The strikes and closures that could disrupt a European trip before mid-November

Autumn strikes are stacking up across southern Europe, on top of the protests in France. These are the dates we found for the cities we cover between 22 October and 15 November, checked against strike registers and operators' notices on 21 October. Times are local. Clocks go back an hour on Sunday 25 October everywhere in this list.

Italy

The big date is Friday 30 October. The USB union has called a general strike of all public and private sectors, and the transport ministry's register lists it for flights from midnight to 11:59pm, trains from 9pm on Thursday 29 October to 8:59pm on Friday, and local transport at hours set city by city. On 13 October the strike regulator ruled that it breaks the ban on transport strikes from 30 October to 5 November, around All Saints, and asked USB to drop transport or rethink. USB says the strike goes ahead "transport included", and no government order stopping it had been issued by 21 October.

If it does go ahead, protected bands apply. Flights scheduled to depart between 7am and 10am and between 6pm and 9pm must operate. Trenitalia runs regional trains from 6am to 9am and 6pm to 9pm, and a long-distance list of guaranteed trains. Its guaranteed Leonardo Express list for weekday strikes has departures from Roma Termini between 5:50am and 8:05am and between 6:05pm and 7:50pm, and from Fiumicino between 6:38am and 8:53am and between 6:53pm and 8:38pm. Rome's buses and metro have not published their bands yet. Pisa and Florence airports have a separate 24-hour strike that day, and so do Italy's ports.

Two other things for a Rome trip. A march from Piazza della Repubblica to Via dei Fori Imperiali is expected to draw about 10,000 people from 3pm on Saturday 24 October, with bus and tram diversions until about 7pm, Rome's transport agency says. South of Rome, lorry drivers protesting about fuel prices were still picketing motorway junctions on 21 October, including on the A1 towards Naples, so allow extra time for a drive to Naples or Pompeii.

Portugal

Lisbon Metro workers strike from 5am to 10am on Wednesday 28 and Friday 30 October. The metro normally opens at 6:30am, so unless an arbitration tribunal orders minimum services, there will be no trains before 10am, including on the red line from the airport; none were ordered for the full-day strike on 14 October. A taxi to the centre costs about €10–15 by day, and Uber and Bolt operate.

On Friday 30 October CP's on-board staff strike too, which covers Alfa Pendular and Intercidades trains and the Lisbon, Porto and Coimbra suburban lines, so the Sintra and Cascais trains as well. CP warns of knock-on disruption on the days either side.

Spain

Rail strikes come first. Renfe's drivers strike from 12:01am to 11:59pm on Thursday 29 October across every Renfe company, from AVE high-speed trains to Rodalies commuter trains in Barcelona. Drivers at Ouigo, which competes on Madrid–Barcelona, strike all day on 30 October and 2 November, and from 6am to noon and 6pm to midnight on 6 and 9 November. Minimum services had not been set when we checked.

Then on Wednesday 11 November, Spain's main unions have called a 24-hour general strike over housing and wages; Barcelona's march leaves Jardinets de Gràcia at 5:30pm. Expect reduced trains, flights and metro services, with the minimum-service levels still to be fixed by the ministry.

There is good news for Barcelona. The ground-handling strike at El Prat airport, which ran for about two and a half months, was called off on 17 October, and the TMB bus strikes planned for late October have been cancelled.

France

Thursday 5 November is a national day of strikes and demonstrations, and all four SNCF rail unions have called a strike that day, which may affect TGV, regional and some Eurostar services. Our report on the protests in France has the curfews and the Saturday marches. Separately, Eurostar is running reduced London–Paris timetables on five weekends to December for engineering work near the Gare du Nord.

London

No Tube, rail or London airport strikes are called for the half-term weeks. The problem is engineering: there is no Piccadilly line service on the entire line, Heathrow included, on Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November, TfL says. Use the Elizabeth line or the Heathrow Express that weekend. The Met Office has wind warnings for Storm Austen across southern England and Wales on Friday 23 October, the day most schools break up, with transport disruption likely. Staff at all four London V&A sites, including South Kensington, strike on 29 and 30 October, and the museum had not said whether it would open.

Athens

Greece's main union confederation has not called a general strike in this period, but seamen's unions have called a 24-hour strike on all ships at Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio for Friday 30 October. The main seafarers' federation has not joined, so ferry operators may still sail; check with yours. Wednesday 28 October is Ochi Day, with parades and free entry to state sites, and the Athens Marathon runs on Sunday 8 November.

Amsterdam and Prague

The Dutch regional bus and train strike set for 22 October was called off and moved to Saturday 7 November if talks fail; it would not affect Amsterdam's GVB trams or NS trains. Eurostar trains between Amsterdam and Brussels do not run until 3pm on Saturdays 24 and 31 October, or at all on 14 and 15 November, because of engineering work. Prague has no strikes scheduled; Wednesday 28 October is a public holiday, when large shops close.