Unione Sindacale di Base (USB) has called a 24-hour national strike from 21:00 on Sunday 17 May until 20:59 on Monday 18 May, hitting local public transport, Trenitalia regional services and Ferrovie dello Stato’s long-distance network. Details published on 12 May by La Repubblica and echoed on the Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) passenger information portal warn of widespread cancellations of buses, metro lines and commuter trains in Rome—coinciding with the capital’s football derby at Stadio Olimpico. Minimum “fasce di garanzia” (start-of-service–08:29 and 17:00–19:59) will apply, but intercity and international connections may see knock-on delays as rolling stock and crews are out of position.
![24-Hour National Transport Strike on 17-18 May to Disrupt Rome and Long-Distance Rail]()
If the industrial action forces you to rearrange travel dates or extend your stay, VisaHQ can help you secure or modify the necessary Italian visas quickly and entirely online. Their dedicated team tracks embassy requirements in real time and offers concierge services for business travellers—visit https://www.visahq.com/italy/ for streamlined application support.
The walk-out is part of a broader protest against cost-of-living pressures and Italy’s participation in European defence initiatives, USB said. Business-traveller exposure is high: Rome’s metro A and B lines feed directly into Termini rail hub and the city’s main business districts, while Fiumicino Airport rail links could experience reduced frequency. Companies hosting events next week should consider hoteling staff near venues and using private transfers. Air services are exempt this time, but road traffic is expected to surge; the Rome municipality is evaluating derby-day traffic-restraining zones. Under Law 146/1990, employers cannot sanction staff who participate in an officially notified strike, but foreign assignees holding intra-company secondment visas should keep proof of disruption (e.g., screenshots of cancelled services) to justify absence. Travel-risk teams should update ‘do not travel’ sliders in self-booking tools to flag the affected window and pre-ticket travellers on alternative Frecciarossa or Italo trains outside the strike hours.
If the industrial action forces you to rearrange travel dates or extend your stay, VisaHQ can help you secure or modify the necessary Italian visas quickly and entirely online. Their dedicated team tracks embassy requirements in real time and offers concierge services for business travellers—visit https://www.visahq.com/italy/ for streamlined application support.
The walk-out is part of a broader protest against cost-of-living pressures and Italy’s participation in European defence initiatives, USB said. Business-traveller exposure is high: Rome’s metro A and B lines feed directly into Termini rail hub and the city’s main business districts, while Fiumicino Airport rail links could experience reduced frequency. Companies hosting events next week should consider hoteling staff near venues and using private transfers. Air services are exempt this time, but road traffic is expected to surge; the Rome municipality is evaluating derby-day traffic-restraining zones. Under Law 146/1990, employers cannot sanction staff who participate in an officially notified strike, but foreign assignees holding intra-company secondment visas should keep proof of disruption (e.g., screenshots of cancelled services) to justify absence. Travel-risk teams should update ‘do not travel’ sliders in self-booking tools to flag the affected window and pre-ticket travellers on alternative Frecciarossa or Italo trains outside the strike hours.
