The return of urban-dwellers back to the cities, especially the greater Athens-Piraeus area is expected to peak today, Tuesday, with most Orthodox Easter holidaymakers capitalizing on the rescheduled May Day falling on May 7.
Starting from noon, a significant influx of Athenians who spent Easter away from the capital is expected to return, utilizing various modes of transport such as ships, cars, intercity buses, and airplanes.
This mass exodus is touted as the largest since the onset of the pandemic, with roughly 90,000 travelers departing from Piraeus Port alone and approximately 700,000 private vehicles exiting the broader Athens-Piraeus region.
Since the early hours, the first ships from Crete and the Aegean islands have started to dock, with initial estimates indicating around 24,300 passengers arriving throughout the day.
The initial wave of returns began on Monday afternoon, causing congestion on national roads. Today, heightened traffic is anticipated on the inbound lanes of the Athens-Corinth National Road.
Traffic Police data reveals that from 6 a.m. on Easter Monday until 2 a.m. today, 64,100 vehicles have traversed the Athens-Corinth National Road, with an additional 46,814 vehicles passing through the Athens-Lamia National Road, while traffic control measures remain in effect.
