Traffic Crisis in Athens: City Ranks Eighth in Europe for Congestion

Athens is grappling with severe traffic congestion, with the city ranking eighth in Europe for the time it takes to travel just 10 kilometres—approximately 30 minutes on average, according to a new report presented by Professor Constantinos Kepaptsoglou of the National Technical University of Athens and the General Secretary of the Hellenic Institute of Transportation Engineers (SES).

The findings were revealed at a seminar held at the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport on Monday.

Across Europe, London leads the rankings with a 33:17-minute average travel time, followed by Dublin (32:45), Barcelona (31:13), Bucharest (31:09), Bordeaux (31:08), Brussels (30:22), and Rome (29:59). Athens and Thessaloniki are among the most affected cities in Greece, with residents spending over a third of their day—34%—stuck in traffic. In global rankings, Athens is placed 114th, while Thessaloniki ranks 123rd.

Thanasis Tsianos, Chairman of SES, highlighted that improving traffic and urban transport in Athens requires more than just temporary fixes or idealistic thinking. “It’s a continuous process that demands careful studies, coordination, evaluation, and significant financial resources,” Tsianos stated. “This process was disrupted during the financial crisis, and now, the rapid increase in travel demand is exposing the long-term consequences of this underinvestment.”

Tsianos stressed the need for urgent upgrades to Athens’ existing fixed-rail transportation network—including the suburban railway, tram, trolley, and metro systems. These services must be made more appealing to encourage commuters to shift from cars, along with additional bike parking and improved bus connections.

He also called for improvements to the city’s bus network, including the introduction of new express bus routes, extended service hours, the expansion of depots, better enforcement of bus lanes, and an increase in the bus fleet to meet the rising demand.

As Athens continues to face mounting traffic challenges, experts agree that the city’s transport system requires substantial investment and long-term planning to ease the daily gridlock that affects both locals and visitors.