What happens to your itinerary when there is a train strike?
Feb 16th, 2005, 06:59 AM
#1
What happens to your itinerary when there is a train strike?
What happens when you are trying to see the big three Italian cities in 10 days, and your itinerary is very carefully calibrated to accomplish this and see all the major sites, and then you hit a train strike. What have you done in this case? Hotel & dining reservations will be screwed up, etc. Just curious.
Feb 16th, 2005, 07:10 AM
#2
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I've never travelled in Italy under such time pressure, but surely the only thing one can do under the circumstances is adjust.
Italians are well accustomed to strikes, but it would probably still be an appreciated gesture to advise hotels and restaurants if your plans have had to be changed because of a strike.
The Italian for strike is "sciopero"; I hope you won't hear it, but at least you'll recognize it if you do.
Italians are well accustomed to strikes, but it would probably still be an appreciated gesture to advise hotels and restaurants if your plans have had to be changed because of a strike.
The Italian for strike is "sciopero"; I hope you won't hear it, but at least you'll recognize it if you do.
Feb 16th, 2005, 07:26 AM
#3
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I have encountered train strikes in Italy, but I never make hotel or restaurant reservations. The strikes in Italy are usually for a maximum of 24 hours but, by law, some trains must run: these are generally in the morning and evening to allow people to get to and from work, but a handful of long distance trains run as well. They will, of course, be packed, so are best avoided. The best advice if you are caught in a strike is to phone hotels, explain your predicament, and arrange alternatives. It doesn't really matter if you have an extra day in Roma and one day less in Venezia.
Feb 16th, 2005, 08:51 AM
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"your itinerary is very carefully calibrated"
I sometimes wonder on here when folks post a a very regimented itinerary -- "morning train to XYZ, museum a.m., shopping 1-2 p.m., afternoon nap, dinner 6:45 p.m., concert 7:30" and so forth.
I honstly don't see how they manage this sort of detailed plan since every trip I have ever taken has had unexpected things happen - some good, some bad, some really wonderful.
In the case of rail strikes (this happens not just in Italy) it is always good to have done some research about other options - buses, flights, car hire firms etc.
I sometimes wonder on here when folks post a a very regimented itinerary -- "morning train to XYZ, museum a.m., shopping 1-2 p.m., afternoon nap, dinner 6:45 p.m., concert 7:30" and so forth.
I honstly don't see how they manage this sort of detailed plan since every trip I have ever taken has had unexpected things happen - some good, some bad, some really wonderful.
In the case of rail strikes (this happens not just in Italy) it is always good to have done some research about other options - buses, flights, car hire firms etc.
Feb 16th, 2005, 09:02 AM
#6
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Some of us don't have the luxury of carpe diem. We have jobs, with limited amounts of vacation time and need to plan our trips to maximize the experience. While I don't plan to have every minute accounted for, I do not want to waste time scratching my head trying to figure out where to go next or which restaurant to eat in. Having said that, for some of us, having a train strike prohibit us from getting to the next city would be a problem and that doesn't even take into consideration the fact that the hotel may not care and charge us anyway. The first poster didnt' need to be put down because she is organized.
Feb 16th, 2005, 09:17 AM
#7
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damamma, You took the words right out of my mouth. How I wish I had the luxury of traveling without making a detailed account of everything.
How I wish I had the luxury of not working 50 out of 52 weeks a year. How I wish I had the luxury of working a 35-hour week instead of a 40-hour week.
Some us need to plan everything, or our lives would be out of control, and besides there's nothing wrong with organization.
How I wish I had the luxury of not working 50 out of 52 weeks a year. How I wish I had the luxury of working a 35-hour week instead of a 40-hour week.
Some us need to plan everything, or our lives would be out of control, and besides there's nothing wrong with organization.
Feb 16th, 2005, 09:28 AM
#8
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Janis: can you IMAGINE what it would be like to actually TRAVEL with those people??? I mean, I'm anal, but that is ridiculous and there are a few of them here, too.
Suki: why worry about something that is very UNlikely to occur? And if it does, just enjoy BEING wherever you are now going to spend the rest of your natural life in Italy.
Suki: why worry about something that is very UNlikely to occur? And if it does, just enjoy BEING wherever you are now going to spend the rest of your natural life in Italy.
Feb 16th, 2005, 09:52 AM
#9
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This happened to me in Milan. We checked out of the hotel, schlepped over to the train station and behold!
Train Strike.
