From Monday 14 October 2024 until Friday 18 July 2025, Athens traffic regulations will recommence, in an effort to reduce congestion and air pollution in Greece’s capital city.
Also known locally as ‘daktylios’, which means ‘ring’ in Greece, vehicles will be allowed to enter the downtown Athens area in accordance with their vehicle’s registration plate and type.
Specifically, on even days of the month, vehicles with license plates ending in 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 are allowed to circulate. Meanwhile, on odd dates, vehicles with plates ending in 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 are permitted.
For example, October 14 is an even day, so a vehicle with a license plate ending in 88 could circulate downtown, while one ending in 31 could not.
The area where the restrictions apply includes the zone surrounded by the following roads:
“Alexandras Avenue – Zacharof – Mesogeion Avenue – F. Pheidippidou – Michalakopoulou – Spyrou Merkouri – Vryaxes – Hymettou – Ilia Iliou – Andr. Frantzi – Syngrou Avenue – Chamosterna – Peiraios – Iera Odos – Konstantinoupoleos Avenue – Achilleos – Karaiskaki Square – Karolou – Marnis – 28th October (Patission) – Alexandras Avenue.”
These regulations will be enforced on the weekdays, from Monday to Thursday between 7 am and 8 pm, and Friday between 7 am and 3 pm. They do not apply on Saturdays, Sundays, official holidays, and on days when workers in all forms of public transport are on strike.
Exemptions from the Athens traffic restrictions include:
- Purely electric vehicles by design, hybrid electric vehicles, natural gas vehicles, and LPG vehicles are exempt.
- EURO 6 cars (aside from the above technologies) that emit less than 120g/km of CO2 and were registered for the first time in an EU member state before December 31, 2020.
- EURO 6 cars (aside from the above technologies) that emit less than 145g/km of CO2 were first registered in an EU member state from January 1, 2021, onwards.
- Vehicles with the relevant ring road permit.
Owners of these sorts of vehicles may print a special badge for their exemption from the traffic restrictions, electronically through the Single Digital Portal of the Public Administration (gov.gr) either in hard copy or in electronic form registered on a mobile phone.
Ring Road Permits
Applications for special ring road permits may be submitted at the headquarters of the Attica Traffic Police Directorate (Θ. 24-26 Diligiannis Street, tel. 210-5284142, e-mail: daktylios@astynomia.gr,) Monday to Friday from 8am to 2pm and Saturday from 8am to 12pm, with the submission of the following documents:
- a) A copy of the vehicle’s registration permit,
- b) The driving license of the driver.
- c) A valid technical inspection certificate (Κ.Τ.Ε.Ο.).
- d) A valid insurance policy.
Validity of last year’s permits
Regarding last year’s ring road permit holders, the Ministry of Citizen Protection announced that they will be allowed to use their previous year’s permit for the first 10 working days after the measure is reinstated. During this period, there will be leniency in enforcement, and drivers who present last year’s permit will be allowed to enter the restricted areas.
