Italy’s rail network is moving at reduced speed today, 28 February 2026, as a 24-hour national strike called by the SGB-Cub and USB trade-union confederations enters its final hours. The walk-out began at 21:00 on Friday and is scheduled to finish at 20:59 this evening, but the state-owned operator Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) warns that knock-on disruptions could linger into the night.
Trenitalia reports that long-distance Frecciarossa and Frecciargento high-speed services are running with roughly 94 percent punctuality, thanks in part to ministerial pre-emptive requisition orders that obliged a skeleton staff to keep priority trains moving. Regional and commuter traffic, however, is feeling the pinch: dozens of services have been cancelled outright and many more have been truncated or replaced by buses, particularly in Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. Because today is a Saturday, no legally mandated “guaranteed windows” apply, leaving leisure travellers and week-end business trippers without the usual 06:00-09:00 and 18:00-21:00 protections.
At the heart of the dispute are pay rises and roster reforms. The unions argue that inflation-adjusted wages have fallen by almost 8 percent since 2021 while traffic has rebounded sharply after the pandemic. FS counters that a new national contract already in force raises base salaries by €110 a month and introduces performance bonuses tied to punctuality.
![Nationwide 24-hour rail strike slows Italy’s trains on 27-28 February]()
Practical implications for mobility managers include possible missed flight connections—Malpensa Express and Leonardo Express services have suffered spot cancellations— and last-minute car-rental shortages around hub stations. Employers moving assignees this week-end are advised to authorise taxi claims, allow generous buffer times, and keep receipts for reimbursement.
If the strike forces you to shift travel dates or change your route through Italy, VisaHQ can help you stay compliant with immigration rules. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) lets travellers and corporate mobility teams extend or modify Italian visas, arrange passport renewals, and secure transit documents for onward legs—all without additional time-consuming trips to consulates.
The strike also offers a glimpse of what may come this summer when rail unions threaten rolling actions should negotiations stall before the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics build-up peaks. Companies with large commuter populations or inbound project teams should refresh contingency playbooks now rather than later.
Trenitalia reports that long-distance Frecciarossa and Frecciargento high-speed services are running with roughly 94 percent punctuality, thanks in part to ministerial pre-emptive requisition orders that obliged a skeleton staff to keep priority trains moving. Regional and commuter traffic, however, is feeling the pinch: dozens of services have been cancelled outright and many more have been truncated or replaced by buses, particularly in Lombardy and Emilia-Romagna. Because today is a Saturday, no legally mandated “guaranteed windows” apply, leaving leisure travellers and week-end business trippers without the usual 06:00-09:00 and 18:00-21:00 protections.
At the heart of the dispute are pay rises and roster reforms. The unions argue that inflation-adjusted wages have fallen by almost 8 percent since 2021 while traffic has rebounded sharply after the pandemic. FS counters that a new national contract already in force raises base salaries by €110 a month and introduces performance bonuses tied to punctuality.
Practical implications for mobility managers include possible missed flight connections—Malpensa Express and Leonardo Express services have suffered spot cancellations— and last-minute car-rental shortages around hub stations. Employers moving assignees this week-end are advised to authorise taxi claims, allow generous buffer times, and keep receipts for reimbursement.
If the strike forces you to shift travel dates or change your route through Italy, VisaHQ can help you stay compliant with immigration rules. Their online platform (https://www.visahq.com/italy/) lets travellers and corporate mobility teams extend or modify Italian visas, arrange passport renewals, and secure transit documents for onward legs—all without additional time-consuming trips to consulates.
The strike also offers a glimpse of what may come this summer when rail unions threaten rolling actions should negotiations stall before the Milan–Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics build-up peaks. Companies with large commuter populations or inbound project teams should refresh contingency playbooks now rather than later.
