Have you chosen to drive to downtown Athens? Or maybe you’ve rented a car for an excursion. Here are a few tips to help you park in Athens without unpleasant surprises.
A few tips to get you started
Alternating traffic
For several years now, the Athens city council has implemented a system of alternating traffic in the city center to combat traffic jams and pollution. Only cars with even-numbered plates are allowed on even-numbered days, and vice versa on odd-numbered days. This measure does not apply to :
- for rental cars (if you wish to rent a car, click on the following link)
- between 20h-7h
- weekends (Friday 3pm to Monday 7am)
- nor on public holidays or strike days.
Indications
To park in Athens, put on your warnings. In Greece, the turn signal is not used for parking; you have to put on the warnings to let people know that you’re going to park.
The streets are narrow in the city center, and maneuvering can be difficult. If possible, we recommend that you choose a small car.
Option 1: Street parking in Athens
This is the cheapest but not the easiest way to park in Athens.
Parking in Athens
In Athens, authorized street parking is rare (especially in the more central districts of Syntagma, Kolonaki, Monastiraki and Plaka), but with a little patience you’ll always find it.
In Athens, you can park along streets where there are white white road markings. Yellow markings indicate a ban, while blue spaces are reserved for residents.
When you see a blue sign saying : Ρ ΜΕ ΠΛΗΡΩΜΗ is that you have to pay to park.
How do I pay for parking?
Can’t find any parking meters? That’s normal. In Athens, paid parking is based on a card system.
All you have to do is buy these cards from a “periptero” , one of those little kiosks that are springing up all over town. You can then buy 1-hour (€1), 2-hour (€2) or 4-hour (€4) passes. Then it’s very simple: just scratch! Indicate the date and time when you want to start parking, then place the card in plain view behind the windscreen.
A few tips and warnings:
- In theory, you can’t combine two cards. If you want to stay longer, you’ll have to come and “re-buy” a card. But in practice, people do.
- You can buy several cards in advance, as there is no expiry date. Leave a few in your car, it’s very practical. This will save you the trouble of looking for a kiosk when parking.
What are the risks if you don’t comply with parking regulations?
The municipal police (Δημοτική Αστυνομία / Dimotiki Astynomia ) and traffic police (τροχαία / Trochaia ) regularly circulate to issue tickets. They are placed on the windshield of the vehicle.
If you park in an authorized space but have not paid, you risk a 20-euro fine. If you park in an unauthorized space, you risk a higher fine of up to 80 euros.
To pay these fines, you can either go to the police station indicated on the ticket, or to a post office. Good to know: if you pay your fine within 10 days, you pay half price.
Obstructive parking may result in the removal of your license plates and a fine of varying amounts. You will then have to go to the police station where the offence was committed. This can only be done after a certain number of days, set according to the nature of the offence (up to one month). You also have to pay a fine to get your plates back. Then you’ll need to put them to rest in a garage. It is obviously forbidden to drive without a plate, and the vehicle owner is only authorized to return the vehicle to his or her home or to a parking space.
More rarely, but possible if you are obstructing traffic, your vehicle may be impounded.
Option 2: Parking in Athens
Parking is plentiful in Athens, including in the ultra-touristy areas.
Small or large parking lots
There are large underground parking lots, but they are few and far between in the center of Athens and are generally quite expensive (around €10 for the first hour, then €1 per hour).
The most common are very small, convenient parking lots, often located in the narrow streets of the city center. There’s no question of parking your car yourself. It’s a life-size Tetris for the owners of these garages. These parking lots are generally inexpensive, often offering rates for 3 hours (between €3 and €10 depending on the area) or a day (between €10 and €18). We recommend those around Thisio and Psiri, which are both inexpensive and centrally located.
Parking lots near metro stations
Very practical parking + metro package. Several resorts offer this solution, including Doukitis Plakentias and Chalandri. From these stations, the metro takes just 20 minutes to reach the city center.
They cost around 4 euros for half a day.
The Park Around App
Vivre Athènes recommends the Park Around app, which lets you find and reserve a parking lot. Very practical, especially in the evenings when parking lots can quickly become overcrowded.
Free parking for electric vehicles
Since January 1, 2021, owners of non-polluting electric vehicles have been exempt from paying parking fees in downtown Athens. To do so, they must complete an online application. It’s quick and easy.
Sophie B.
