So many people ask about train strikes I thought I would put up this post. Go to:
http://www.trenitalia.com/en/index.html
Click on the tab "news" then click on the "news on strikes" on the left side. Now you can find a route you can use just in case of a strike. It can change so check just before you leave.

Thanks, very helpful!

WEll the news seems to be bad for us. We are supposed to take a train from Rome to Florence on May 18 but the news says there is a strike from 9 PM May 10- 9PM May 18 and it appears that there are no trains at all running from Rome to Florence that day. Any suggestions PLEASE!

oops that should read May 17-May 18 STRIKE

If your city isn't on the list, pick a destination that would pass through your city. EX: for Florence pick a Rome to Milan train. Then go back to the regular schedule, find that run, click on details, then click on the train number to see if it stops in your city. As the 9426 Roma to Milano stops in Florence. It looks more complex than it is. But it's always good to have a plan B ready

OK. So it loks like that train, the 9426 is the only train that runs from Roem to Milan on the day of a strike. It departs Rome at 6:30 AM (Yikes!)

If we have bought ticktes for a 10:20 train from rome to Florence, I assume we can't use those tickets. Would we need to buy a ticket to Milan to get on that train even if we're getting off in Florence? Do you think we'd have trouble buying those tickets the day before we plan to leave Rome (in case they decide to cancel the strike) or will that train sell out because of the strike and all the other folks all trying to get onto that one train?

I'm wondering if it makes sense to hire a private driver for the peace of mind. How often do they announce a strike that then doesn't happen?

plafield,

Where on the site did you find out there would be a strike on May 17-18? We will be in Italy at the beginning of June, so I would like to check our dates out.

I followed the link on another post:
http://www.seekitaly.com/news/from_roma.html
scroll down near the bottom of the page

You cannot use ES tickets on another train, because they are reserved. You would have to change them at a station ticket office anytime BEFORE that train departs. By agreement with the unions most guaranteed trains (express to/from airport always runs) are rush hour trains. You can also check trains with a destination like Venice or maybe Munich as they pass through Florence. Strikes are very often called off so keep up with the strike alerts. If worse comes to worst you could get a rail map and do regional hops, or even a bus. You can check the cost of a driver, but they are expensive. If you have a number of people with you to split the cost, it could be worth it. Don't worry too much, you'll just have to get up early and put up with a packed train. Keep up with the news seeing that you are traveling on that certain day and if it looks like the strike will be on, change tickets a day or 2 before. You'll be fine.

Thanks plafield - do you know how often they update the site about strikes?

I assume they update when they know something.

Travmimi, I've discovered the train to Munich, which leaves at 7:45 (much more civilized) also stops in Florence. Do we have to buy the ticket to Munich or can we buy just the first leg of the trip?

plafield - That would be the Michelangelo #84. Now, if you go back to the regular site and key in Rome to Florence, you'll see that indeed it is the same train as the 7:42 #84 to Florence, so you can buy just that leg.
The reason they list by destination is they can't list all the possible connections for all the trains. They give the basics and we have to do the rest of the legwork.

Thank you so much TravMimi!! Yes I see it now. What a relief. A 7:45 departure seems perfectly reasonable and in fact, may be better than our originally planned 10:30 because it gives us plenty of time to get into Florence, check into our B&B and go have a nice lunch there!

What a relief to have a plan. This site is an amazing wealth of information. I don't know what folks do when they don't have this kind of info and there's a strike or some other unforseen snafu!

During a strike, the very few long distance trains running will be packed, with every seat occupied and passengers standing squashed against one another. I did it once and I would not want to repeat it.
If you have to travel - to get to a funeral, a wedding, or your flight home - then you may have to do it. Otherwise, check when you're in Italy and be ready to change your plans to travel a day earlier or later.

So it sounds like they make an exception during strike times and let people on the ES and IC trains even if they don't have an assigned seat?