The exodus of Athenians for Easter is peaking today, helped by the favorable weather in the coming days. Traffic is increasing by the hour on the exits of the national highways Athens-Patras and Athens-Lamia, with delays in some sections of Attiki Odos exceeding 30 minutes.

Ferries are leaving full from the ports of Piraeus, Lavrio, and Rafina since the morning, with around 35,000 passengers departing from Athens.

Similarly, KTEL buses are also leaving full from the Kifissos station, with occupancy exceeding 95% and numerous extra routes added to meet demand.

It’s worth noting that trucks over 3.5 tons are prohibited from moving from 3:00 PM to 10:00 PM.

Traffic Data

Over 170,000 vehicles have passed through the tolls.

According to the traffic police, from 6:00 AM to 10:00 AM today, 11,618 vehicles left the Athens-Lamia highway and 13,528 from the Athens-Corinth highway.

Yesterday, on Holy Wednesday, 48,268 vehicles left from the Elefsina tolls and 37,576 from Afidnes.
On Holy Tuesday, about 60,000 vehicles left, and from Friday until Holy Monday, the average number of vehicles leaving was around 50,000.

In Thessaloniki, on Holy Wednesday, 50,685 vehicles entered and 52,950 exited, with 16,895 vehicles moving towards Thessaloniki from the Malgara tolls, and 17,650 leaving Thessaloniki.

Increased Traffic on Roads

The biggest traffic problem is on Attiki Odos towards Elefsina, where delays are over 30 minutes from Anthousa to Metamorfosi (exit for Lamia), over 30 minutes from Agia Paraskevi to Metamorfosi (exit for Lamia) on the Ymittos Ring Road, and 25-30 minutes from Aspropyrgos to Elefsina exit.

This morning, on Holy Thursday, there was heavy traffic at the ports of Attica, as people started their Easter journey to the islands of the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, and Crete.

Today, 20 ferry departures are scheduled from the Port of Piraeus, with at least 22,190 passengers expected to depart according to the booking system.

From the Port of Rafina, 10 ferries will depart, including 4 additional trips to Marmari, with at least 9,800 passengers.

From the Port of Lavrio, 10 ferries will depart, carrying 2,843 passengers.

Tomorrow, on Good Friday, over 30,000 passengers will travel by ferry. Specifically, from Piraeus, 16 departures are scheduled, carrying 16,364 passengers, while from Rafina, 8 departures are planned, transporting 8,400 passengers, including 4 additional trips to Marmari. From Lavrio, 8 departures will take 2,694 passengers.

The exodus will continue on Holy Saturday, April 19, but with noticeably lower traffic, as is typical on that day. From Piraeus, 5 departures are expected with 3,730 passengers, while from Rafina, 5 departures will carry 3,100 passengers, along with 3 additional trips to Marmari. From Lavrio, 5 departures will carry 1,060 passengers.

The Hellenic Coast Guard has taken all necessary measures to facilitate passengers, and it is recommended that Easter travelers arrive early at the departure quay for better service.

Yesterday’s Traffic

On Holy Wednesday, 16 ferry departures took place from Piraeus, carrying 18,558 passengers. From Rafina, 11 ferries departed with 5,615 passengers, and from Lavrio, 6 ferries departed with 1,348 passengers.

KTEL Buses Fully Booked

There was a large crowd at the KTEL station in Kifissos, with dozens of extra routes scheduled for today and tomorrow.

According to Ilias Papageorgiou, President of the Serres KTEL, “Extra trips have been added, and the occupancy rate is about 95%.”

Mr. Papageorgiou also mentioned that the traffic this year is at similar levels to last year.

KTEL Thessaloniki is adding more extra routes to serve Easter travelers heading to Athens, Piraeus, as well as Central Macedonia and Northern Greece. The president of the organization, Stefanos Tsolis, stated in an interview with the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA) that “this year, traffic is recorded as at least 20% higher compared to the same period last year.”

Great Weather for Lamb Roasting: High Temperatures for Easter Getaway

Meteorologists are predicting excellent spring weather with above-average temperatures as we approach Easter Sunday. Temperatures are expected to rise above 19°C starting on Holy Thursday, with some areas, like Crete, Eastern Sterea, and Western Peloponnese, reaching up to 26°C.

Meteorologist and Director of Research at the National Observatory of Athens, Konstantinos Lagouvardos, spoke to Protothema, noting the very favorable weather conditions for this time of year, with the scientific team continuing to monitor the phenomena.

