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Help with Plan B (do I need one now?) in case strike impacts my travel

Posted by (Vermont) on

I don't usually stress about things out of my control, but I am scheduled to leave Florence for Santa Margherita Ligure on 13 Sept. I wonder if it is worth making alternate plans now or just wait and see. I am inclined to wait and see and ask for the assistance of the people at my Florence B&B. Using rome2rio I attempted to look up bus schedules but had some trouble. Seems like I'd first have to go to Genoa then backtrack to SML. I don't especially want to drive but do have an IDP.
My questions are:
Am I correct in the bus situation? If so, are the seats confirmed or not?
What about hiring a driver? What would be the cost?
If I rent a car, is the drive an easy one? I live in Vermont and am not used to driving in congested traffic. I have driven the 128 corridor in Boston and HATED it. I can drive a manual transmission so that is not an issue.

I also realize I can see if my hotel in SML can take me earlier but hate to lose the day in Florence plus I expect that many others will be looking to change travel plans. Thoughts?

Posted by
33837 posts

I am sure that there will be some trains running and it may well be more comfortable to work with the strike - if it happens - rather than fight it.

A crowded bus from Firenze to Genova would interest me not at all.

Posted by
23626 posts

Why obsess over something you cannot control or even predict? Actual strikes are rare. We have spent nearly a year in Europe over the past 20 years. Only once hit a train strike in Spain. Asked for directions to the bus depot and continued on our way. Probably caused a two to three hour delay. Car and driver, car rental, etc., are always expensive options. Just have a general idea of what a plan B might be and carry on.

Posted by
16895 posts

The strike could still be cancelled. Check news and train station signage a day or two before. Station staff or B&B staff could help you to get the planned schedule of trains still running during the strike. On work days, more service is preserved during morning and evening commute times, maybe prompting you to leave earlier than originally planned, but that's not necessarily the same for Sunday travel. It's also possible to get to SML via Milan in about the same amount of train time (4 hours under normal conditions), but the tickets are more expensive for the faster train over a longer distance, versus regional trains.

Posted by
34 posts

I am flying into Roma and taking the train to Firenze on Sunday 13/9 in the early afternoon. I am banking on the Roma train getting into Campo di Marte in Firenze, but not counting on the regional to get me to SM Novella. I plan to take a cab from Campo di Marte if the trains are not running right to the hotel.

Kathi

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