Athens traffic increases with return of restrictions

Traffic restrictions in the center of Athens returned Monday for the first time since spring 2020, with intense traffic congestion on the roads outside restricted areas, confirming the concerns of transport specialists.

Experience from the pre-pandemic era shows that without systematic and intensive policing, the measure simply won’t work. Experts say without systematic policing, the capital will see a return to uncontrollable violations of the measure.

According to estimates by traffic experts and government officials, a clearer picture will emerge on the restrictions’ impact by around mid-November.

Vehicles with license plates ending in even numbers can only enter the downtown area on even days of the month, while those with odd numbers can only do so on odd days.

A big difference this year is that the number of cars entering the city center will increase due to the free circulation of “green” vehicles.