Plan B in Event of a Train Strike In Italy

[southtexaspop]

Departing on a W. Med cruise in a couple of weeks and just got done re-checking train schedules for Livorno to Florence and Civitavecchia to Rome. I have read that on occasion Italian trains go on strike with little or no notice. As I have no backup plan to return to port should the trains go on strike, I was wondering what those caught in this situation have done before. Taxi? Bus? What's best? Cost? Any suggestions? Thanks.

[ab0si]

Your information is not correct. Train (and other strikes) are common in Italy. However, unannounced or wildcat strikes are quite rare. Strikes are usually announced MONTHS in advance.

 

http://rome.angloinfo.com/countries/italy/strikes.asp is a good place to start your search for announced strikes. When you then go the Italian ministry's website and click through as explained:

The strikes are listed by industrial segment. the ones of the most interest to you are:

 

Transporto Aereo .. as with most information on this page, even if you don't know Italian from Welsh, you will be able to figure it out easily enough. Then, within each industrial segment, you will see who is going on strike, where (often just a region or a province), when and for how long.

 

Trasporto Ferroviario: Railroad (remember your high school chemistry? If so, you will see the reference to "Iron" there.. Again, a little sideways thinking and/or an on-line dictionary will allow you to figure out what's being listed.

 

Trasporto Pubblico Locale, Buses, Metros, taxis, etc.

 

If you are only concerned with Rome, don't worry about a strike in Lombardy, etc.

 

Paul

[southtexaspop]

Thanks, Paul. That was most helpful.

[29pearls]

Paul, many thanks for the info! It looks like I got good news, missing the next scheduled strikes by 1 day. Whew!

 

If you follow his link, another website (in Italian so need to use a translator) indicates that the next strikes are Nov. 8 for maritime, and Nov. 9 for air, rail, and other public transport. We are sailing from Athens on Nov. 5th but don't get to Italian ports until Nov. 10. We will be relying heavily on train travel for our stops in Messina, Livorno(Florence), and Civitavecchia(Rome). For Naples I'm still undecided but will most likely get a private driver to maximize our time at the Amalfi Coast.

[ab0si]

Paul, many thanks for the info! It looks like I got good news, missing the next scheduled strikes by 1 day. Whew!

 

If you follow his link, another website (in Italian so need to use a translator) indicates that the next strikes are Nov. 8 for maritime, and Nov. 9 for air, rail, and other public transport. We are sailing from Athens on Nov. 5th but don't get to Italian ports until Nov. 10. We will be relying heavily on train travel for our stops in Messina, Livorno(Florence), and Civitavecchia(Rome). For Naples I'm still undecided but will most likely get a private driver to maximize our time at the Amalfi Coast.

 

It is easy to get to the North end of the Amalfi coast by rail from Naples (not on the national railroad, but on the regional one, btw). However, once you are there, traveling the coast by bus (the only option other than car) is, imho, a waste of a great opportunity to really SEE the area. Furthermore, driving the coast road yourself is .. how can put this politely.. NUTS. <grin>

 

If the coast is what you want to do with your stop in Naples, then your idea of hiring a driver makes excellent sense to me. (not that you asked, of course).

 

BTW, the reason I posted the site I did rather than the "real" site is that I didn't want to scare anyone by dropping them directly into Italian.

 

Let me warn you about Sicilian rail travel. Schedules are more of a suggestion than a promise. Also, the rolling stock tends to be old. I don't mean to scare you off -- I have traveled all over the island via rail; just do not be surprised. Most people seem to forget that until 150 years ago, the last time North an South Italy were one country, there were still Emperors running the joint. In many ways they are still separate countries.

 

Paul