Update 3 November 2026
- Read first: this 3 November block overrides the older sections below (dated 27-30 October) wherever they differ.
- Confirmed: the CGIL has called a 24-hour general strike on Friday 20 November, for all public and private sectors, including contracted work (QuiFinanza, 3 November). Reasons: wages and contract renewals, pensions, taxation, health and schools, against the budget law. Transport (trains, buses, metro, trams), schools, public offices and health are affected; each company announces its hours in the days before, under law 146/1990 on essential services.
- Trains: the national rail strike by CUB Trasporti and SGB Ferrovie lasts 23 hours, from 21:00 on 20 November to 20:00 on 21 November. Usual guaranteed bands: regional trains 6:00-9:00 and 18:00-21:00, plus designated long-distance links; the Trenitalia and Italo lists come out a few days before. If you give up a trip because of the strike, Trenitalia refunds without deduction.
- Flights: usual guaranteed bands are 7:00-10:00 and 18:00-21:00, plus links to the islands and state, humanitarian and health flights; the ENAV controllers' stoppage on Saturday 21 November is still announced from 13:00 to 17:00.
- ATAC (Rome): the guaranteed bands for 20 November were still not published on 3 November, and sources disagree: one list includes local transport in the CGIL strike, another calendar shows no ATAC strike proclaimed for November. Check atac.roma.it and romamobilita.it about a week before.
Sources read on 3 November 2026: QuiFinanza (3 November), Diritto-Lavoro.com (3 November), Quotidiano Motori, Sicurauto.
Update 30 October 2026
- Confirmed (ministry list as read on 27 October, via Quotidiano Motori): CGIL general strike on Friday 20 November for the whole working day, public and private sectors; national rail strike by CUB Trasporti and SGB Ferrovie for 23 hours, from 9 pm on the 20th to 8 pm on the 21st, for all rail companies. The CISL distances itself from the CGIL strike.
- Flights: ENAV controllers strike on Saturday 21 November from 1 pm to 5 pm; if flights are hit, ENAC guarantees departures from 7 am to 10 am and from 6 pm to 9 pm. ATAC's guaranteed bands for the 20th were still not published on 30 October.
- Trains and refunds: Trenitalia and Trenord regional trains keep their guaranteed bands, 6 to 9 am and 6 to 9 pm (Trenord also on Saturday); Italo and Trenitalia publish lists a few days before. Trenitalia refunds a trip given up because of the strike without deductions (Smart Refund on Frecce and Intercity), Trenord within 30 days. Press also lists a general strike from 9 pm on 3 December to 9 pm on 4 December: not yet confirmed.
What we know on 27 October 2026
| Service | Situation on 27 October | When to know |
|---|---|---|
| ATAC buses, trams and metro | Included in the CGIL general strike, full day (Sicurauto, 21 October); guaranteed bands not published | Roma Servizi per la Mobilità, about a week before |
| Trenitalia, Italo trains | CGIL strike for the day of the 20th; CUB Trasporti and SGB strike from 9 pm on the 20th to 8 pm on the 21st (Studenti.it, 19 October) | Guaranteed-train lists, a few days before |
| Flights | CGIL air-sector strike on the 20th; ENAV air traffic control stoppage on the 21st from 1 pm to 5 pm (Sicurauto, 21 October) | Your airline and the airport |
| Taxis | Included in the CGIL strike | On the spot |
| Demonstration in Rome | No route or place announced for 20 November | Rome police (questura), the day before |
The CGIL announced the strike on 17 October from the stage in Piazza del Popolo in Rome, in front of about 100,000 people by its own count (CGIL, ANSA, 17 October); Il Post reported the announcement on 18 October and cites the Meloni government's budget law and military spending as reasons. The exact text of the proclamation, the hours and the time bands had not been read in our sources as of 27 October: the ministry calendar (scioperi.mit.gov.it) could not be reached from our tools.
What usually stays running
The bands are not published for 20 November 2026, but recent ATAC strikes have followed the same rule:
- ATAC buses, trams and metro: service guaranteed from the start of operations to 8:29 am, then from 5 pm to 7:59 pm; outside those hours lines are missing and the metro may close station by station. These are the bands of 14 November 2025 and 30 October 2026; those of 20 November may differ.
