Samsaunt

Hello! This is my first post, although I admit to reading and enjoying this forum quite often. I have read that there is to be a train strike in Italy next week. I have due to be there and have been planning my week long trip for a year! I am supposed to travel from Venice to Florence on July 22, and bought mini-fare tickets on Trenitalia a while ago for mid-day. Can anyone give me any advice about what to do, if anything? Thanks so much -

Becky

zeppole

Most Italian train strikes do not affect major trunk lines (like Venice to Florence), most strikes only occur during part of the day. Many train strikes are cancelled at the last minute. As soon as you get to Italy, you should ask at the first train station you are at for news and advice. If the train station staff cannot communicate with you in English, ask for assistance at your lodgings in getting accurate, up-to-the-minute information.

Enjoy your trip!

Samsaunt

Thanks for responding! I will check that out. It seems that the strike is due to go from 9pm to 9pm. If I could read Italian - I would be able to figure out what this says!

http://www.commissionegaranziasciopero.it/

or this

http://www.mit.gov.it/mit/site.php?p=scioperi

snoopy1128

I am also worried about the transportation strike. We are arriving in Milan the morning of July 21 and we were lucky enough to get tickets to the Last Supper the morning of July 22. If there is a strike I guess the only way to get there would be by cab. Our hotel is the NH Touring. Does anyone have any information about the strike or any idea as to how much a cab would cost from our hotel to the location of the Last Supper? Also would museums and churches be open or would they be closed due to the strike? It would be awful if the Church that housed the Last Supper was closed.

easytraveler

Here's the English version of the "strike notification" page you linked to.

http://tinyurl.com/3ecdyo6

snoopy1128

Thank you for the page easy traveler.I was trying to understand all of the different divisions that are striking. Can you tell if the metro in Milan will be on strike on July 22 from the strike notification page?

easytraveler

Sorry, but I'm confused.

If you are going by train from Venice to Florence on July 22, why are you concerned about the metro in Milan on the same date?

ellenem

Snoopy—Museums and churches will be open, even with the transit strike. Good luck finding a cab—the rest of the city will be doing the same. Be prepared to walk just in case. From your hotel, it would be about 3 km to the Church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, a 40-minute walk.

snoopy1128

Thank you Ellenem.
Easytraveler you are confusing me with the original poster who is going from Venice to Florence. I wrote a question just above your first post above. I jumped in on this thread because it spoke about the strike throughout Italy. I will be in Milan on July 21-22. I guess if there is a strike we will have to walk to the Church. We will ask our hotel early that morning to find out if they know anything about the strike. Perhaps the hotel will be able to get us a cab or we will start to walk early in the morning.

ellenem

If your hotel can get you a cab, that would be great. Just so you know how the system works: the driver starts the meter as soon as a radio call is received, so don't be surprised if the meter is already running when you get in the cab.

snoopy1128

Again thank you ellenem I did not know that. Hopefully the cab is nearby when he receives the radio call.

easytraveler

Sorry, snoopy!

It says on the page that the OP provided that there will be a strike for the "Lombardy" region on July 22. Seems to be only the train system of the Trenord system and doesn't affect the metro.

Maybe a local person could clarify this? Does the Milan metro system also come under the joint administration of Trenord now?

JBX

http://www.easytravelreport.com/#anchor_1435

Zerlina

Trenitalia has just posted a notice about the strike:
http://www.fsnews.it/cms-file/allega...1_22_07_11.pdf

What it basically says is that 67% of long-run trains (all the Freccia trains are long-run) will operate as scheduled.

There is a toll-free number you can call for information: 800 892021.