Train Strike

[alexant]

I checked out the website for train strikes....found one for Oct. 11...the day we are in Rome! Is this for sure? Should we go ahead and book a tour off of the ship? Our first time in Europe and not sure about these strikes.....any advice or information would be appreciated. Thanks!

[ab0si]

The strikes often get called off a week or two before the scheduled start. That said, this one looks serious. A national 24-hour strike (it starts the evening of the 10th) is less likely to be called off than the 4-hour ones.

 

It seems like a good idea to arrange other transportation (private or through the ship)

[alexant]

Thanks....I just read another post which says this railway guarantees transportation and provides buses if the trains do not run????

[ldydoc12]

Where do you find out about train strikes?

[GSPLover]

The strikes often get called off a week or two before the scheduled start. That said, this one looks serious. A national 24-hour strike (it starts the evening of the 10th) is less likely to be called off than the 4-hour ones.

 

It seems like a good idea to arrange other transportation (private or through the ship)

 

I readily concur on this one. Looks like the real deal. Have a plan 'B' ready to go into operation. I would, however, watch this closely on http://www.commissionegaranziasciopero.it/ . As ab0si stated, these strikes can be called off.

[Hlitner]

These strikes are not unusual and they do normally shut down much of the Trenitalia train system. What is interesting about the Oct 11 strike is that its on a Sunday, so the union is just making a statement rather than disrupting the entire country. For cruise passengers also creates another problem since most rental car companies (except those at the airports) are also closed on Sunday. As much as we hate to ever recommend the overpriced cruise excursions, you would be well advised to book the cruise line transportation ASAP (you can usually do this on-line). If the strike is cancelled or you change your mind you can always cancel the cruise tour up until their cancellation deadline (usually a few days before the port call).

 

Hank

[ab0si]

Thanks....I just read another post which says this railway guarantees transportation and provides buses if the trains do not run????

 

 

There are a few routes which are "guaranteed," some by train (with supervisors running the show) and some via bus. Do not take this guarantee too seriously though. Schedules will be in shambles (whatever they promise) and the conveyances overcrowded at best.

[ab0si]

Where do you find out about train strikes?

 

As GSPLover said: http://www.commissionegaranziasciopero.it

 

Instructions on its use and the url for English language sites which can be useful, but also misleading since they are incomplete,c an be found by doing a search in the parent forum of this one.

[larie]

We are arriving in Rome on Tues. Oct 13 and were planning on taking the train from the port into Rome. How long do these strikes normally last and should we be looking at Plan b now?

[ab0si]

We are arriving in Rome on Tues. Oct 13 and were planning on taking the train from the port into Rome. How long do these strikes normally last and should we be looking at Plan b now?

 

As stated earlier in this thread. It is a 24-hour strike beginning on the evening of the tenth. 24-hour strikes last 24-hours.:) By the 13th everything will have been back to normal for some time.

[auducky2]

Thanks for posting the site!

[GSPLover]

The following link is the one I use to check strike status. Easy to use even though it's in Italian. Under the calendar image there is a button labeled "Ricerca Avanzata Scioperi", click on that. Next page, a bunch of boxes for input. First row, enter 10, 10, 2009 (day, month and year). Second row, enter 11, 10, 2009. Press the "Cerca" button. The field you want to watch is "Revocato" in the lower left corner. Of course, an entry there and something in the field below it would simply mean that it has been rescheduled.

http://www.commissionegaranziasciopero.it/

Yes, there are certain trains that are guaranteed to run even in the event of a strike. Keep in mind that there are very few of them, and their times aren't really that convenient. Supply and demand comes into play here big time. The trains will be extremely crowded (standing room only).

[Glesca]

The following link is the one I use to check strike status. Easy to use even though it's in Italian. Under the calendar image there is a button labeled "Ricerca Avanzata Scioperi", click on that. Next page, a bunch of boxes for input. First row, enter 10, 10, 2009 (day, month and year). Second row, enter 11, 10, 2009. Press the "Cerca" button. The field you want to watch is "Revocato" in the lower left corner. Of course, an entry there and something in the field below it would simply mean that it has been rescheduled.

http://www.commissionegaranziasciopero.it/

 

Yes, there are certain trains that are guaranteed to run even in the event of a strike. Keep in mind that there are very few of them, and their times aren't really that convenient. Supply and demand comes into play here big time. The trains will be extremely crowded (standing room only).

