General strike to cause transportation, travel chaos on Wednesday

Commuters and travelers are in for a major headache on Wednesday, as public transport workers and air traffic controllers join a strike called by all of the country’s major unions in protest at rising energy costs and inflation. 

In terms of public transportation, there will be some service in Athens, though streets in the city center are expected to become virtually impassable due to the protest rallies being planned over the course of the day in downtown Athens.

According to official announcements, Line 1 of the metro – or the ISAP electric railway – will operate from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., while lines 2 and 3 will start service at 9.30 a.m. and end by 3.30 p.m. Tram drivers will be staying on the job longer, providing service from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The operating companies of the two modes of transport, STASY and OSY, have taken recourse to the courts and asked that the strike be ruled illegal. The hearing of their claim is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.

Buses and trolleybuses, meanwhile, will be on the road for most of the day, starting service at 9 a.m. and pulling back into their depots by 9 p.m.

Trains, including the “Proastiakos” suburban railway, will also run for a few hours, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

But the capital will also be without taxis on Wednesday, as the SATA union called on its drivers to pull up their handbrakes for 24 hours, starting at 6 a.m. on Wednesday morning.

Travelers to and from the islands will have to change their plans as ferries will stay tied up in port for 24 hours, while activity at Piraeus port’s cargo terminals will also grind to a halt.