Greece prepares for August 15 holiday with transport and tourism updates

Greece is preparing for the August 15 holiday with significant changes to public services and notable trends in the tourism sector.

In Athens, the Athens Urban Transport Organization (OASA) has announced modified schedules for public transport. Buses and trolleybuses will operate on an emergency schedule on August 14 and 17, while a Sunday schedule will apply on August 15 and 16. Metro lines 2 and 3, along with Tram lines T6 and T7, will operate 24 hours on Saturday, August 15.

The tourism sector shows a structural shift; GBR Consulting reports that while hotel revenues in Greece rose by 10.1% in the first half of 2026, occupancy and room sales grew by only 0.6%, indicating growth is driven by price increases. In Messenia, hotel occupancy is nearing 100% for the holiday period, with very limited availability remaining in areas like Kalamata and Pylos.

Regarding social benefits, e-EFKA and DYPA have scheduled payments totaling over 61 million euros for the period of August 17 to 21, 2026. These funds will be distributed to approximately 68,370 beneficiaries, covering maternity, sickness, and unemployment benefits, as well as one-off payments.