Rail workers walk out on 7-8 September, flights hit on 30 September, with a general strike on 26 September set to disrupt transport, schools and healthcare nationwide.Travellers in Italy face a bumpy return from the summer break, with a series of strikes set to disrupt trains, flights and local transport in September. Train strike The month's first major stoppage hits the railways on 7-8 September, when a 24-hour national strike by drivers and on-board staff at Trenitalia, Trenitalia Tper and Mercitalia Rail runs from 21.00 on the Sunday to 21.00 on the Monday. Freight services are also likely to be affected, with rail maintenance and infrastructure staff at RFI striking regionally between 10 and 11 September, alongside a separate national strike hitting freight operator Captrain Italia over the same two days. As usual, guaranteed service bands will apply on weekdays between 06.00-09.00 and 18.00-21.00 for passenger trains. Air travel On 13 September ground-handling staff at Pisa and Florence airports, along with private security staff at Fiumicino, Turin and Malpensa, will down tools between 11.00 and 15.00. The most disruptive date for flights looks set to be 30 September, when a four-hour national strike by air traffic control body ENAV and maintenance firm Techno Sky, both called for the same afternoon window, threatens delays and cancellations at airports across the country. Local public transport will see a rolling series of walkouts in cities including Genoa, Venice, Vicenza, Trento, Bergamo and Perugia through the month, particularly on 15 September: Florence, Prato, Ravenna, Naples, Venice and Pisa are all listed for strike action on public transport that day. General strike Capping off the month, a 24-hour general strike has been called on Saturday 26 September, potentially affecting schools, healthcare and the public sector as well as transport. Under EU rules, passengers whose train or flight is cancelled because of strike action are entitled to a full refund or rerouting on an alternative service at no extra cost. Travellers are advised to check with operators for guaranteed flight and train lists ahead of the affected dates.   We update our news of public transport strikes in Italy regularly. For official information see the transport ministry website. Photo credit: Andrei Antipov / Shutterstock.com.