Travellers heading to Italy in the coming weeks are facing a turbulent end to winter as a wave of strikes affects air, rail and local public transport at the height of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and in the run-up to the Paralympic Games. A series of coordinated walkouts in February and March is expected to disrupt tens of thousands of journeys, with airports, long distance trains and city networks all braced for delays and cancellations.
What Is Happening: Key Strike Dates in February and March
The most immediate disruption will come from a nationwide air transport strike on Monday 16 February 2026. Staff at Italy’s flag carrier ITA Airways, as well as crews and ground workers from other airlines, are planning 24-hour industrial action that will affect flights across the country’s main airports, including Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa, Milan Linate, Venice Marco Polo and Verona. Aviation data indicates that ITA alone has more than 300 flights scheduled for the day, the majority of them outside the legally protected time slots when services must run, putting an estimated 25,000 to 27,000 passengers at risk of disruption.
The pressure on Italy’s transport system will not ease when the Olympics flame goes out. On Wednesday 25 February a 24-hour national strike will hit local public transport networks, including metros, buses and trams in major cities such as Rome, Milan and Turin. Just two days later, on Friday 27 February, staff of the state railway operator Ferrovie dello Stato Italiane are scheduled to walk out at 9 pm for a 24-hour strike that will continue into Saturday 28 February, affecting high-speed, Intercity and regional services.
A fresh wave of air travel disruption is then set to hit on Saturday 7 March, when staff at ENAV, the national air traffic control provider, plan an eight-hour strike affecting the Rome Area Control Centre and, by extension, a large segment of Italian airspace. This action coincides with the early days of the Milano Cortina Paralympic Games, raising concerns of prolonged travel chaos well into March for visitors, athletes and residents alike.
Air Travel Turmoil: How Italy’s Airports Will Be Hit
The 16 February strike is shaping up to be the most disruptive single day for air travellers in Italy so far this year. Unions representing ITA Airways pilots, cabin crew and ground staff have called the walkout to press demands over pay, rosters and working conditions. They will be joined by flight attendants from Vueling and crews from easyJet aligned with the USB union, who intend to strike for 24 hours, with some union members staging stoppages in the early afternoon. Ground handling staff at Milan’s Linate and Malpensa airports, employed by companies such as Airport Handling and ALHA, are also expected to participate, compounding operational difficulties.
Italian aviation law requires carriers and air traffic authorities to guarantee a minimum level of service during specific time windows, typically between 7 am and 10 am and again from 6 pm to 9 pm. Flights operating within those periods are generally protected from cancellation, although delays remain possible. Many departures and arrivals, however, fall outside those windows and are therefore vulnerable. Travellers booked on flights in the middle of the day or late at night are particularly at risk of disruption and may see their services rescheduled or cancelled altogether.
The planned 7 March air traffic control strike will have a different profile but potentially wider geographical impact. ENAV’s Rome Area Control Centre manages a large swathe of Italian airspace, including some of the critical routes used by long haul and intra-European flights. Even an eight-hour stoppage could force widespread re-routing, capacity reductions and knock-on delays across multiple airports. Authorities are considering contingency plans, but airlines will likely pre-emptively trim schedules to minimise chaos, leaving passengers facing cancellations or significant timetable changes.
Rail and Urban Transport: A Month of Disruption on the Ground
For travellers who prefer to avoid flying, February and March do not offer easy alternatives. Italy’s extensive rail network has already suffered serious disruption this month after deliberate acts of sabotage on high-speed lines near Bologna and Pesaro on 7 February. Those incidents caused major delays and cancellations for tens of thousands of passengers and prompted a terrorism investigation, underscoring the system’s vulnerability at a time of heightened international attention on Italy.
Industrial action will add to the pressure. The 27–28 February national rail strike will hit all main categories of trains, from flagship Frecce high-speed services to Intercity and regional lines. Ferrovie dello Stato is expected to maintain a core set of guaranteed services, particularly during peak commuter hours and on essential long distance routes, but a large number of departures are likely to be cancelled or heavily delayed. Passengers travelling between major hubs such as Rome, Milan, Venice, Florence and Naples should prepare for packed trains during the protected windows and thin options outside them.
Urban transport will also be significantly affected, especially on 25 February when national unions have called a 24-hour strike across local bus, tram and metro networks. City authorities are publicising specific time bands when services must run, typically during the morning and evening peaks, but travellers can expect long intervals between services and crowded vehicles. In Rome, disruptions are projected between the late morning and early evening, as well as after 8 pm. In Milan, many lines will stop outside short, protected rush-hour windows. For visitors trying to connect between rail stations, airports and hotels, these citywide stoppages will magnify the impact of national rail and air strikes.
