Thousands of travelers began departing Athens for Greece’s islands on Saturday as the annual August holiday exodus got underway, with heavy traffic and ferry delays reported at the Port of Piraeus.
Despite disruption caused by severe weather on Friday, departures from the ports of Attica are expected to proceed relatively smoothly overall.
However, delays were reported at Piraeus, where congestion also built up on surrounding roads as travelers headed to ferry terminals.
According to Greece’s public broadcaster ERT, the Blue Star Naxos, scheduled to depart at 6:45 a.m. for the islands of Paros, Naxos, Donousa, Aegiali and Astypalaia, remained at the dock about 55 minutes after its scheduled departure time.
Passenger and vehicle boarding was still underway, with the ferry operating at more than 90% capacity. Delays were also reported on other departures from Piraeus.
Heavy Traffic Around the Port
Roads leading to the port experienced significant congestion, making access to departure gates difficult.
Traffic backups extended from the Peace and Friendship Stadium, with the journey to the port taking approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
Authorities advised travelers to leave home earlier than planned to allow sufficient time to reach the port and complete boarding procedures.
Ferry Services Resume After Weather Disruptions
Following the lifting of the sailing ban late Friday afternoon, ferry services from the ports of Rafina and Lavrio have resumed normal operations.
Some sailings that had originally been scheduled to depart from Rafina on Friday were rescheduled to leave from Lavrio on Saturday.
Passengers are advised to contact their ferry operators or local port authorities before traveling to check for any delays or schedule changes.
