Each month, there are on average one or two strikes in Rome (and the rest of Italy) and these strikes can severely influence the average tourist’s visit to the Eternal City. These days, days of crisis and austerity measures, there will obviously be even more dissatisfaction than usual, so expect even more than that.
Although, even when a general strike takes place, there is usually a skeleton service during rush hour, the Rome Metropolitana and buses tend to be packed to such an extent that it is often better to walk.
The strikes are usually (but not always) announced weeks, if not months, in advance, but are just as often cancelled at the last minute, so always check the day before whether or not it will actually take place. (The Italian word for strike is sciopero.)
The Leonardo Express, the non-stop train between the international airport of Fiumicino and the central railway station Termini, is exempt from strikes. This implies that there will always be a service, although sometimes the trains get substituted by buses.
The strikes in Rome that have been announced:
- Friday May 11, 2012: A general strike has been announced. There will, unless the strike is cancelled, be no public transportation in Rome between 8.30 AM and 5 PM and between 8 PM and end of service. (Note that this strike is organized by a smaller union, which means that there might still be some buses and metros.)