Political Tensions and the Olympic Backdrop
The timing of these strikes, coming just as Italy hosts the Winter Olympics and prepares for the Paralympics, has inflamed tensions between the government and trade unions. Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini has accused the unions of being irresponsible and even anti-Italian for refusing to shift the strike dates away from the Games. Italy’s strikes authority formally requested that air transport unions move their actions into a corridor between 24 February and 4 March to lessen the impact on Olympic travel, but unions rejected the proposal, insisting that such a change would reduce the effectiveness of their protest.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government is already under scrutiny for its handling of recent protests and for a toughening law-and-order agenda. The rail sabotage on 7 February, claimed by anarchist groups opposed to the Games, prompted a fierce response from officials, who portrayed the acts as an assault on Italy’s image at a critical moment. Some critics argue that the government is using security concerns to justify a clampdown on civil liberties, including the right to strike, while ministers counter that they must protect both national prestige and the daily lives of citizens and visitors.
For travellers, the political debate may feel distant, but its consequences are very real. As negotiations over sector-wide contracts, pay and working conditions continue, unions appear determined to leverage the global spotlight on Italy to push for concessions. Unless a last-minute compromise is reached, the likelihood is that at least some of the planned walkouts will go ahead as scheduled, leaving passengers to navigate the fallout on the ground and in the air.
Practical Advice: How Travellers Can Minimise Disruption
Given the scale and timing of the strikes, anyone planning a trip to Italy between mid-February and early March should build flexibility into their itinerary. For air travellers, the most important step is to monitor flight status closely via airline apps or customer service channels in the days leading up to departure. If you are booked on a flight scheduled during strike hours, contact the airline as early as possible to ask about free rebooking, alternative routings or refunds. Many carriers, including low cost airlines, issue special rebooking policies for known strike days.
Where possible, aim to travel during the legally protected time slots when services must operate, especially on 16 February and 7 March. Even then, allow generous buffers for connections, particularly if you are linking an international flight with a domestic train or a cruise departure. Consider spending the night before your key departure in the city of departure rather than relying on early morning transfers on strike days, when transport options may be severely reduced.
For rail journeys, check in advance whether your chosen train falls under the list of guaranteed services that rail operators typically publish before national strikes. Booking flexible fares can provide extra security, as can carrying a backup plan that might involve a different route, regional services or, in the worst case, a long distance bus or rental car. In major cities, be prepared to walk more than usual, rely on taxis where available, or share rides to bridge the gaps caused by local transport stoppages.
Impact on Tourism, Business Travel and Local Communities
The timing of this disruption could hardly be worse for Italy’s travel industry. The Winter Olympics were expected to showcase the country’s alpine resorts and transport infrastructure to a global audience, generating a valuable mid-season boost for hotels, restaurants and tour operators. Instead, repeated reports of delays, cancellations and uncertainty risk tarnishing that image and deterring some prospective visitors, especially those with limited flexibility or traveling with families.
Business travellers are also likely to feel the impact. February and March are busy months for trade fairs, corporate meetings and academic conferences in cities such as Milan, Turin and Bologna. Cancelled flights and unreliable trains could lead to missed appointments, added accommodation costs and a shift to virtual meetings. Some companies may respond by scheduling fewer in-person events in Italy during periods when industrial action is common, further eroding revenue for local service providers.
For residents, the strikes highlight deeper frustrations over wages, job security and cost of living. While many Italians express sympathy for the goals of the unions, patience can wear thin when essential services are repeatedly disrupted. The combination of recent rail sabotage, heightened security checks associated with the Olympics and a dense calendar of strikes has created a sense of chronic uncertainty around basic mobility. In smaller communities dependent on regional trains and buses, reduced services can mean real isolation, particularly for those without access to a car.
Should You Postpone Your Trip to Italy?
With headlines warning of travel chaos, some would-be visitors are wondering whether to delay or cancel their plans. For most travellers, outright cancellation is not necessary, but careful planning is essential. The disruption, while significant, is concentrated on specific dates and modes of transport. If your schedule is flexible, you can often work around the worst of the action by avoiding key strike days, building in extra layover time, or choosing alternative airports and routes.
However, travellers with rigid itineraries that depend on tight same-day connections, such as flying into Milan on 16 February for an immediate train to a ski resort, might wish to reassess. In those scenarios, even minor delays can cascade into missed connections and expensive last minute changes. Similarly, visitors with mobility issues who rely heavily on accessible public transport may find strike days particularly stressful and could benefit from repositioning key travel legs to non-strike dates wherever possible.
Ultimately, the decision will depend on individual risk tolerance and flexibility. Italy remains open, its cultural sites, mountains and cities continue to welcome visitors, and many journeys will proceed smoothly despite the industrial unrest. The key is to stay informed, prepare for possible disruption and approach the coming weeks with a degree of patience. For those who do, a winter trip to Italy is still very much possible, even in the midst of one of the most challenging periods the country’s transport network has faced in years.