Need Train Strike Advice

[tj_shopper]

We purchased Italo train tickets from Rome to Florence for Sunday, May 14, 2023.  Yesterday, I received an email from Italo Treno stating the following:

 

Dear Customer,

we are sorry to inform you that your Italo 8956 of 14/05/2023, PNR RECNXT, is not guarantee due to a strike of the Italo staff.

To get the refund or to arrange a new travel solution for the 14th of May, please contact Pronto Italo 060708.

We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for understanding.

 

Have this ever happened to anyone before?  When researched, it shows that the strike will occur between the hours of 9:01 a.m. to 4:59 p.m.  Our train ticket is for 8:25 a.m. which is before the strike and our train back from Florence to Rome is at 5:42 p.m. which is after the strike.  So, does that mean we're okay?  It's outside the strike time.  Will the trains run or can it possibly get cancelled?  Not sure how they do things out in Europe.

 

Also, it's almost impossible to find out if I can get a refund through the app.  Does anyone know or have any experience with this?  Italo is the only one striking on this day that we can see.  I'm thinking of cancelling and purchasing from another train line.  However, there are 27 of us going for this day trip to Florence before we get on a cruise on Monday, May 15th.  We have to make it back to Rome on Sunday, May 14th so that we can catch our cruise the next day.

 

We also bought tickets to see the David statue in Florence and I can't find how to get refunds for that either.  Ugh - was trying to be so organized and then this happened. 

 

Any thoughts or suggestions would be welcomed.  Thank you.

 

 

[euro cruiser]

According to what you've quoted, only the morning train is at issue.  Although it would leave Termini before the strike begins, it would be en-route so they won't leave, rather than stop along the way.

 

I don't have any experience with the app but if this is important to you, follow their suggestion to call them and change to an earlier train that will arrive to Florence before 9:00.  If you don't move quickly these trains will be sold out.  There are two options, at 6:40 and 6:55.

Edited May 6, 2023 by euro cruiser

[ravenrob]

Try booking on Trenitalia.

[tj_shopper]

Update:

 

We called Pronto Italo 060708 at the number for overseas (since we are in the US).  The number to call is +39 06 89371892 every day from 7 am to 10 pm CET (your operator fixed-line call cost applies).

 

It took a bit of a wait once they answered to find someone who spoke English.  We gave them our Ticket Code which they looked up.  The strike time on 5/14/2023 is 9:01 a.m. to 4:59 p.m.  Our original train to Florence from Rome was at 8:25 a.m. and it was not guaranteed to arrive Florence.  We had to change our ticket to the 7:55 a.m. train which is guaranteed to arrive Florence.  Our train ride back from Florence to Rome is scheduled at 5:42 p.m. and it was guaranteed so we did not need to change that ticket.

 

We are a group of 27 with four different Ticket Codes.  They were able to make all the changes and we received confirmation emails.

 

We could have asked for a refund but would have likely had to do it in person at the station as we couldn’t do it on the App.  Also, it wouldn’t have been a quick refund.  It would have taken some time and they mentioned that it would have to be deposited to our Bank account, although we charged it on our credit card, so not sure what that was all about.  In the end, we just decided to change our outbound ticket as it was only a half hour difference.  Glad we are still able to go to Florence.

[euro cruiser]

Great, I'm happy you're going to have your day in Florence, and thanks for sharing the process.

[tj_shopper]

2 minutes ago, euro cruiser said:

Great, I'm happy you're going to have your day in Florence, and thanks for sharing the process.

Thank you for your help.  It was a good thing we got someone in our group who had free international calling to make the call.  She said she was on hold for a while until they found someone who spoke English.  She had to call back twice - once to get all the information and then the second time after we all collaborated on what we wanted to do lol!

 

We are all so excited and can't wait.  Four more days and counting!

[MELso]

For anyone in Italy on 26 May, you should note that a general strike has been called and this will affect train services (other than guaranteed services).