Milan Public Transport Strike on Friday, 9 October 2026: How to Plan Your Day

In Milan on Friday, 9 October 2026? Two unions have called a 24-hour strike at ATM, the company that runs the city’s metro, buses and trams. Service is protected at the start of the day and in the late afternoon, so with a little planning you can still get around.

Quick answer: ATM metro, bus and tram lines in Milan may not run from 8:45 am to 3 pm, and from 6 pm until the end of service. Before 8:45 am and between 3 pm and 6 pm, service is guaranteed. Trains and Milan’s airports are not part of this strike. The official ATM notice was still online on the morning of Thursday, 8 October; strikes can be called off at the last minute, so check again before you head out.

Friday at a glance

This is how the ATM notice splits the day:

• Start of service to 8:45 am: guaranteed;
• 8:45 am to 3 pm: lines may stop;
• 3 pm to 6 pm: guaranteed;
• 6 pm to end of service: lines may stop.

“May stop” is the key phrase. How much actually stops depends on how many employees join the strike, and nobody knows that until the day. Some lines may run as usual while others shut down. ATM has not published a list of affected lines: the notice covers all its lines in Milan, including the metro, buses and trams. Follow live updates on the ATM website.

According to the official strike calendar of the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, the walkouts were called by the AL Cobas and Confial Trasporti unions and only involve staff of the ATM group. The calendar lists no train, airport or taxi strike in Milan that day.

Arriving or leaving on strike day

Linate is the airport most exposed, because its direct link to the city, the M4 metro line, is run by ATM. Your options:

• the flibco shuttle bus from Milano Centrale station (Piazza Luigi di Savoia), which takes about 25 minutes;
• a taxi: Linate airport lists the radio taxi numbers +39 02 4040 and +39 02 8585;
• suburban trains S5, S6 and S9 stop at Milano Forlanini, but the connection from there to the terminal is the M4 itself, so this only works if the metro is running.

More options in our guide on getting from Linate Airport to Milan.

Malpensa is easier. The Malpensa Express is run by Trenord, not ATM, and leaves from Cadorna and Centrale stations. flibco buses also connect the airport with Centrale (stopping at Piazzale Lotto) and with Rho Fiera and Lampugnano. See all the options in our Malpensa to Milan guide.

Catching a train? The trains themselves are not on strike. The tricky part is getting to the station. If your hotel is near one of the city stops of the Passante railway (Porta Garibaldi, Repubblica, Porta Venezia, Dateo, Porta Vittoria), the suburban S trains can replace the metro. Otherwise, travel during a guaranteed slot, even if it means waiting at the station, or book a taxi through the official City of Milan taxi numbers.

Sightseeing on strike day

• Do the long trips in the guaranteed slots. Reach the center before 8:45 am and plan to head back to your hotel between 3 pm and 6 pm.
• Spend the middle of the day on foot. The Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, La Scala and Castello Sforzesco are close enough to walk between them.
• Timed tickets need extra margin. If you are booked for The Last Supper or any other timed entry in a risk slot, plan to walk or take a taxi, and leave early.
• Evening plans outside the center, such as a concert or dinner across town: after 6 pm ATM lines may not run until the end of service, so plan your return by taxi or pick somewhere near your hotel.

Day trip to Lake Como

Trains to Como are not affected by this strike, but the Como-Brunate funicular belongs to the ATM group and is included. Its risk slots are different from Milan’s: it may not run from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm and from 7:30 pm until the end of service. If the ride up to Brunate is on your list, aim for the first hour of the morning or the late afternoon.

Official sources

• ATM notice on the 9 October strike (in Italian)
• Official strike calendar of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport
• Milan Linate Airport: getting there by train

Last checked: 8 October 2026.