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Travelers heading to Italy and Spain could face major transportation disruptions up ahead this week as workers prepare to strike.
Rail passengers in Spain could see delays and cancellations beginning Thursday, Oct. 29, while a nationwide strike in Italy on Friday could affect trains, flights and other forms of transportation, according to reports.
In Spain, train drivers represented by the SEMAF union are planning a 24-hour strike Thursday that will affect Renfe, Spain’s national passenger rail company, according to an announcement from the union.
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SEMAF cited concerns including railway safety, working conditions and what it described as unfulfilled commitments as reasons for the strike.
The strike is scheduled to run from 12:01 a.m. through 11:59 p.m., the union said.
Some trains will continue operating during the strike under minimum service requirements.
Travelers to and within Italy and Spain could face major transportation disruptions this week as workers prepare to strike. (Europa Press via Getty Images)
The Spanish government has required 73% of Renfe’s high-speed and long-distance trains and 65% of its medium-distance trains to run during the strike, according to Renfe.
Renfe has pushed back against some of the reasons given for the strike.
The company said it’s completed the steps it was responsible for under a February agreement aimed at improving the country’s rail system, according to a company press release.
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It also said it has moved forward with additional hiring and taken steps to improve train maintenance, while arguing that several other issues raised by the union are controlled by government agencies or other organizations.
“Is it safe to travel or should I reschedule the trip?”
“Renfe respects the exercise of the right to strike, but regrets a call that could affect thousands of travelers despite the progress made and full compliance with the obligations assumed by the company in the February agreement,” the company said in a translated press release.
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Travel problems in Spain could continue Friday, when drivers for Ouigo, another high-speed rail operator, are planning a separate 24-hour strike over working conditions, according to Business Travel News Europe.
Meanwhile, travelers in Italy could face disruptions on several forms of transportation.
Travel problems in Spain could continue Friday. Train drivers represented by a union are planning a 24-hour strike Thursday that will affect Renfe, Spain’s national passenger rail company. (Bildagentur-online/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
A nationwide general strike is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 30, with transportation workers among those expected to take part, according to Italy’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport.
Rail workers are scheduled to strike from 9 p.m. Thursday through 8:59 p.m. Friday, according to the ministry’s strike calendar.
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Air travel could also face disruptions Friday, while ground-handling workers at Florence and Pisa airports are planning a separate 24-hour strike, according to the government schedule.
Reasons for the strike include concerns over the cost of living, wages and pensions, as well as opposition to increased military spending, according to the USB union.
Rail passengers in Spain (not pictured) could see delays and cancellations beginning this week. (Donato Fasano/Getty Images)
The strike comes amid broader unrest in Italy, where recent demonstrations have led to clashes and prompted the government to deploy additional soldiers to Milan, Fox News Digital previously reported.
The upcoming strikes have already left some tourists questioning whether they should change their plans.
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“Is it safe to travel or should I reschedule the trip?” one Reddit user asked ahead of a planned Oct. 30 train trip from Rome to Florence.
Some commenters urged other travelers to check whether their specific train is included on a guaranteed service list before making any changes.
A nationwide general strike in Italy is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 30, with transportation workers among those expected to take part (not pictured). (Europa Press via Getty Images)
“There is nothing unsafe about a transportation strike,” one person wrote, adding that travelers should check their train before deciding whether to reschedule.
Other travelers said they would rather avoid the uncertainty altogether.
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“I would reschedule if you can,” one Reddit user wrote.
Fox News Digital reached out to SEMAF, Renfe and Italy’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport for comment.