We were at a loss and finally decided to traipse back to the hotel and try to get our room back for the night. They were booked! So we left our luggage in their lobby and walked around the area's hotels and found one. This took up most of the morning.
What upset me a little was that the original desk clerk let us go off to the station in the first place, he must have known there was a strike and we had made it plain that was where we were heading.
Maybe he didn't know, but since that time I see that the strikes are pretty common knowledge and are known ahead of time. There are some web sites where you can check potential strikes and try and plan around it.
Train Strike.
We were at a loss and finally decided to traipse back to the hotel and try to get our room back for the night. They were booked! So we left our luggage in their lobby and walked around the area's hotels and found one. This took up most of the morning.
What upset me a little was that the original desk clerk let us go off to the station in the first place, he must have known there was a strike and we had made it plain that was where we were heading.
Maybe he didn't know, but since that time I see that the strikes are pretty common knowledge and are known ahead of time. There are some web sites where you can check potential strikes and try and plan around it.
Feb 16th, 2005, 10:03 AM
#10
Well, thanks for all the input. Janis, besides the good reasons that damama mentioned for having a trip's itinerary tightly scheduled, there is also one's traveling companion - in this case, my husband who just needs a plan. I am much more relaxed about it, but would proabaly see a lot less without him.
Intrepid: see above, I'm not worried about it. I was just curious about what others might have done in the case of a strike.
Seaurchin, I hope the rest of your day was pleasant. I agree that the clerk should have let you know.
Intrepid: see above, I'm not worried about it. I was just curious about what others might have done in the case of a strike.
Seaurchin, I hope the rest of your day was pleasant. I agree that the clerk should have let you know.
Feb 16th, 2005, 10:26 AM
#11
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Suki,
For our last Italy trip, we monitored the train strikes on
www.seekitaly.com
There was a train strike scheduled for one of our travel days, but we noticed that many of the scheduled strikes were canceled a day or two beforehand. In Italy, the day before the scheduled strike that was poised to ruin our plans, we bopped into an internet cafe, looked it up, and found out that it indeed had been canceled.
So, my recommendation is to keep checking that website and have a Plan B in place.
For our last Italy trip, we monitored the train strikes on
www.seekitaly.com
There was a train strike scheduled for one of our travel days, but we noticed that many of the scheduled strikes were canceled a day or two beforehand. In Italy, the day before the scheduled strike that was poised to ruin our plans, we bopped into an internet cafe, looked it up, and found out that it indeed had been canceled.
So, my recommendation is to keep checking that website and have a Plan B in place.
Feb 16th, 2005, 10:48 AM
#12
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If there is a train strike and you must travel to a different city, just take the Bus.
I did that years ago when I was in Rome and I had to be in Pescara..
It took a little longer to arrive, but I truly enjoyed the beautiful scenery around me.
I loved to look at the majestic, luscious green mountains of the Abruzzi Region and going through small little villages.
I did that years ago when I was in Rome and I had to be in Pescara..
It took a little longer to arrive, but I truly enjoyed the beautiful scenery around me.
I loved to look at the majestic, luscious green mountains of the Abruzzi Region and going through small little villages.
Feb 16th, 2005, 10:54 AM
#13
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Suki - it happened to us in 2002 on our honeymoon. We were doing 5 cities, 14 days. Our hotel in Venice warned us a day ahead of time, and told us to stay the extra night. We wandered about, talked to peope and saw the hotel was serious, not pulling our chain, so we booked the extra night.
We lost a night in Florence we had pre-paid. We just lived with it and enjoyed the extra time in Venice!
The day of the strike we went to the train station, thinking we would book tickets for the following day since it would be packed. We heard horror stories from people, on where they had slept (strike started at midnight, some on overnight trains had never planned to stop in Venice!), how much they had paid, etc... We saw others in line for busses and rental cars. Again, we were lucky our hotel warned us, and we had no major problems.
We lost a night in Florence we had pre-paid. We just lived with it and enjoyed the extra time in Venice!
The day of the strike we went to the train station, thinking we would book tickets for the following day since it would be packed. We heard horror stories from people, on where they had slept (strike started at midnight, some on overnight trains had never planned to stop in Venice!), how much they had paid, etc... We saw others in line for busses and rental cars. Again, we were lucky our hotel warned us, and we had no major problems.
Feb 16th, 2005, 11:12 AM
#14
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Suki, I never let things get me down for very long so we made the most of the rest of the day. We had seen all of the major sites in the previous days so we spent the time shopping, very dangerous for our lira at the time.
