Over 50,000 holidaymakers leave Attica ports on Friday, 62,000 more expected across the weekend

Friday's peak

The summer holiday exodus from the Greek capital region reached its peak on Friday, 24 July, as 50,917 passengers boarded ferries and hydrofoils at Attica's main ports. Coast guard records show 113 ship departures in a single day, carrying travellers to the Aegean and Argosaronic islands alongside thousands of cars, trucks and motorcycles. At Piraeus, the country's largest port, 22 sailings moved 24,545 people, 4,054 private cars, 706 freight vehicles and 720 motorcycles. The nearby Argosaronic lines handled an additional 60 departures, shipping 10,079 passengers, 1,161 cars, 50 trucks and 466 motorcycles. Rafina, east of Athens, saw 19 sailings with 12,019 passengers, 2,571 cars, 101 trucks and 301 two-wheelers, while Lavrio dispatched 12 ferries carrying 4,274 travellers, 1,127 cars, 40 freight vehicles and 99 motorcycles.

Weekend outlook

The outbound flow continues through Saturday and Sunday, with coast guard projections totalling about 62,000 more passengers. On Saturday, 25 July, around 36,904 people are expected to depart from the four port zones. Piraeus has 24 scheduled sailings with an estimated 22,759 passengers; Argosaronic services are set to carry 505 people on hydrofoils and another 2,525 on vehicle ferries, yielding roughly 3,030 passengers, though one report puts the combined figure at 3,430. Rafina forecasts 14 departures with 8,000 travellers, and Lavrio plans 7 sailings for 2,715.

Sunday, 26 July, will see a gradual easing but still high numbers. Total projected departures stand at 25,361 passengers, with Piraeus expecting 16,292 across 22 sailings, the Argosaronic lines around 2,049 (1,759 on ferries, 290 on hydrofoils), Rafina 4,829, and Lavrio 2,091.

Port traffic breakdown

Friday's traffic was dominated by the Piraeus hub, which accounted for nearly half of all passengers. The Argosaronic lines, operating short-sea connections to nearby islands, moved the second-largest cohort, while Rafina and Lavrio absorbed the remaining demand. The distribution highlights the concentration of outbound travel through the central port complex.

Safety and readiness

The Hellenic Coast Guard has placed all three port stations on full alert to ensure smooth and safe passenger flow. Travellers are advised to arrive at departure gates earlier than usual because of the heavy congestion. No incidents have been reported, and port authorities are coordinating with shipping operators to manage the weekend surge.