train strikes page.
Air transport
In air transport the protected bands are 07:00–10:00 and 18:00–21:00: flights scheduled to depart in those hours must operate. On top of that, ENAC, the civil aviation authority, publishes a list of guaranteed flights, including essential links to the islands. Cancellations and compensation are covered in the guide to air passenger rights.
Three practical tips
- Aim for the middle of the band. A 07:30 departure is far safer than an 08:55 one.
- Check which category is striking. If ground or ticket-office staff walk out, services may run almost normally outside the bands too.
- Check again the day before. Duration and form can change until the last moment.
Dates of strikes already called are on the upcoming strikes page.