 

Do you know when the strike is scheduled to start on the 10th.?

My train leaves Venice at 10.43AM and gets to Rome 3.10PM. (Hopefully)

Thanks.

[GSPLover]

Do you know when the strike is scheduled to start on the 10th.?

My train leaves Venice at 10.43AM and gets to Rome 3.10PM. (Hopefully)

Thanks.

 

Strike starts at midnight on the 10th and goes till midnight on the 11th. You should encounter no problems with your train times. Could be a little more crowded than normal. They do not sell more tickets that seats on the Eurostar.

[Glesca]

Strike starts at midnight on the 10th and goes till midnight on the 11th. You should encounter no problems with your train times. Could be a little more crowded than normal. They do not sell more tickets that seats on the Eurostar.

 

 

 

Good news, and thanks for the comeback. I had already decided to purchase my tickets from RailEurope, so I have my 1st Class tickets with assigned seats in hand.:D

Once again, thank you.

[EMSSMU]

Will Eurostar be part of the strike? We plan to travel from Venice to Rome that day via train as part of our pre cruise travels. This is not what we wanted to hear. Will all the trains be part of the strike?

[j&l cruisers]

This site is also helpful

 

http://www.summerinitaly.com/planning/strike.asp

[ab0si]

Will Eurostar be part of the strike? We plan to travel from Venice to Rome that day via train as part of our pre cruise travels. This is not what we wanted to hear. Will all the trains be part of the strike?

 

Again, a few routes are guaranteed to have a few trains running. The bottom line though is that even if there is a guarantee on the ES route Venice to Rome, it will be late, crowded and not a pleasant thing (it is amazing how many foreign <mostly Americans> tourists will have no idea there is a strike and will be milling around the station looking lost/mad/confused/etc.).

 

If this were my trip, I would head to Rome a day early.

[alexant]

Thanks everyone! We have decided to go ahead and book the "Rome On Your Own" tour off the ship. So we will be guaranteed our transportation there and still do things on our own.

[GSPLover]

Again, a few routes are guaranteed to have a few trains running. The bottom line though is that even if there is a guarantee on the ES route Venice to Rome, it will be late, crowded and not a pleasant thing (it is amazing how many foreign <mostly Americans> tourists will have no idea there is a strike and will be milling around the station looking lost/mad/confused/etc.).

 

If this were my trip, I would head to Rome a day early.

 

For all intents and purposes you will not be going anywhere on the day of the strike. Do not even set foot inside a train station after 10PM on the 10th.

 

If you intended to travel on the 11th; change it to the 10th.

[ladysail2]

Strike starts at midnight on the 10th and goes till midnight on the 11th. You should encounter no problems with your train times. Could be a little more crowded than normal. They do not sell more tickets that seats on the Eurostar.

 

 

. October 11, 2009 Trenitalia personnel will be on strike for 24 hours, from 9.00 pm of October 10th, to 9.00 pm of October 11th.

[GSPLover]

.October 11, 2009 Trenitalia personnel will be on strike for 24 hours, from 9.00 pm of October 10th, to 9.00 pm of October 11th.

 

Checked the government site and the times have indeed changed:

dalle h. 21.00 del 10.10 alle h. 21.00 dell' 11.10

[Joy_K]

Alexant, I am on the same cruise as you (Ruby Princess) and thanks for pointing out about the train strike. I am in the process of arranging a private minibus to transport 26 people to Rome on Oct 11 then back to the ship. Cost will be 28 euros each person if you are interested. I looked at our roll call spreadsheet and didn't find your email address to send you info.

[nparmelee]

We had a train strike our day in Livorno, if you can be really flexible and patient, you can get around, but it can take a lot more time! We decided to go to Lucca that day instead of Florence because we could get to and back from Pisa fairly easily on trains and then take the bus to Lucca, but it would have been much trickier to get back from Florence. We did have to wait an extra 45 minutes or so in Pisa for a train back to Livorno as many of them were cancelled, including the train we had planned on taking back from Florence to Livorno so we were glad we took the Lucca option instead. If you really want to get somewhere on a train strike day, then you really should look at other options or travel the day before or day after. Sometimes the train strikes don't happen, but if they do, you don't want to be stressed out.

[patrickmoran]

nparmelee,

 

When were you in Livorno? Was the strike scheduled by the union? I take it was not a national strike since the train between Pisa and Livorno was running? Thanks