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Travel mishaps often occur without notice. Heck, I walked in my living room yesterday to find my dog had ripped my passport to shreds despite having about 87 toys laid out across the floor!

That qualifies, right?

Regardless, the U.S. Embassy just issued a new travel alert to provide travelers advanced notice for what’s surely to be headache-inducing chaos as basically all itineraries will come to a screeching halt in some of Greece’s most popular destinations this week.

That’s right. If you think you’re embarking on the trip of a lifetime for a late winter escape, a planned demonstration is set to put a damper on travelers’ vacation plans.

Here is what every traveler visiting Greece this week needs to know:

Planned Demonstration February 28, 2025

Are you aware of the Tempi train disaster? If not, you’re about to be since that’s the root cause of a planned demonstration taking place February 28th.

The deadliest train disaster in Greece’s history resulted in 57 lives being taken when a passenger train collided with a freight train nearly two years ago.

Of course, when these things happen, much like disasters in our own country, we demand answers and accountability.

That’s the case in Greece, too, as this would-be-preventable tragedy has yet to satisfy loved ones’ inquiries into what happened and who is responsible.

As such, protesters have formed at least two gatherings to voice their opinions publicly.

What’s important for tourists to know is that, according to the U.S. Embassy, some demonstrations in the past have turned violent, which is, unfortunately, why officials are prepping for worst-case scenarios by essentially shutting down travel operations (more on that shortly).

Visitors should be aware of these two public demonstrations:

• Athens: Syntagma Square at 11:00 a.m. 
• Thessaloniki: the Venizelos Statue on Egnatia Street at 11:00 a.m. 

Airport, Taxi, Trains, And Ferry Shutdowns

For a short time this week, visitors to Greece will get a glimpse of 2020 all over again.

Airports, taxi services, trains, and ferry operators are shutting down.

The U.S. Embassy did not provide the exact timeframe for these services’ shutdowns, but it can be assumed that it coincides with the planned protests.

Regarding airports, air traffic controllers will be on strike for 24 hours resulting in a nationwide blackout. It’s expected popular Greek airlines Olympic Air and Aegean Air will modify travelers’ itineraries for both domestic and international flights.

As for taxis, their strike is only expected to take place for a few hours (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.)

However, trains and boat operators, including popular ferries, are set to go on a 24-hour strike.

For now, there is no official word if Uber could be a loophole, but your best bet is to cozy up in your hotel or Airbnb for a day and catch up on The White Lotus.

It’s worth noting the Embassy also stated, “The Federations of Public and Private Sector Employees announced that they will participate in a 24-hour General Strike on February 28, 2025”.

Where The Embassy Says To Avoid

As one could imagine, February 28th might not be the best day to go sightseeing across Athens as tempting as it may be.

Given the unpredictable circumstances and high emotions of these type of gatherings, it’s best to avoid them altogether.

Furthermore, the Embassy urges all tourists to avoid the following locations:

• Universities
• Hellenic Train offices
• City plazas
• Government buildings

The Embassy also emphasizes the police are equipped with tear gas should any situation call for its use, and while Athens and Thessaloniki are certain to see demonstrations, some may occur with little notice in other popular destinations across Greece as well.

If you’re staying in another area of Greece, the Embassy advises you to follow local media and government sources closely as well as keeping a low profile and avoiding large gatherings.

Assistance Contacts

Should you need assistance, here are the best contacts:

U.S. Embassy Athens:

U.S Consulate General Thessaloniki:

State Department – Consular Affairs:

• (202) 501-4444 
• (888) 407-4747

Sam Sears

Sam, our Lead Writer & Journalist based in San Diego has visited 30 countries and written over 400 articles with a focus on sharing his own travel experiences and shining a light on lesser-known gems.

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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com

Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

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