More than 129,000 passengers will depart from Attica ports over a three-day weekend as August vacationers head to Greek islands and summer destinations. Public news outlet ertnews.gr reported that passenger traffic peaked on Sunday, Aug. 9, marking the second major departure wave of the summer holiday season.
According to the Hellenic Coast Guard, 23 ship sailings were scheduled from Piraeus on Sunday, carrying an estimated 34,441 passengers. The port of Rafina expected 15 sailings with 7,320 passengers, while Lavrio scheduled 11 sailings carrying 3,167 passengers. For the Saronic Gulf islands, Piraeus scheduled 58 sailings carrying 9,270 people, including 34 passenger hydrofoils and 24 passenger-car ferries.
On Saturday, Aug. 8, Piraeus dispatched 25 ships carrying 32,876 passengers to the Aegean and Cyclades islands. Another 52 sailings of conventional and high-speed ships carried 11,468 passengers to the Saronic Gulf. Meanwhile, Rafina logged 18 departures with 12,932 passengers, and Lavrio recorded seven sailings carrying 3,408 passengers. By the end of the three-day weekend, officials estimate total port departures will reach 129,201 passengers.
Intercity Bus Traffic to Peloponnese
Intercity bus travel at Kifisos station reached capacity near 100 percent, with extra bus routes added toward the Peloponnese. Extra routes to Ilia filled to 100 percent capacity. In Corinthia, standard departure frequencies handled high demand without extra routes, though several buses left full. Routes to Patras, Laconia, Arcadia, Messinia, and Preveza also recorded strong occupancy.
Travel to Western Greece and Corfu saw slightly lower demand. Corfu passenger numbers fell below levels recorded during the same period last year, while extra routes to Igoumenitsa remained limited. Authorities and the Hellenic Coast Guard advised all travelers to arrive at ports at least one hour before departure to prevent delays caused by heavy traffic.
Northern Greece Bus Hubs and Highways
Bus travel across Northern Greece showed a mixed picture, with some routes hitting 100 percent capacity while ticket sales for other departures had not yet opened. Queues formed at ticket windows at Macedonia Bus Station, where travelers headed to coastal destinations, Alexandroupoli, Kavala, and Ionian islands including Corfu, Zakynthos, and Kefalonia. Buses frequently departed at full capacity.
Mobility also rose at Chalkidiki bus station, while vehicle flow increased at the Malgara toll station. Traffic police conducted intensive inspections across the national road network to maintain driver safety as the holiday getaway continued.
