Current status — updated 16 October 2026: Transport is running normally. The mid-week storm is over: ferries from Piraeus (including the Argosaronic lines) have been sailing normally since Thursday morning, and Rafina and Lavrio resumed departures on Thursday afternoon (first sailings 16:30 and 17:30; Coast Guard via Eleftheros Typos, 15 October). No sailing ban is in force this morning. Athens International Airport, metro, buses, trams and taxis are operating normally, all flooded Attica roads have reopened, and no strike or work stoppage is scheduled for today or the weekend. Metro Line 3 runs a full timetable tonight and Saturday; the Ambelokipi–Chalandri night closures (six stations shut from 21:40, airport trains terminating at Chalandri, X20 replacement bus) resume Sunday 18 to Thursday 22 October. The EMY forecast for Friday is cooler with local rain and isolated storms over Attica from the afternoon and northerly winds of 4–5 Beaufort (6–7 in the north Aegean), below the level that triggers port closures; if you have a weekend island trip, check with your operator the evening before.
Travelling today? A pre-booked private transfer runs whatever the metro, buses or taxis are doing — the driver tracks your flight and adjusts the pickup.
This page tracks strikes, transport disruptions, weather alerts and major events that affect getting around Athens — updated daily, with the practical impact for travellers flying into Athens International Airport. Bookmark it for your travel dates.
Strike or disruption on? Pre-book a private transfer that still runs – instant confirmation
Welcome PickupsHow strikes work in Greece (and why they rarely ruin a trip)
Greek strikes are announced 2–7 days in advance, almost always last exactly 24 hours (or a few hours, for a “work stoppage”), and are sector-specific. A public-sector strike usually leaves the metro untouched; a seamen’s strike stops ferries but not flights; a transport strike is the one that matters for your airport connection. Rallies gather late morning in central Athens and march to Syntagma Square, closing nearby roads for a few hours.
Three reliable ways to check before you travel: this page (updated every morning), the OASA transport info line (11185) for metro and buses, and your ferry or airline operator’s alerts for sailings and flights.
If a strike hits your travel day: the 4-step playbook
- Metro strike: use the official airport taxi rank (flat rate) or a pre-booked private transfer — and add 30–45 minutes for heavier road traffic.
- Ferry strike: do not go to the port. Your operator rebooks you on the next sailing free of charge — re-confirm before taking the transfer to Piraeus or Rafina.
- Rally day (transport running): avoid the Syntagma–Panepistimiou corridor roughly 11:30–15:00, or take Metro Line 3, which is immune to road closures.
- Any strike day: leave earlier than you think you need to. Athens traffic absorbs the displaced passengers, and journey times stretch fast.
Getting to the airport when strikes bite
A pre-booked private transfer with flight tracking is the one airport connection that keeps operating through every scenario above — drivers adjust pickup times and routes around closures.
Disruption log: last 3 months
| Date | Event | Impact for travellers |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 12, 2026 | EMY Emergency Weather Deterioration Bulletin, orange warning level, for Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 October 2026: locally strong rain and thunderstorms with possible hail, temporarily over Attica from late Tuesday afternoon until late Tuesday night; north-easterly winds 8–9 Beaufort in the north and then central Aegean from Tuesday evening to late Wednesday afternoon, putting Cyclades/Sporades/north Aegean ferries at risk. Airport and public transport operating; no sailing ban announced as of 12 October (EMY via Region of Peloponnese, To Vima). Update 14 Oct: sailing ban in force from Piraeus and Lavrio from the morning of 14 October (Argosaronic conventional ferries only, no hydrofoils; Rafina morning departures running) after Tuesday-night rain flooded roads in Piraeus, Perama, Mandra and Megara (Coast Guard via SKAI; in.gr). Update 15 Oct: Piraeus ban expected to lift from 09:00; Rafina morning Cyclades sailings and all Lavrio morning sailings cancelled; flooded Attica roads reopened 03:00 on 14 Oct (ERTnews). Resolved 15 Oct: Piraeus sailing normally from the morning; Rafina and Lavrio resumed from 16:30/17:30 (Eleftheros Typos). Alert post. | |
