Between 22 and 30 September 2026, several strikes are planned in Italy that are likely to cause noticeable disruption, particularly for travellers. Following the first strike days at the beginning of the month (documented in our overview of strikes in September), the final week of September now comes into focus. On Tuesday, 29 September,the entire Italian port sector will lay down tools nationally for 24 hours, affecting a large number of ferry services. The following day brings a four-hour walkout by Italian air traffic control. The general strike called by the union CSLE, which had been announced for Friday and Saturday, has meanwhile been officially withdrawn.
29 September: Port sector lays down tools nationally for 24 hours
The strike on 29 September affects employees of port operations under Articles 16, 17 and 18 of the Italian Port Law (Legge 84/94), the port authorities (Adsp), and companies operating under the national port collective agreement. The stoppage is national in scope, lasts 24 hours, and therefore affects the entire Italian coastline, from the Ligurian Sea across the Adriatic to Sicily and Sardinia.
For travellers, this means above all: Ferry services to the Italian islands may be cancelled or delayed. Routes potentially affected include the classic crossings from Napoli and Pozzuoli to the islands of the Gulf (Ischia, Procida, Capri), the ferry connections from Livorno and Piombino to Elba and Sardinia, the Adriatic routes from Ancona, Bari and Brindisi to Greece and Albania, and the Sicily services from Villa San Giovanni, Napoli and Genova. The precise extent of cancellations will depend on the level of participation by staff at each individual shipping company. Anyone with a crossing booked during these days is advised to check the status of their connection directly with the shipping company and via the official strike calendar of the Italian Ministry of Transport .
30 September: Air traffic control strikes for four hours
On Wednesday, 30 September,there will be a four-hour walkout by staff at the Italian air traffic control authority Enav and its associated maintenance company Techno Sky. The stoppage, called by Uiltrasporti, runs from 13:00 to 17:00 and may during that period cause delays, diversions and isolated cancellations across Italian airspace. In addition, on the same day, staff at the airports of Pisa and Firenze, as well as at regional Enav sites in Roma, Bologna and Bari, will also strike. Under the rules of the Italian civil aviation authority ENAC, flights operating within the morning and evening guaranteed windows (07:00 to 10:00 and 18:00 to 21:00), as well as all connections to the Italian islands, remain guaranteed in such cases.
Also on Monday, 28 September,the regional public transport operator AIR Campania will strike in Napoli for four hours between 08:00 and 12:00. From 23 to 29 September, the Italian criminal defence lawyers' association (Unione delle Camere Penali Italiane) is also staging a walkout that will slow proceedings in the courts, though this is unlikely to have any noticeable impact on everyday life for most people.
General strike on 26 September: withdrawn
The general strike originally proclaimed by the union CSLE, with the participation of FISI, for 25 and 26 September was formally withdrawn on 2 September 2026. The planned stoppage, which was to have affected all public and private sectors (ministries, schools, health services, railways, petrol stations, fire brigade), will not take place. The withdrawal is recorded in the Cruscotto GEPAS of the Presidenza del Consiglio under the status "REVOCATO" . Some older press articles continue to list the strike as active; the only reliable sources are the official government database and the website of the Commissione di Garanzia.
How travellers can stay informed about strikes in Italy
Strikes in Italy's public sector are governed by Legge 146/1990,which regulates the protection of essential public services. For regional rail services on weekdays, the windows from 06:00 to 09:00 and from 18:00 to 21:00 are defined as periods of guaranteed minimum service. For long-distance services, Trenitalia and Italo publish their own lists of guaranteed connections before each strike. Trains already en route at the time a strike begins will reach their destination provided it can be reached within one hour of the start of the stoppage.
For air travel, ENAC publishes a list of guaranteed flights before each stoppage. Passengers who choose not to travel because of a strike are entitled to a full refund with no administration fees. The central official point of contact for all stoppages in the public sector is the Commissione di Garanzia dell'attuazione della legge sullo sciopero nei servizi pubblici essenziali,whose calendar is supplemented by the Ministry of Transport. A continuously updated overview of all strikes in Italy is maintained in our service section.As strikes can be withdrawn, postponed or extended at short notice, it is advisable to check the situation on the day before travel or on the day of departure itself.