As he explained, the weather will remain warm due to further temperature increases, accompanied by episodes of African dust, which are expected to subside by Holy Saturday.

Meanwhile, the large exodus of Easter travelers is happening with favorable weather conditions, and the Traffic Police are fully prepared, with enhanced policing measures on the road network.

Weather Forecast for Holy Thursday: Mild African Dust and Warm Weather, Perfect for Lamb Roasting

On Holy Thursday, mild concentrations of African dust are expected, especially in the Ionian and Western Greece. Southeastern winds in the Ionian will reach 7-8 Beaufort, and temperatures will remain high for the season, especially in the eastern and southern parts of the country.

Drivers should be cautious in the morning hours due to fog conditions in some parts of the road network in Central and Western Macedonia, as increased humidity levels favor fog formation, significantly reducing visibility.

Thursday, April 17, 2025 (Holy Thursday):
Starting today, the exodus of Easter travelers increases, and authorities are on alert to assist those leaving the city. The major wave of departures is expected to peak today, with the weather acting as a helpful ally.

According to the latest forecasts, the weather will generally be sunny with some scattered clouds, which will occasionally become denser in certain areas. In the western regions, clouds will increase by the afternoon, leading to local rain and isolated thunderstorms, first in the northern Ionian, then later spreading to Epirus, western Sterea, western Macedonia, and Thessaly.

Meteorological conditions are also favorable for the transfer of African dust.

Friday, April 18, 2025 (Good Friday):
Rain is expected in some areas, but the weather will improve by Sunday. On Easter Sunday, the weather will be sunny across the country, with a few clouds expected in the afternoon and midday in the mainland. Despite some light rain showers on the mainland, the weather will be ideal for outdoor activities, especially for lamb roasting.

Easter Sunday (April 20, 2025):
Great weather is expected, with sunshine throughout the country. Some clouds will form in the midday and afternoon hours over the mainland, but overall it will be a perfect day for outdoor activities.

Weather Trends for the Easter Week Getaway:
The departure of travelers will continue until Holy Thursday afternoon, supported by pleasant weather conditions. Travelers are expected to return under favorable weather, though initial forecasts suggest a change in weather from Easter Tuesday, with conditions deteriorating.

Overall, the Easter weekend is expected to have mostly sunny weather, perfect for celebrations, although travelers should be prepared for some light rain on Good Friday and occasional dust from the Sahara.

Winds:
In the western parts, southeast winds will blow at 5 to 6 Beaufort, reaching 7 and locally 8 Beaufort in the Ionian Sea. However, these winds will gradually shift to southerly and southwesterly directions and will weaken. In the eastern parts, winds will be from the northeast at 3 to 5 Beaufort, reaching locally 6 Beaufort in the northern Aegean.

Temperatures:
The temperature will rise slightly further and will remain above normal for this time of year. In the western regions, temperatures will reach 25 to 27°C, while in other areas, they will range from 23 to 25°C.

Weather for Holy Friday (April 18, 2025):
In central and northern mainland Greece, there will be increased cloud cover with local rain or brief showers. The rest of the country will experience mostly clear skies.

Visibility in the western mainland will be locally reduced in the evening hours.

Winds:
Winds will blow from the west at 3 to 5 Beaufort, gradually strengthening to 6 Beaufort in central and southern areas. In the northern Aegean, winds will be from the northeast at 4 to 5 Beaufort until midday.

Temperatures:
Although temperatures will drop slightly in the Ionian and inland, they will remain relatively high for the season.

Weather Forecast for Great Saturday (April 19, 2025):

The weather will be mostly clear with a few clouds, temporarily increasing in eastern Macedonia, Thrace, and possibly the northeastern Aegean, where there will be local rain or showers during the midday-afternoon hours.

Visibility in the mornings and evenings will be locally reduced in inland areas.

Winds:
Winds will be variable at 3 to 4 Beaufort, and in the central and southern areas, they will come from the west at 4 to 5 Beaufort, occasionally reaching 6 Beaufort in the southern parts.

Temperature:
The temperature will remain relatively high for the season, with only a slight drop in the eastern island areas.

Weather Forecast for Easter Sunday (April 20, 2025):

There will be light clouds, occasionally denser, with a few brief local rain showers or brief downpours in the midday and afternoon hours, mainly in the northeastern inland, particularly in mountainous areas.

Winds:
Winds will be variable at 3 to 4 Beaufort, and in the southern parts, they will blow from the northwest at 4 to 5 Beaufort.

Temperature:
No significant change in temperature is expected.