Athens has presented a comprehensive digital transformation program designed to modernize city services, improve everyday life for residents and strengthen the management of urban infrastructure.
The initiative, titled “Upgrade Athens,” includes eight projects focused on digital governance, public services, mobility, environmental monitoring and civic participation.
According to city officials, the program aims to use technology to make municipal services more efficient, responsive and accessible while encouraging greater citizen involvement in local decision-making.
Smart Waste Management and Cleaner Streets
One of the flagship projects is Athens Smart Clean, a new system for managing and monitoring waste collection infrastructure.
Through a mobile application called “Athens, Clean City,” residents will be able to schedule collections for bulky waste items. The system will also use 360 smart garbage trucks equipped with telematics technology and 1,000 sensors installed in waste bins to provide real-time information on areas requiring intervention.
The goal is to improve efficiency and allow city services to respond more quickly to sanitation needs.
Citizens as Real-Time City Reporters
Another key project, Athens Civil Alert, will allow residents to report incidents such as fires, flooding and fallen trees directly through a dedicated application.
Reports will be sent immediately to the city’s operations center, enabling authorities to respond without administrative delays. Citizens will also be able to track the progress of their reports through the same platform.
The system will incorporate Internet of Things (IoT) technologies and will be connected with other municipal digital services.
Smart Neighborhoods and Digital Participation
The plan also includes the development of smart neighborhood infrastructure across the city.
Public Wi-Fi networks, environmental sensors measuring air quality and digital information displays will be installed at selected locations. A central platform will collect and analyze data from these systems, providing city authorities with a unified overview of urban conditions.
Residents will also gain access to digital consultation tools, online voting mechanisms and platforms for submitting proposals, allowing for greater participation in local governance.
In addition, the platform will highlight the identity of individual neighborhoods and suggest walking routes featuring local points of interest.
Expansion of Electric Bike Sharing
Athens will introduce a new public electric bicycle network featuring 50 smart stations and 340 charging and docking points.
The system will operate in real time through a mobile application, offering users access to shared electric bicycles across the city.
AI-Powered City Services
Under the project “Athens Gov – The City in Your Hand,” residents will be provided with an artificial intelligence-powered digital assistant.
The platform is expected to bring together municipal services in a single interface, allowing users to track requests, receive information and schedule appointments.
Meanwhile, the Athens Way sustainable mobility platform aims to integrate traffic management, parking services and public transport into a unified digital ecosystem.
Smarter Schools and Protected Public Spaces
The program also includes resource-monitoring systems for school buildings. Sensors and telemetry units will track electricity, water and fuel consumption, helping improve efficiency and resource management.
In addition, a new vehicle access control system will be introduced in parts of the city center. Digital technologies and electronic control systems will be installed in selected pedestrian areas with the aim of protecting public spaces and regulating vehicle access.