| Oct 11, 2026 | Metro Line 3 rail-replacement works move to the Ambelokipi–Chalandri section: Panormou, Katehaki, Ethniki Amyna, Holargos, Nomismatokopio and Agia Paraskevi close at 21:40 on the nights of Sunday 11–Thursday 15 and Sunday 18–Thursday 22 October 2026. Line split into Dimotiko Theatro–Ambelokipi and Chalandri–Airport; last through trains 21:06 from Dimotiko Theatro and 21:10 from the airport; after 21:40 airport trains depart Chalandri 22:20/22:56/23:32 and leave the airport 21:46/22:22/22:58/23:34 terminating at Chalandri; temporary bus X20 Ambelokipi–Chalandri serves the closed stations (OASA/STASY via Athens Transport, 10 October). Alert post. | |
| Oct 6, 2026 | Traffic restrictions in central Athens for the visit of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio: rolling closures and diversions around Syntagma Square and on Vasilissis Sofias, Vasileos Konstantinou, Vasilissis Amalias, Panepistimiou and Stadiou from Tuesday 6 October afternoon until Thursday 8 October morning, peaking on Wednesday 7 October; union rally at Syntagma 19:30 Tuesday; gatherings banned in the Rizari–Vasilissis Sofias–Michalakopoulou block 06:00 Wednesday to 06:00 Thursday (Hellenic Police via APE-MPE/LiFO and Ta Nea, 5 October; Ta Nea and Proto Thema, 7 October). On Wednesday more than 3,000 police were deployed, closures moved with the motorcade (Pnyx speech, Foreign Ministry, US Embassy, 19:00 meeting at the Maximos Mansion) and central metro stations could be shut briefly on police orders with trains passing through; Panepistimio was closed for about 15 minutes on Tuesday evening. Restrictions lifted at 06:00 on Thursday 8 October. | Airport, ports and metro unaffected. Use Metro Line 3 to Syntagma; taxis and transfers to hotels in Syntagma, Plaka and Kolonaki are diverted and need 20–30 extra minutes, especially on Wednesday. Allow extra time on foot around the Acropolis and Pnyx on Wednesday afternoon. |
| Oct 4, 2026 | Greece Race for the Cure closes central Athens roads on Sunday morning: Alexandras Avenue and Evelpidon from 06:00, Patision, Panepistimiou, Akademias, 3is Septemvriou, Mavrommataion and Marni from 07:30, all until about 13:00 (Hellenic Police via APE-MPE/LiFO, 30 September). Until 12:00 the X95 airport bus terminates at Katechaki metro station, tram T6 is cut back to Fix and trolleybus and bus routes through Omonia are diverted (OASA via Athens Transport, 3 October). | Airport and metro unaffected. Arriving before 13:00, take Metro Line 3 to Syntagma/Monastiraki rather than the X95; taxis and transfers to hotels around Omonia, Exarchia and Kypseli detour and need 15–20 extra minutes. |
| Oct 3, 2026 | Sailing ban at Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio from early Saturday 3 October because of gale-force northerlies up to 9 Beaufort, with Cyclades and Crete departures cancelled or delayed; lifted at Piraeus and Rafina by 17:00 and at Lavrio by the evening (Hellenic Coast Guard via LiFO, Alfavita and CretaOne, 3 October). Argosaronic routes resumed with conventional ships only and Rafina–Marmari stayed suspended into the evening. | Airport, metro and airport buses unaffected. Ferry passengers lost most of Saturday; if your crossing was cancelled, re-book and travel to the port only once your operator confirms the departure. Winds ease to 5–6 Beaufort in Attica on Sunday. |
| Sep 27, 2026 | Metro Line 3 rail-replacement works resume between Elaionas and Monastiraki: every night from Sunday 27 September to Thursday 1 October, and OASA has added a further block from Sunday 4 to Thursday 8 October (STASY/OASA via Athens Transport, 26 September). Elaionas, Kerameikos and Monastiraki close at 21:40; Line 3 runs Dimotiko Theatro–Egaleo and Syntagma–Airport; temporary bus X24 Syntagma–Egaleo covers the closed stations. | Airport–Syntagma trains keep running (last through train from Piraeus 21:06; from Syntagma to the airport 22:02, 22:38 and 23:14; from the airport to Syntagma 21:46, 22:22, 22:58 and 23:34). If you land after about 21:00 and are staying in Monastiraki, Kerameikos, Egaleo or Piraeus, take the X95 bus, a taxi or a pre-booked transfer instead of changing at Syntagma. |
| Sep 25, 2026 | Gas explosion and building collapse at Lysikratous Street 15 in Plaka, at the corner of Vasilissis Amalias opposite Hadrian's Arch, at about 07:35 on Friday 25 September; six people died. The block was cordoned off for the rescue and investigation operation, which continued through Saturday (Fire Service announcement republished by Civil Protection, 26 September). | Local cordon only: Vasilissis Amalias Avenue is open per the Attica traffic police bulletin, so airport taxis and transfers to Syntagma and Plaka are running. Hotels on Lysikratous and the adjoining lanes may need a short walk from Amalias or Vyronos Street; allow a few extra minutes. |