- Trains: a list of guaranteed trains is published by Trenitalia and Italo, usually for the rush hours.
- Flights: guaranteed bands are concentrated in the morning and late afternoon (7 am to 10 am and 6 pm to 9 pm in a 2025 strike, to be confirmed for 20 November).
How to check, step by step
- About ten days ahead: open scioperi.mit.gov.it, filter 20 November and read the proclamation (sectors, hours).
- A week ahead: read the ATAC and Roma Servizi per la Mobilità notices.
- Three days ahead: open the guaranteed-train lists of Trenitalia and Italo.
- The day before: confirm your flight with your airline and check the questura for marches.
What if a strike day goes wrong? In packed transport or on long walks, a fall or a bout of illness is still possible. Outside the European Union, an emergency visit or a night in hospital in Rome is charged in full. A health and repatriation insurance (SafetyWing, bought online, for the length of the trip) covers care and the trip home. It does not cover trip cancellation. See our travel insurance guide.
If you travel on those days
- Avoid booking a non-refundable flight or train on 20 or 21 November if you can shift by a day.
- Go to the airport early: see Rome's airports for journeys from Termini; if it is blocked, a fixed-fare taxi is still possible, see taxis in Rome.
- Keep your receipts: a carrier must offer a refund or rerouting.
What to do in Rome that day
The historic centre is best seen on foot. The Pantheon, Piazza Navona and the Trevi Fountain are less than ten minutes from each other. A guided walking tour linking them avoids the metro and buses. For more routes, read Walking tours in Rome. The general strike rules are in Strikes in Rome: sciopero days, guaranteed hours and alternatives; for marches, see Protests in Rome: what to do and what to avoid.
Flight cancelled or delayed by a strike: are you owed compensation?
- Who is covered: EU Regulation 261/2004 (EU261) applies to flights leaving the EU (any airline) and flights into the EU on an EU airline.
- Amounts: €250 up to 1,500 km, €400 from 1,500 to 3,500 km (or intra-EU flights over 1,500 km), €600 beyond 3,500 km, if the flight is cancelled less than 14 days before departure or arrives 3 hours or more late. The amount can be cut by 50% if you are rerouted at times close to the original.
- Strike: the case on this page — Here, the strikes are by third parties. An air traffic control strike, an airport staff strike or a general strike is usually an extraordinary circumstance: no compensation, but the airline must still offer a refund or rebooking and care (meals, hotel).
- Claim for free: directly with the airline, using the form on its website; keep your boarding pass and all proofs. Deadline depends on the country — Italy: 2 years.
- Claims service: AirHelp checks your flight for free and handles the claim, taking a commission only if it wins (about 35% of the compensation, VAT included, plus 15% if legal action is needed). You can also claim yourself at no cost.
What to do safely during the general strike
Here is a plan B to keep your trip going without taking risks.
- Areas to avoid on protest days: piazza della Repubblica, piazza San Giovanni, piazza del Popolo, piazza Venezia, Termini.
- Outing away from the marches: Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast, day trip, far from the squares where people march.
- Airport transfer: transfer from Rome Fiumicino airport, no train, metro or bus to catch.
- For the airport leg, Welcome Pickups offers a private driver booked in advance, so you do not depend on trains, the metro or buses.
- Calm hotel, free cancellation: hotels in Trastevere, quiet area, refundable if your plans change.
FAQ
Will the Rome metro be on strike on 20 November?
The CGIL general strike includes local transport, full day, according to Sicurauto (21 October). ATAC's guaranteed bands are not yet published.
Will flights be affected?
The air sector is included in the CGIL strike of 20 November, and ENAV has a four-hour stoppage on the 21st (1 pm to 5 pm). The guaranteed bands are not published; ask your airline.
Can the strike be cancelled?
Yes, a proclamation can be withdrawn or amended, for example to respect a protected period. Recheck the ministry calendar before you travel.
Sources consulted on 27 October 2026: CGIL (17 October), ANSA (17 October), Il Post (18 October), Il Fatto Quotidiano (17 October), Sicurauto (21 October), Studenti.it (19-20 October), Roma Servizi per la Mobilità (October). This page will be updated with the final notice.
