Italy: national rail strike from the evening of 7 to the evening of 8 September 2026

CUB Trasporti and SGB Ferrovie have called a 24-hour national rail strike running from 21:18 on Monday 7 September to 21:17 on Tuesday 8 September 2026, covering staff at all companies carrying out railway activity. Separate proclamations for the same window come from CAT and from the Assemblea Nazionale PDM/PDB, whose call is being followed by train drivers and on-board staff at Gruppo FS, Mercitalia Rail, Trenitalia and Trenitalia Tper.

What is affected

• National and regional passenger trains, plus rail freight.
• Regional and former concession railways — including Ferrovie del Sud Est, GTT, SAD, Trentino Trasporti, EAV, Ferrotramviaria, Ferrovie del Gargano and Ferrovie della Calabria — stop for the full shift on 8 September. This covers their rail services; their bus operations fall under a separate national contract and are not part of this dispute.

Why

The unions are pressing a national rail contract dispute over pay, working hours, health and safety, first tabled in January 2024. This is the latest in a long series of stoppages, after the unions say they received no response from the companies or the public authorities. They are also protesting against the decision to tender the Intercity universal service in three separate lots, and the removal of job-protection guarantees for the railway workers involved.

What travellers should expect

Expect widespread cancellations and timetable changes from Monday evening through Tuesday evening. Guaranteed-service rules apply: operators publish lists of guaranteed trains shortly before the strike, and a train already running continues to its final stop if that can be reached within an hour. Check your train with the operator before travelling — connections are the most likely thing to break.