Orari

Orari is the Italian term for a schedule or timetable, listing the times for events, services, or activities. It is commonly used to refer to the operating hours of stores and offices, the weekly or daily times of schools, and the timetables of public transport such as trains, buses, and metro services. In everyday language, people talk about “gli orari” to plan their day or week, and ask questions like “Quali sono gli orari di apertura?” or “A che ora parte il treno?”

The word derives from the Latin hora, meaning hour, and has entered Italian in forms such as orario (singular) and orari (plural). In practice, orari are organized by days of the week and marked with time ranges, sometimes including notes for holidays, holidays-specific hours, or seasonal changes (orari estivi, orari invernali). They may also indicate service frequency, special closures, or exceptions.

Orari appear in many contexts: orari di apertura e chiusura of shops, orari di trasporto, orari scolastici, and orari di ufficio. Reading a timetable often requires attention to abbreviations for days (Lun, Mar, Mer, Gio, Ven, Sab, Dom) and to whether the hours are continuous or divided (opening hours with a lunch break). Understanding orari helps coordinate travel, work, and leisure with clarity and efficiency.

See also: opening hours, transit timetable, timetable notation.