When a rail strike is called, the most common question is always the same: will my train run? The answer lies in the list of guaranteed trains, which every railway company must publish before the date. This guide explains how to read it and where to find it.
What guaranteed trains are
Law 146/1990 requires railway companies to provide minimum service during strikes. On the railways that service is not expressed as "everything departing at certain hours", but as a list of trains identified by number that will run regardless.
For regional trains, guaranteed services concentrate on weekdays in the 06:00–09:00 and 18:00–21:00 bands, designed for commuters. For long-distance services, the list covers connections considered essential throughout the day.
The time band is not enough
The most common mistake is assuming a train is guaranteed because it departs inside the protected band. It does not work that way: only trains on the list are certain to run. A 07:15 regional service may be on it and the 07:45 not. Other trains may still run — it depends on how many workers join the strike — but without a guarantee.
Start times matter too: national rail strikes often begin at 21:00 the evening before, so an evening train the day before can be affected.
Where to find the list
- Trenitalia publishes it in the travel-information section of its website and app, split between regional services (by region) and long-distance.
- Italo posts guaranteed trains on its website and contacts passengers with bookings.
- Trenord, in Lombardy, publishes its own list: its strikes can be independent of the rest of the network.
Lists are usually published a few days before the date, after the company has informed passengers as the law requires (at least five days before). The train strikes page shows strikes already called, with scope and striking category.
Who strikes changes everything
A strike by driving and on-board staff stops non-guaranteed trains. A strike by RFI staff, who run the infrastructure and traffic control, can slow every operator, Italo included. A strike by rail contractors — cleaning, maintenance, station services — generally does not stop trains. That is why our pages always show the category.
If your train is not guaranteed
- Look for a guaranteed train on the same route and ask to be rebooked: on long-distance services this is often the quickest option.
- If you decide not to travel, you are entitled to a refund under the operator's terms: see the guide to ticket refunds.
- Check your train's status on the morning itself: turnout is not known in advance, and many non-guaranteed trains end up running.