Mass Exodus of Athenians to the Islands for August 15 Holiday

Athenians are leaving the city en masse as the August 15 holiday prompts a sharp rise in ferry departures from Attica’s ports, primarily to the Cyclades islands.

Since Wednesday morning, the Coast Guard has implemented extensive measures to manage the high volume of passengers and vehicles. Travellers are advised to arrive at departure docks earlier than usual due to the significant increase in traffic.

On Wednesday, 25 ferries are scheduled to depart from Piraeus, with 21,834 passengers expected to head for the Aegean islands. Meanwhile, 42 ferry journeys to the Saronic Gulf islands are planned, including 27 high-speed vessels and 15 conventional ferries.

At Rafina port, seven ferries will sail to the Cyclades and three to Marmari, carrying a total of 5,070 passengers. Lavrio port will see nine ferries departing, transporting 2,599 passengers.

Despite the holiday rush, passenger traffic for July 2024 has seen a 10% decline compared to July 2023, according to the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy. In July 2024, a total of 3.9 million passengers and 534,611 vehicles were transported, down from 4.3 million passengers and 922,000 vehicles in the previous year. Ferry fares on conventional ships, however, have remained stable.

(Source: Amna)