Athens Olympics 2004: travel advice

Travellers are advised to use public transport as far as possible to avoid congestion-related delays – spectators at the Games will be permitted to travel free of charge on public transport to events covered by their tournament ticket.

Spectators are also advised to leave good time in their schedule (several hours) to allow for transport and access formalities (including security checks). Some venues are up to 2 hours travel out of the centre of Athens. Olympic football matches will also take place in Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Patras and Volos.

Further information on Athens’ transport infrastructure can be found at the web site of the Athens Urban Transport Organisation (www.oasa.gr) and the Athens 2004 Organising Committee (www.athens2004.com).

FURTHER TIPS FOR TRAVELLERS

British spectators planning to travel to Greece for the Games are also offered the following advice:

Before you go

Ensure that you have a valid passport. It is a requirement under Greek Law that I.D. is carried at all times. Leave a photocopy in your accommodation.

Ensure that Next of Kin details are complete. Make sure your travel agent/organiser is covered by a financial protection organisations to allow for the refunding and repatriation of travellers in the event of the company’s insolvency. Arrange comprehensive travel insurance for your trip.

Make sure it covers medical evacuation. Take travellers’ cheques or credit cards and cash in Euros. Remember that lost or stolen cash cannot be replaced unless covered in your own insurance policy. You can draw cash from ATMs on most British bankcards, but check first.

If you are driving, make sure you have a valid UK or EU licence and that your car is properly insured. In addition to the services that the British Embassy (www.british-embassy.gr) and Consulates in Greece can offer, general information is also of course available at tourist offices throughout Greece. If you find yourself in difficulty and need the help of the British Embassy, their details are as follows.

British Embassy, Ploutarchou 1, Athens, 106 75
Tel: 0030 210 727 2600
Fax: 0030 210 727 2720
Email: consular.athens@fco.gov.uk .

British Consulates are also located in Corfu, Heraklion, Kos, Patras, Rhodes, Thessaloniki, Syros and Zakynthos. Full details on www.british-embassy.gr.

How the Embassy/Consulate Can Help

The Embassy will be open 08.00-24.00 during weekdays 12-29 August and from 10.00-18.00 during weekends in this period;

If your passport is lost or stolen, we can issue an emergency travel document subject to background checks and confirmation of ID. You will usually need to provide a copy of a police report detailing the loss or theft.

The emergency passport has a short-term validity for return travel to the United Kingdom only. This document currently costs €57; Offer advice on how to transfer money;

Provide you with a list of contact details for English-speaking local lawyers In cases of accidents, serious injury or death, arrange for next of kin to be informed and offer advice on procedures;

As much as time and circumstances permit, visit you if you are arrested, imprisoned or hospitalised. We can arrange for messages to be passed to friends or relatives and, in certain circumstances, help you to communicate with local authorities.

What We Can't Do

Get you tickets or hotel bookings or parking places; Get you out of prison; Give legal advice or start court proceedings for you; Get you better treatment in hospital or prison than is given to local nationals; Investigate a crime; Pay your hotel, legal, medical or any other bills; Pay your travel costs, except in special circumstances; Do work normally done by travel agents, airlines, banks or motoring organisations.

The Climate

Temperatures will be high during the Games (likely between 30 and 40 degrees Celsius and occasionally above). Be careful to take the usual precautions: wear long sleeved, cool clothing, including a hat and use sun cream with a high sun protection factor throughout daylight hours. Drink water throughout the day.

Avoiding trouble

British tourists will receive a warm and friendly welcome from the people of Greece. In return, please respect their traditions and obey local laws. See the Local Laws and Customs section of the Greece Travel Advice for more information;

Follow the directions of local police;

It is an offence not to carry a means of identification. Be prepared to show your passport at any time;

In public, you should maintain locally acceptable standards of behaviour; there are heavy fines and even prison sentences for indecent behaviour.

At the venues

Do not try to enter the venues without a ticket. Allow time in your schedule for security checks at the venues. Security is a major priority for the organisers of the Games.

Other law and order issues

Big events attract criminals. Beware of pickpockets, muggers and bag snatchers; Do not leave valuables on display in your car. Keep your car doors locked at all times;

Avoid carrying large quantities of cash;

Report lost or stolen passports to the nearest police station immediately. Obtain a police report;

Report lost or stolen credit cards or travellers cheques to your bank and to the police immediately.

Tourist Police can be contacted on 171. The emergency number for police, ambulance, fire, and coastguard services is 112. English is spoken on both of these numbers.

Road Safety

There will be extensive limitations to the road network available to non-official vehicles during the Olympic Games. Limitations apply from 20 July. Visitors to Athens are strongly recommended not to hire vehicles but to rely on public transport.

Traffic in Athens is busy under normal circumstances; it is likely to be even heavier during the Olympics. The road system is difficult to navigate for short-term visitors. If you do decide to drive in Athens, be careful, as there is a high rate of traffic accidents. Allow plenty of travel time. Do not drink and drive.

You are strongly advised not to hire motorcycles, scooters and mopeds, as accidents involving these forms of transport are common and can often result in very serious or even fatal injury. Travellers to Greece intending to hire a moped should be aware that they would require a valid driving licence with at least category A1 - 'light motorcycle` for this purpose. Category P, which is valid in the UK for driving mopeds up to 50cc, is not valid in Greece. Greek law requires you to wear a crash helmet on a scooter, moped or motorcycle.

Drugs

Anyone caught consuming or in possession of drugs for personal use may be detained and fined. All substances will be seized. Selling or trafficking drugs is a criminal offence and as such subject to severe penalties.

Foreign & Commonwealth Office

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