Starting Saturday, 5 July 2025, Athenian locals and visitors alike will enjoy 24-hour public transportation during the weekends, along the Greek capital’s major public transportation routes.

The initiative was announced by Hellenic Alternate Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Konstantinos Kyranakis during a parliamentary debate on the country’s new Highway Code.

The rationale behind this decision though is not tourism, but public safety. The new initiative is aimed primarily at giving young people the chance to enjoy Athens’ bustling nightlife—without having to risk driving while having consumed alcohol. “We need to take measures,” said Kyranakis in his speech, “so that we can send a message to [young people’s] parents, that they will return safely to their homes.”

The 24 hour service will apply to the Athens Metro lines 1-3, the trams that service downtown Athens and along the city’s southern coastal neighborhoods, as well as for popular, albeit main bus lines.

Greek authorities have collaborated with unions and Greek transit organizations like Athens Urban Rail Transport, the main operator of Athens’ bus network OSY, and the Athens Urban Transport Organization, whose proposals Kyranakis acknowledged having been essential to the initiative’s launch.