Feb 16th, 2005, 11:21 AM
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Buses in Italy are a mystery onto themselves, which is why I try to avoid them as much as possible.
There is no single system, but dozens of independent operators; there is no single bus station in larger cities, but a few of them; etc., etc.
Sometimes, if you take endless amounts of time to do it, you can figure out in advance the bus you need to take from the Internet, but often the only way to find out what bus goes where from where is at the local tourist office.
There is no single system, but dozens of independent operators; there is no single bus station in larger cities, but a few of them; etc., etc.
Sometimes, if you take endless amounts of time to do it, you can figure out in advance the bus you need to take from the Internet, but often the only way to find out what bus goes where from where is at the local tourist office.
Feb 16th, 2005, 11:44 AM
#17
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The one time it happened to me (in Italy), I listened to what all the other stranded people were talking about amongst themselves, asked a lot of questions, and within about 15 minutes a group of about a dozen of us had formulated a plan to take a bus. If there's a train strike, it's not going to affect only you! Get
together with the other people affected and figure out a plan B. I think resourcefulness is absolutely essential when traveling.
together with the other people affected and figure out a plan B. I think resourcefulness is absolutely essential when traveling.
Feb 16th, 2005, 01:19 PM
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Hi suki,
The first thing I suggest is to repeat over and over again, "I am going to Italy, the land of 'il dolce far niente', where nothing goes as planned".
The second thing is to have a backup plan. If the trains stop running, take a bus. If the buses aren't running, ent a car. If the cars aren't available, find another hotel.
We were in Italy in Sept 2003, when all of the electricity in the whole country shut down.
What did we do?
We went out and had a glass of wine.
The first thing I suggest is to repeat over and over again, "I am going to Italy, the land of 'il dolce far niente', where nothing goes as planned".
The second thing is to have a backup plan. If the trains stop running, take a bus. If the buses aren't running, ent a car. If the cars aren't available, find another hotel.
We were in Italy in Sept 2003, when all of the electricity in the whole country shut down.
What did we do?
We went out and had a glass of wine.
Feb 16th, 2005, 05:14 PM
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I worried about the same thing. I found out that train strikes are supposed to be scheduled, so you can find out ahead of time if there is one scheduled. Also, there are certain trains still running even during a strike, and I learned that they are mostly the Eurostar trains. There is actually a train schedule somewhere telling you which trains are guaranteed to run even if there's a strike. I couldn't find that schedule but I booked on the Eurostar. Not sure, but the schedule of trains guaranteed to run might be on trenitalia web-site if you know how to read it in Italian...guaranteed is guarantito in Italian.
Also, keep in mind that if trains can strike, so can bus drivers and taxi cab drivers, possibly...It would be hard to have your transportation absolutely guaranteed...Probably private tour guides who also privide transportation for their clients wouldn't strike, if you want to book with them.
I think you should just try not to worry about it, because many things could disrupt your trip besides strikes...illess for example...Just plan well and enjoy the trip. Figure out how many days you need in each city and then ADD AN EXTRA DAY...Keep that as your "spontaneous day".
I recommend a minimum of 3 or 4 nights in major cities anyway. Don't plan reservations for the most important sites on the 1st day, in case of a strike, if that makes you feel better.
In Italy I understand that sometimes a museum or church might close unexpectedly for various reasons, so you really do have to be prepared to be flexible. If you have 4 days in each city, plan the most important events for the 2nd and 3rd days. That way you're covered if you arrive 1 day late, and you have an extra day at the end in case something was closed unexpectedly when you arrive.
Also, keep in mind that if trains can strike, so can bus drivers and taxi cab drivers, possibly...It would be hard to have your transportation absolutely guaranteed...Probably private tour guides who also privide transportation for their clients wouldn't strike, if you want to book with them.
I think you should just try not to worry about it, because many things could disrupt your trip besides strikes...illess for example...Just plan well and enjoy the trip. Figure out how many days you need in each city and then ADD AN EXTRA DAY...Keep that as your "spontaneous day".
I recommend a minimum of 3 or 4 nights in major cities anyway. Don't plan reservations for the most important sites on the 1st day, in case of a strike, if that makes you feel better.
In Italy I understand that sometimes a museum or church might close unexpectedly for various reasons, so you really do have to be prepared to be flexible. If you have 4 days in each city, plan the most important events for the 2nd and 3rd days. That way you're covered if you arrive 1 day late, and you have an extra day at the end in case something was closed unexpectedly when you arrive.
