Athens pedestrianises Athinas Street for 24 hours to celebrate European Mobility Week

24-hour car-free initiative in central Athens

Athens is converting Athinas Street into a pedestrian and cycling corridor from 20:00 on Saturday, 19 September, to 20:00 on Sunday, 20 September 2026. Organized for the third consecutive year by the Athens Municipality Festival through Athens Development, the initiative coincides with European Mobility Week and precedes World Car-Free Day on 22 September. The municipal administration aims to demonstrate urban space without vehicular traffic, providing dedicated areas for cultural activities, sports, and alternative transport.

Mayor of Athens Haris Doukas invited residents to gather on the thoroughfare to experience the city centre in a different format.

“This weekend, for 24 hours, without cars, we give space to people, to bicycles, to play, and to culture.”

Cultural schedule, midnight cinema, and sports

The program begins on Saturday evening with an open-air Disco Street Party scheduled from 20:00 to 23:00. Following the music event, the Midnight Express series will host open-air film screenings until 05:30 on Sunday morning, featuring Tony Scott's Days of Thunder (1990) at 23:30, Peter Collinson's The Italian Job (1969) at 01:30, and Peter Yates's Bullitt (1968) at 03:30.

Sunday activities commence with morning yoga sessions between 08:30 and 11:30. From 09:00 to 17:00, Panathinaikos A.O. will conduct the Sports Beyond Limits program, allowing participants to learn about Paralympic sports alongside club athletes and coaches. Sunday programming also features theatrical activities and concludes with a live broadcast by radio station Ellinikos 93.2.

Community cycling tour and transit adjustments

On Sunday, 20 September, the municipality and the PodilATTIKI community will hold a 60-minute cycling tour starting and finishing at Kotzia Square. Haris Doukas will flag off the ride at 10:00 to present the proposed Local Cycling Network, an initiative designed to connect neighbourhoods and public transport stations with the planned Northern Cycling Axis of Attica. The ride is open to participants of all ages, with minors required to ride alongside an accompanying adult.

To support the events, Hellenic Police established traffic and parking restrictions from Saturday at 20:00 until Sunday at 23:00. Vehicle access is prohibited on Athinas Street between Evripidou and Ermou, along with full closures of Karagiorgi Servias, Perikleous, Athinaidos, and Agias Eirinis streets. Ermou Street is closed from Agion Asomaton to Athinas, and Agion Asomaton Square is restricted between Sarri and Ermou.

Public transport operators adjusted central services during the restriction window. Athens Metro Lines 2 and 3 operate on a 24-hour schedule over the weekend, while bus routes 227, 025, 026, and 035 follow detours via Piraeus Street and Omonoia Square, using existing stops along the alternate paths.

Additional European Mobility Week events

The municipality scheduled several satellite events across Athens in connection with the week-long campaign. On Saturday, 19 September, at 11:00, the Athens Municipality Accessibility Team organized an intergenerational storytelling event titled A Saturday with Fairy Tales at the National Garden, drawing on Greek tradition and mythology.

On Monday, 21 September, the municipality and the organisation Cities for Cycling will present the Bicycle for all generations initiative at Kypseli Municipal Market. Operating under the slogan Combine and Move, the event offers free workshops and games promoting inclusive urban mobility. Mobility week activities conclude on Tuesday, 22 September, with a guided tour at the National Archaeological Museum at 13:00.