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Drivers in Italy brace for two-day nationwide petrol station strike

Drivers in Italy have been warned to fill up their gas tanks ahead of a two-day strike this week affecting every petrol station in the country.

Published: 5 November 2019 10:18 CET

Drivers in Italy brace for two-day nationwide petrol station strike

A sign reads "closed for strike" at an Italian petrol station during a previous gas station strike. Photo: Andreas Solaro/AFP

Italian trade unions have confirmed the planned two-day petrol station strike will go ahead from Wednesday until early on Friday morning.

Unions said the strike action will affect all gas stations on roads and motorways across the country, including on toll motorways.

Stations will close 6am on Wednesday 6th November and the strike will continue until 6am on Friday 8th November.

The action hasn't been called by disgruntled gas station employees, but rather by petrol station owners and managers reportedly angry at measures being brought in by the government, including the introduction of electronic invoicing, which they say “increase bureaucracy without having any value in the fight against illegality or fiscal infidelity.”

Drivers are being advised to fill up their tanks ahead of the strikes and avoid long journeys during the strike action where possible.

READ ALSO: What you need to know about Italy's new petrol pump labels

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Reader question: How can I buy a telepass for my trip to Italy?

Question: “I’ve tried to buy a telepass for Italy’s autostrade from a German company online, but they refuse to send the unit to my United Kingdom address. Do you know how I can buy a telepass electronic travel unit before my trip?”

If you use Italy’s autostrade or motorways, you’ve no doubt heard about the Telepass system.

It’s not essential to have a Telepass, but it can be a more convenient (and cheaper) way to use Italy’s motorways, as well as to pay for parking, and even for other transport services like taxis, trains and ferries.

The Telepass is best known as a device that you stick in your vehicle which lets you pass through Italy’s motorway tolls without queuing at the gates or having to stop and pay with cash or card.

If you have it, you can drive through dedicated toll lanes (you’ll see yellow lines and sometimes a yellow ‘T’ on the road). The barrier will lift automatically and you can drive right through once you hear the device beep.

Telepass Europe plans also allow the device to be used on motorways in Spain, France and Portugal.

READ ALSO: What is Italy’s Telepass and how do you use it?

People living in Italy usually pay a monthly subscription for the device, but there’s also a pay-as-you-go option too with a one-off activation charge of €10 which is usually more convenient for visitors.

See the official Telepass website for details of current offers and pricing plans.

You can sign up directly via the Telepass website or the app, through which you’ll also make payments and keep track of your subscription and expenses.

There are also various third-party websites offering Telepass plans, but as our reader found, these do not always ship to addresses outside of mainland Europe.

READ ALSO: How to pay Italian traffic fines from abroad

The Telepass website says the device can be sent out to your home address. There does not appear to be any limitation on the countries to which the device can be shipped, but if in doubt you can contact the Telepass customer service team via their support page.

You can also choose to pick up your new device from a Telepass point, located at gas stations around Italy.

Do you have a question about travel in Italy? Get in touch with the team at The Local by email.

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