August Holiday Exodus Peaks as More Than 129,000 Passengers Leave Attica Ports

Greece's traditional August holiday exodus is gathering pace, with ports, bus terminals and major highways packed as thousands of people leave Athens and other large cities ahead of the August 15 holiday.

Passenger traffic has been particularly heavy at the ports of Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio, as travelers head to the islands for their summer break or return to their hometowns for one of the country's biggest holidays.

More Than 129,000 Passengers Head to the Islands

Between Friday, August 7 and Sunday, August 9, a total of 147 ferry departures have been scheduled from Attica's three main ports, carrying an estimated more than 129,000 passengers.

On Saturday alone, over 56,000 travelers were expected to depart from Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio, as well as on routes serving the Saronic Gulf.

At Piraeus, ferries have been leaving one after another for Crete, the Cyclades and the Dodecanese, with large numbers of passengers and vehicles passing through the country's busiest port.

Despite the crowds, departures have been running without major problems. Coast Guard officers have been deployed throughout the ports to manage traffic and help keep boarding procedures moving.

Passengers have been advised to arrive at least an hour before departure, particularly those traveling with vehicles.

Tinos and Andros Among the Top Choices

Rafina has also seen heavy traffic since early morning, with Tinos and Andros among the most popular destinations.

Demand is also strong for southern Evia, while families and groups of holidaymakers carrying luggage have filled the port's waiting areas.

The scenes are typical of early August in Greece, when the summer travel season reaches its busiest point.

Intercity Buses Running at Full Capacity

The rush is not limited to the ports.

At Athens' Kifisos intercity bus terminal, services are operating at or near full capacity, carrying passengers to destinations across the Peloponnese, Thessaly, Epirus and Macedonia.

Demand is also high for destinations that combine road and ferry travel, including Kefalonia.

Crete Welcomes Thousands of Holidaymakers

As Athens empties, Greece's most popular summer destinations are filling up.

Crete is seeing particularly strong arrivals, with ferries carrying both tourists and Greeks returning to their family homes for the August 15 celebrations.

At the port of Souda in Chania, the passenger ferry Kissamos arrived with around 1,500 passengers, many of whom immediately continued to destinations across the island.

Beaches, villages and resorts are expected to become even busier over the coming days as Greece enters what is traditionally one of the busiest weeks of the summer season.

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