The summer travel rush peaked Saturday as thousands of passengers left Athens for the Greek islands, with heavy traffic reported at the capital’s three main ports and ferry occupancy rates reaching 100% on some routes.
The Greek Coast Guard stepped up measures at the ports to facilitate travelers and ensure smooth boarding as ferries operated at near-full capacity, particularly on routes to the Cyclades.
According to ferry booking data and figures provided by ferry companies, about 56,400 passengers were expected to depart Saturday from the ports of Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio, as well as for the Saronic Gulf islands.
At Piraeus, 54 ferry and high-speed passenger sailings were scheduled for Saturday, with an estimated 31,392 passengers departing on routes to the islands. Another 23 sailings were scheduled for Sunday, with about 34,441 passengers expected to travel.
At Rafina, 14 sailings were scheduled Saturday, carrying about 9,700 passengers, while 15 departures were planned for Sunday, with 7,320 passengers.
