Hundreds of Motorists Trapped in Athens Ring Road Due to Snow

Hundreds of vehicles are pinned down at the Attiki Odos, the ring road of Athens, on Monday due to heavy snow that forces many drivers to abandon their vehicles.

Angry commuters are uploading photos and videos on social media complaining they are motionless for hours with no information on when the road, which also connects to the Athens International Airport, will open.

Among them the former minister in the SYRIZA-ANEL government, Christos Spirtzis, who tweeted:

Κλειστή η Έξοδος 12 για Περιφερειακή Υμηττού στην Αττική Οδό και σχεδόν ακίνητα τα αυτοκίνητα προς αεροδρόμιο.

Κατά τα λοιπά ήθελαν δεκαπέντε ημέρες πριν τις εκλογές να αυξήσουν τα διόδια… pic.twitter.com/1LOiN9NxtX

— Χρήστος Σπίρτζης (@c_spirtzis) January 24, 2022

The public transport network has almost collapsed, major roads have been closed to traffic or endlessly jammed, motorists are trapped in their cars even in central Athens.

Major Katehaki Avenue has been closed to traffic, and there are lots of problems for motorists in Mesogion Ave in central Athens and Vouliagmenis Avenue in south Athens.

#Greece
Gridlock on the freeze-way
Traffic at a standstill in Athens as heavy snowfall continues pic.twitter.com/1JNZf5p3hd

— Iliana Mier-Lavin (@imlavin) January 24, 2022

Motorists and travelers unable to reach Athens Airport due to snow

Several flights have been canceled as many passengers were unable to reach the airport. Staff and passengers are stuck at the airport as the metro service from central Athens is discontinued due to the snow. Passengers have to change to Proastiakos.

Heavy snow in Athens on Monday forced authorities to shut down several streets in the northern suburbs of the Greek capital, including parts of the main Athens-Thessaloniki highway.

At the same time, trucks are not allowed on the old Athens-Thebes national road.

The Hellenic Police on Monday advised Attica residents, and especially those in the northern suburbs, to avoid traveling around unnecessarily due to the heavy snow falling in the region, as well as in other parts of the country experiencing severe weather conditions.

The second and most severe storm that is part of the new front, called “Elpis,” is in progress throughout Greece.

This is a developing story