| Sep 20, 2026 | “Athinas Without Cars” (City of Athens, World Car-Free Day): Athinas Street between Evripidou and Ermou, Karagiorgi Servias, Perikleous, Athinaidos and Agias Eirinis closed to all vehicles from 20:00 Saturday 19 to 23:00 Sunday 20 September. Bus lines 025, 026, 035 and 227 diverted; Metro Lines 2 and 3 run 24 hours. | Airport, X95 and port transfers unaffected, but taxis and transfer cars cannot reach hotels on the closed streets until 23:00 Sunday. Ask the driver to drop you at Monastiraki or Syntagma and walk the last 200–300 m. |
| Sep 20, 2026 | OASA confirms the Elaionas–Monastiraki rail-replacement works on Metro Line 3 will run for a further block every night from Sunday 27 September to Thursday 1 October, on top of the 20–24 September nights already announced. Temporary bus X24 (Syntagma–Egaleo) covers the closed stations. | Same pattern as the earlier blocks: Elaionas, Kerameikos and Monastiraki shut at 21:40, airport trains start and finish at Syntagma after that time, and the last through train from Piraeus to the airport leaves at 21:06. No late-evening metro link between the airport and Piraeus port on those nights; daytime services unaffected. |
| Sep 18, 2026 | Police order the temporary closure of the Korydallos and Maniatika stations on Metro Line 3 from 15:30 on Friday 18 September, ahead of a memorial gathering in Keratsini. | Trains pass through both stations without stopping and the neighbouring stations stay open. The rest of Line 3, including the Airport–Syntagma–Piraeus service, runs normally, so airport and ferry port transfers are unaffected. |
| Sep 17, 2026 | Attiko Metro extends the Elaionas–Monastiraki rail-replacement works on Metro Line 3: the same night closures apply on Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 September and again every night from Sunday 20 to Thursday 24 September. | Elaionas, Kerameikos and Monastiraki shut at 21:40. After that the line splits into Dimotiko Theatro–Egaleo and Syntagma–Doukissis Plakentias–Airport, so airport trains start and finish at Syntagma. Last through train to the airport leaves Dimotiko Theatro (Piraeus) at 21:06; last train from the airport towards Piraeus at 21:10. Temporary bus X24 links Syntagma and Egaleo from 21:40. Daytime travel is unaffected. |
| Sep 5, 2026 | Attiko Metro confirms rail-replacement works on the Elaionas–Monastiraki section of Metro Line 3 for the nights of Monday 7 to Thursday 10 September. From 21:40 the line splits into Dimotiko Theatro–Egaleo and Syntagma–Doukissis Plakentias–Airport; Elaionas, Kerameikos and Monastiraki close early and temporary bus line X24 covers the gap. | Late-evening airport journeys are affected on those four nights. Last through train to the airport leaves Dimotiko Theatro at 21:06; after 21:40 airport trains run only from Syntagma (22:02, 22:38, 23:14) and arrivals terminate at Syntagma (21:46, 22:22, 22:58, 23:34). Full alert |
| Aug 28, 2026 | Civil Protection declares a Red Code (fire-risk category 5) for central and eastern Crete and for Rhodes and Karpathos, with category 4 across the Cyclades, Kos, Kalymnos, the eastern Aegean islands, Chania and the Ionian islands. Attica is on category 3. Strong winds forecast. | No impact on Athens airport transfers or on Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio departures. Travellers connecting to Crete, Rhodes or the Cyclades should keep 112 alerts on and check ferry operators before departure. Full alert |
| Aug 26, 2026 | Wildfire cluster across Attica on 25 August: 112 evacuation alerts for Agia Marina and Tsonima near Lavrio (Keratea) and for Ano Vasilika and Neo Salamina on Salamina island; a lineside fire at Aspropyrgos suspended suburban-railway services on the Nea Peramos–Ano Liosia section from about 21:15 until after 22:45. Category 4 (very high) fire risk and Red Code mobilisation for the Ionian Islands region on 26 August | Athens airport, Metro Line 3, the X95 bus, Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio all reported operating normally; the Salamina front was contained on 26 August. Allow extra time on Lavrio and Cape Sounion transfers and expect short-notice local road closures near active fronts |
| Aug 17, 2026 | Wildfires on Salamina island, ~20 km west of Athens, on 16 August: two dead, several injured and 570+ people evacuated by sea; both fronts reported under control by Sunday evening. Attica, Boeotia, Evia, the Cyclades and Crete were under Red Code (very high) fire risk on 16 August | Athens airport, Metro Line 3, Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio all operating normally — Salamina is off the standard airport-transfer routes and transfers were unaffected; no strike in force. Fire risk across Attica stays elevated, so avoid barbecues, open flames and discarded cigarettes |
