Travelling to Greece / COVID-19 restrictions

Greece is a member of the EU’s Schengen area. Depending on where you are travelling from and your travel documents, you may be required to have a visa. Prior to your trip, please check the visa regulations that apply to your case. For details, please visit the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Travellers visiting Greece are no longer required to fill out a Passenger Locator Form (PLF). Additionally, as of Sunday, May 1, 2022 arriving travellers are no longer required to display a valid certificate of vaccination or recovery from COVID-19, or evidence of a negative test result from SARS-CoV-2 infection (PCR or Rapid Antigen test). However, given that these requirements are subject to revision, depending on the epidemiological situation, participants are encouraged to check the latest updates on travel.gov.gr prior to departure.

The organisers shall implement any and all official safety protocols in effect at the time of the conference (caps on seating capacity, etc.); any changes to these protocols shall be announced on the conference website (and via email). The use of face masks is strongly advised in all indoor venues.

Local time, weather, currency and other traveller basics

Local time is GMT/UTC + 02:00 hours.

Temperatures in Athens in late September usually range from 20⁰C to 28⁰C. Please check the weather forecast before you travel.

The country telephone code is +30; Athens numbers usually start with 21 and mobile phone numbers start with 69. Emergency calls to 112 (free of charge) connect you to all local emergency services (ambulance, fire and rescue, police).

The local currency is the euro. Payments in other currencies are not accepted. Foreign currencies can be exchanged at commercial banks and exchange bureaus. All major credit cards are widely accepted.

The power supply is 220V (frequency 50Hz); the two-pinned Type F (Schuko) socket is the standard socket type.

Accommodation

Athens is a major city and prime tourist destination, with hundreds of accommodation options able to cater to all preferences and budgets. The main conference venue is located on Syngrou Avenue, in proximity to several major hotels. The Koukaki area is within walking distance and hosts several additional accommodation options. But travelling around the inner city ring is quite easy (see below), so participants are encouraged to choose the accommodation they find most suitable for their needs.

Getting to the city from the Athens International Airport (and back)

By metro: The airport is connected to the Metro Line 3 (Blue Line): Nikaia - Airport; tickets cost €10 and can be purchased at the metro station. Metro offers the fastest connection, but is not available from 23:30 to 6:30.

By bus (OSY): The 24/7 express route E95 connects the Athens International Airport with Syntagma square, in the city centre. Buses depart from the Arrivals Level, between Exits 4 and 5 (returning buses stop on the Arrivals Level). Tickets can be purchased near the bus stop. Service is 24/7.

By taxi: Yellow taxis are available at the designated Taxi waiting area located outside Exit 3 of the Arrivals Level. A daytime flat fare (05:00 - 24:00) of €40,00 applies for transport from/to the city centre inner ring, while the night time flat fare (00:00 – 05:00) is €55,00. Note that the fare is determined by the time of arrival at the destination and includes all applicable surcharges.

Getting around Athens

Getting around the centre of Athens is easy, although traffic may slow you down. Most people thus prefer to use the metro, if they have the option. Buses offer much broader coverage and are just as good at off-peak times. The same ATH.ENA tickets can be used for bus and metro travel inside Athens; these can be purchased from metro stations and select vendors around the city. A standard ticket lasts 90 minutes and costs €1,20.

Taxis are also a common mode of transport in Athens, and fares are cheap compared to other European cities. A minimum charge of €4,00 applies, but it is uncommon for a trip inside the city centre cost more than €10,00. Just make sure your driver switches on the meter. Taxis can be hailed on the street or from taxi parking areas (‘piazzas’); many Athenians prefer to use an app, such as Uber (which is only connected to taxis) or Beat, not least because they can pay through the app. Otherwise, very few taxis accept cards and payment is in cash. Tipping in taxis is not common.

Use of face masks is still required in public transport and taxis (although enforcement is lax).

Getting to the conference venues.