Festivals & Transit: How to Get Around Athens During Major Events

Beat the crowds and detours—navigating Athens during concerts, marathons, and festivals.

Athens comes alive with festivals—from the Athens Epidaurus Festival to the Marathon. Major events trigger road closures, extra services, and shuttle buses. Learn how to:

1. Track route changes
2. Use special shuttles
3. Plan for temporary night services
4. Optimize ticketing
5. Get real-time updates

🎉 1. Route Changes & Closures

• Marathon (Nov): 040 and 550 detours around Marathon route.
• Street Festivals: Plaka pedestrian zones; look for redirection signs.
• Concert Shuttles: X95 variants from Elliniko Metro post-concert.

🚌 2. Special Shuttle Services

• Marathon Express (M-X): Direct Syntagma → Marathon start line.
• Festival Loop: Circular shuttles around Gazi during summer events.
• Late-Night Extensions: OWL routes 040 & 603 extend to 04:00.

⛔ 3. Temporary Night Buses

During multi-day festivals:

• 040 & 041 hourly until 04:00
• 603 adds 23:30 & 00:30 runs
• Use in-app Event Mode for filtered service info.

📅 4. Ticketing Optimization

• Pre-buy 3-day or 5-day passes covering event days.
• No extra fees for special shuttles on festival routes.
• Night-owl single tickets valid for all late runs.

🔔 5. Real-Time Alerts

• App Push: Event-only detour channels.
• SMS Service: Subscribe for OASA updates.
• Live Chat: In-app assistance during peak festival hours.

In Summary

Big events don’t have to mean big headaches. With smart planning and our app’s event features, you’ll breeze past crowds and closures.