What are the impacts of the economic cutbacks on travel in Greece? I am writing this on 20 February 2011, whilst preparing to travel to Greece on 24 February. Not actually a good time to travel, as many of the ferry timetables change at the end of February!
When I started writing this page, I was focussing on ferries. But the big news is that from the end of March 2011 Olympic Air will not be flying to London - see the links on my Greek blog
I have listed below what I have found so far (and bear in mind that the timetables on Greek Travel Pages may not yet be complete, especially for the smaller ferry companies that tend to announce their timetables later in the year than larger ferry companies). I have been looking for ferries from Piraeus to Naxos, and Naxos to Amorgos. I have also been looking at ferry times for a trip in late April / early May.
- looking at Blue Star Ferries from Piraeus to Naxos around 15 March 2011, the morning ferries are at 7.25 every morning, the same as last year. The afternoon ferries are again the same as last year, leaving at 17.30, but there is no longer a 17.30 ferry on Saturday afternoons. But the Blue Star timetable does end at different dates for different days of the week, so the pattern may change later in the year.
- The Blue Star ferries from Piraeus to Amorgos have been reduced. When I checked a few weeks ago, later in the year only one boat a week to Katapola was shown, now two are shown.
- Around 15 March 2011 there are 3 departures at 17.30 from Piraeus to Aegiale a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday), and two to Katapola (Tuesday and Sunday).
- I have often caught the 6.55 a.m. Blue Star Ferry from Aegiale to Piraeus - that ferry is not on the around 15 March 2011 timetable. A pity, as many tourists will want to travel back to the mainland for a Sunday flight home, and back to work on the Monday.
- The Express Scopelitis times are not shown. But her times are often not shown on GTP until some time after the timetable has started. Also, the Express Scopelitis has her annual service in the spring and is often "of duty" for several weeks, but usually back in service by Easter. [PS - Typical I wrote this on the morning of 21/02/2011 - and today the Express Scopelitis's timetables appeared on Greek Travel Pages! Short Skops on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday until 5 March 2011; and Long Skops on Monday, Wednesday and Friday until 25 February 2011.
- The Artemis timetable is on GTP up to the end of February 2011 - the Artemis does a circular run to and from Syros, calling at different islands on different days. She is going from Naxos to Amorgos and back on Fridays and Sundays.
- The Aeolos Kenteris is shown as running from Naxos to Amorgos and back on some Mondays. The days I have looked at (28 February and 28 March) are shown as sailings specific for that day, not as an ongoing timetable for the season.
Keep checking the timetables on Greek Travel Pages!