| Aug 16, 2026 | Sailing ban at Rafina and Lavrio lifted 13:00 on 15 August; meltemi easing to 6–7 Beaufort; Category 4 (very high) fire risk for Attica, Boeotia, Evia, the Cyclades and Crete | Ferries running again from Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio with some schedule changes — re-confirm before travelling to the port; airport, Metro Line 3 and road transfers normal; no strike in force |
| Aug 15, 2026 | Gale-force meltemi winds: sailing ban at Rafina and Lavrio on 14 August, lifted 16:00 the same day; Attica fire risk downgraded to Category 4 | Ferries sailing again from all three Attica ports with schedule changes and extra departures, but delays and cancellations still possible until the afternoon; airport, Metro Line 3 and road transfers normal; city transport on a Sunday holiday timetable |
| Aug 14, 2026 | Category 5 fire alert for Attica extended; gale-force meltemi winds up to 9 Beaufort | Forests, national parks, Lycabettus and Finopoulos hills closed; airport, metro and road transfers normal; Aegean ferry departures at risk of cancellation |
| Aug 13, 2026 | Category 5 “state of alarm” fire alert for Attica | Forests and national parks closed; airport, metro and transfers normal; ferries at risk from 40–70 km/h winds |
| Aug 10, 2026 | Kouvaras wildfire: Agios Stylianos evacuated, Souniou Avenue diversions | Sounion/Lavrio road corridor diverted during Monday; fire under control same afternoon — airport and metro unaffected |
| Aug 9, 2026 | Red Code fire alert: Category 4 (very high) fire risk for Attica, Aug 9–10 | No transport closures; winds gusting 8 Beaufort — airport and city transfers running normally |
| Aug 3, 2026 | Attica wildfire: Porto Germeno–Megara fire enters day 4, uncontained | Old Athens-Corinth road partly closed near Megara; airport and city transfers unaffected |
| Jul 24, 2026 | EMY storm alert: thunderstorms, hail, strong gusts | Heavy rain over Attica from afternoon; slower roads to the airport; possible ferry delays in strong winds |
| Jul 22, 2026 | Heatwave 43°C + extreme fire alert | Lycabettus & Attica parks closed; outdoor sites reduced midday hours; transport normal |
| Jul 14, 2026 | Civil-servant work stoppage & Syntagma rally | Central road closures ~11:30–15:00; metro & airport link ran normally |
| Jul 3–4, 2026 | Rafina ferry strike (PENEN) | Rafina sailings cancelled for 24h; Piraeus & Lavrio unaffected |
| Jun 28–Jul 18, 2026 | Athens–Thessaloniki railway suspended | Storm-damage repairs; travellers switched to flights or KTEL buses |
| Jun 24, 2026 | Hotel & restaurant workers’ strike | Reduced hospitality service nationwide; transport normal |
| May 13, 2026 | Public-sector (ADEDY) strike | Offices closed, Syntagma rally; metro, buses & ferries ran normally |
| May 1, 2026 | May Day strike — transport & ferries | Metro/tram down 24h, buses 09:00–21:00, ferries docked nationwide |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a strike in Athens today?
Check the current-status box at the top of this page — it is updated every morning with today’s strikes, transport disruptions and weather alerts for Athens and the airport connection.
Strike or disruption on? Pre-book a private transfer that still runs – instant confirmation
Welcome PickupsHow do I find out about Greek strikes before my trip?
Strikes are announced 2–7 days ahead. Check this tracker, the OASA info line (11185) for city transport, and your ferry or airline operator for sailings and flights.
Does Athens Airport itself ever close during strikes?
Virtually never. Strikes affect the connections to the airport — metro, buses, occasionally taxis — not the airport’s operation. Pre-booked private transfers run through all of them.
Do strikes in Greece affect pre-booked airport transfers?
No — private transfer drivers are not part of public-sector or transport unions, which is why a pre-booked transfer is the standard workaround on strike days.
Related guides
- Athens Airport Taxi Guide 2026
- Athens Airport Metro Guide
- Athens Airport Arrivals Guide
- Athens Airport to Syntagma
Don’t let a strike decide how you get to the airport
Metro and bus services stop without much notice, and taxi strikes empty the ranks at Arrivals. A pre-booked private transfer is the one option that keeps running through all of it, at a fixed price agreed before you travel.
Strike or disruption on? Pre-book a private transfer that still runs – instant confirmation
Welcome Pickups