Economy and Transportation in Athens

A large portion of industrial activity in Greece is concentrated in and around Athens.
Manufactures include textiles, cement, alcoholic beverages, soap, flour, chemicals, paper products, leather, and pottery. Other industries include machinery and transportation equipment, and printing and publishing.

( Piraeus Seaport )
The city’s port at Piraeus is the country's most important shipping and transportation center. More than two-thirds of the current workforce in Athens is employed in services, including government administration, banking, education, health care, and transportation.

( The 2004 Opympics )
Recent construction related to the 2004 Olympics, including modernization of the city’s transportation system, has provided a significant economic boost to Athens.

Tourism is of major importance to the city’s economy. The 2004 Olympic Games, and their legacy of improvements to the infrastructure, museums, and monuments of Athens were expected to further develop the city’s tourism industry.

Athens serves as the hub of Greece’s national transportation network. The Greek railway system is centered in Athens, and ferries sail to the rest of the country from the port at Piraeus.

( Attiko Metro )
The urban area itself in Athens is served by taxis and public buses that must contend with heavily congested traffic. The major part of the city’s metro subway, Attiko Metro (Athens Metro), was completed in 2000 and serves the heart of Athens; extensions to residential districts are planned over the next few years.

A tram system under construction was expected to begin service in 2004. Light rail will also provide a link to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport at nearby Spáta. The airport, completed in 2001, replaced Ellinikon International Airport.

Economic development aid provided by the European Union (EU) has been a crucial source of funding for the city’s ongoing transportation projects. They include the construction of avenues circling Athens to help relieve traffic congestion in the city center.

However, improvements to the transportation system in and around Athens often proceed slowly due to archaeological discoveries made during excavations and construction.