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TRANSPORT

Thousands of tickets cancelled as Italy keeps social distancing on trains

More than 8,000 passengers had rail journeys cancelled over the weekend after the Italian government announced that trains could only travel half full.

Thousands of tickets cancelled as Italy keeps social distancing on trains
A passenger waiting in Milan. Photo: Miguel Medina/AFP

While the Ministry of Transport indicated it would relax the rules requiring trains to keep 50 percent of all seats empty, the Health Ministry insisted that social distancing of at least a metre was mandatory – catching rail operators by surprise at the start of Italy's peak holiday season.

“It's only right that the safety rules applied so far remain in place on trains,” Health Minister Roberto Speranza announced on Saturday afternoon, August 1st.

“For this reason I signed an ordinance reiterating that in all enclosed public spaces, including public transport, both social distancing and wearing face masks is and remains obligatory.”

READ ALSO: What you should know if you're visiting Italy this summer

The announcement set train companies scrambling to comply, with high-speed train company Italo saying it had cancelled eight trains on Sunday morning and told other ticket holders they wouldn't be able to travel that afternoon.

In total some 8,000 passengers had their journeys disrupted, the company said, adding that customers would receive a full refund for unused tickets.

State-owned rail company Trenitalia said it was contacting passengers individually to invite them to change their reservation or accept a refund.

Both companies said they expected to be able to mitigate the disruption in the coming days, a period when millions of people in Italy would typically set off on their August holidays. While many are unable to travel this summer, others have swapped trips overseas for vacations within Italy, keeping trains, roads and ferries busy.

Tickets for high-speed Frecciarossa trains from Milan to southern Italy are already almost sold out for the coming weekend, reports said on Monday.


Photo: Miguel Medina/AFP

The confusion over whether companies could sell more than 50 percent of tickets arose after an emergency decree mandating social distancing and other precautions expired on July 31st, without an official replacement. The government is expected to extend safety rules in a new decree this week. 

Earlier guidelines from the Ministry of Transport, issued in July, said passengers that would be allowed to sit near each other if they declared that they lived in the same household.

“The government never authorised 100 percent capacity,” the ministry said in a statement on Saturday, calling the decision to maintain social distancing for all passengers “prudent”. It said it had reviewed its guidelines with health experts and instead opted to avoid “needless risks”.

Yet some regions of Italy, notably Lombardy, Piedmont, Liguria and Friuli Venezia Giulia in the north, have threatened to issue their own ordinances allowing regional trains to run fully occupied.

READ ALSO: What rules will you need to follow if you're visiting Italy this summer?

Anyone taking a train in Italy this summer can expect to find themselves seated 'a scacchiera' (chessboard-style), i.e. with empty seats to their side and in front.

You'll also have to follow a designated one-way route through the carriage, leading to separate entrances and exits, and must wear a face mark throughout your journey.

People taking long-distance services will also have their temperature checked before boarding and may have to sign a form declaring themselves healthy.


Photo: Miguel Medina/AFP

While social distancing remains compulsory on trains and other public transport in Italy, people taking an aeroplane will find themselves sitting elbow to elbow with other passengers.

In line with EU-wide guidance, airlines are allowed to fill planes to 100 percent capacity on the grounds that their air filters continually draw in and circulate outside air.

READ ALSO: Face masks, forms and fewer bags: Italy's rules on flying

Passengers must wear face masks – replacing them with fresh ones every four hours – and place jackets and other small items in sterilised containers.

They are once more allowed to bring hand luggage aboard, after the Italian government scrapped a temporary ban on the use of overhead lockers.

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TERRORISM

Terror alerts: Should I be worried about travelling to Italy?

Italy is on its highest-level terror alert and ministers have warned the public to be vigilant over the Easter holidays - so is there cause for concern if you're planning to travel in the country?

Terror alerts: Should I be worried about travelling to Italy?

Italian authorities agreed on Monday to increase anti-terrorism monitoring ahead of the Easter holidays, with more surveillance to be carried out at popular tourist spots and at “sensitive sites”.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani had stressed to the public on Sunday that Italy faced “no concrete risk” at the moment, and said the country’s security and law enforcement services were “always on the alert to prevent any attack.”

READ ALSO: Italy on maximum terror alert over Easter after Moscow attack

Nevertheless, he warned that “during the Easter holidays you will need to be very careful.”

Italy has been on its highest-level terror alert since October 2023 following the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, meaning the official alert level could not be raised any further on Monday.

The plan for increased surveillance and the warnings to the public in Italy came following the terrorist attack at a concert hall in Moscow on Friday where armed men opened fire and set the building ablaze, killing at least 133 people.

Ministers said that terror plots on this scale, organised by groups, “would be intercepted sooner in Italy” and said the main terror threat Italy faced at the moment was mainly from “lone wolves”.

He was referring to the fact that recent deadly attacks in Europe have often been carried out by a single perpetrator, not affiliated to a terrorist organisation. The profile of attackers is often isolated young men who have become radicalised.

Unlike most other major European countries, Italy has not so far suffered any deadly attacks at the hands of jihadist militants.

Experts have suggested that Italy has been able to prevent attacks partly due to lessons learned from anti-mafia policing, and that it also has a lower number of citizens at risk of radicalisation than countries like the UK or France – and therefore fewer suspects to watch.

The country arrests dozens of suspects every year on terrorism charges following surveillance operations. Earlier in March, three men of Palestinian origin were arrested in the Abruzzo town of l’Aquila, alleged to be involved in an organised terror plot.

In 2023, at least 56 foreign nationals were deported from Italy after facing terror-related charges.

Italy is generally seen as being at a lower risk of being hit by a major terror attack than some neighbouring countries. So what exactly does the raised alert level mean for people in the country?

Heightened security

While much of Italy’s counter-terrorism work goes on behind the scenes, there will be increased police and military patrols over Easter in busy public places deemed “sensitive”, including shopping centres and places of worship.

The most visible manifestation of the heightened security alert in Italy is the armed soldiers on patrol outside government buildings, tourist attractions, airports, train stations, central squares and in other busy public areas.

Unlike in some other European countries, Italy’s airports do not regularly experience bomb hoaxes and other threats. While no additional security checks for passengers are being introduced, security is likely to remain tight at Italian airports this Easter, as at all European transport hubs.

If you’re visiting a major tourist attraction over Easter or attending any type of large public event, expect a high level of security at the door.

Travel advice

So far, no country has warned its nationals against visiting Italy – the US State Department still lists the alert level for Italy as Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution, which has seen no change since July 2023. 

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