hanabanana

Does anyone out there have the inside info (ie dates) on Greek transport strikes for June 2011? I will be taking 2 overnight ferries and my itinerary is quite tight. A 24 hour strike will throw a lot of spanners in the works.

Heimdall

Strikes aren't announced that far in advance, maybe only a week or so ahead. Chances are you won't be affected, but keep informed while you are travelling. When a strike occurs everyone is affected, so hotel owners and others in the travel industry are quite understanding.

clausar

It would be nice for us Greeks to be informed on strikes in advance, however they are being announced only few days before they actually take place..... Get in touch with your hotel before you travel, they should give you accurate information if something should happen...

travelerjan

hanabanana, the only reassurance I can give is that strikes, if they should occur, are almost always mid-week ... so if your travel is Friday through Monday, relax.

hanabanana

Thanks all. I'm sure I'll manage even if I get delayed a couple of days. No complaints about being delayed in Greece.

ter2000

It appears that there was trouble today in Athens during anti-government protests. When these protests take place, is it safe to assume that they're usually around Syntagma, and you're safe enough in the Plaka area?

Heading to Greece on 31st and a bit worried about strikes. Not a lot that we can do at this stage, but would like a bit of reassurance.

clausar

Plaka is always a safe place, protests usually take place on Syntagma square where the parliament and the ministry of finance are located....
Places that one should avoid on such days are : Syntagma, Omonoia square and Exarchia Square and surroundings...
( the area behind the Archeological Museum)

ter2000

Thanks clausar - that's what I thought. Hopefully there won't be too much disruption, although as a citizen of another PIGS country, I do sympathise with them.

AlwaysOnTheRoad

Come to Greece. I was in Olympia on the strike yesterday. Business as usual. Great country.

yiassas

I was in Athens yesterday (11th)with my 83 yr old mother. Although I would have been happy to wander almost anywhere I wasn't prepared to take her anywhere it was too crowded, so we stayed away from the demonstration areas. From Plaka & Anafiotika the only thing you noticed was that you could hear the chanting from the crowd at times, otherwise my mother's comment was "Why does the news make it sound as if the whole of Athens is out of bounds & dangerous?" A bit later we did get near enough to Syntagma to see them all marching around the square a couple of hundred yards away, this time the comment was "Is that it?"
I live in Greece & she had come over from the UK to see me for a few days, I'm actually glad she was here on a strike day, no more phone calls to check I'm ok when the media make things sound as if I'm permanently in danger!
As clausar says, just avoid a few key areas for a few hours & you probably won't even know anything is happening. The worst effect for visitors is possible disruption to travel plans. Jan has it right when she says try to avoid mid week transfer days, this will minimise the risk of any disruption.

yiassas

BTW, monitor this site (column on the left)for updates in English & bear in mind that even if a strike is called for on a certain date it won't necessarily go ahead, nor will it be confirmed who is taking part until 24-48 hrs before, so keep checking.
http://livingingreece.gr/strikes/

hanabanana

Thanks yiassas. I was hoping you'd chime in.