Greece's 24-hour strike to cause near-total public transport shutdown

‘There will be no metro, train, tram or trolley services in Athens,’ warns the Foreign Office

Athens will undergo a one-day transport strike (Getty)

Travellers to Greece have been warned of a near-total shutdown of terrestrial transport because of a 24-hour general strike.

The General Confederation of Greek Workers (GSEE), representing 83 trades unions, has called a stoppage against cuts to pensions and holiday allowances.

Other demands include a higher minimum wage, measures to tackle unemployment, and a ban on redundancies in any firms that receive public subsidies.

No ferries will run anywhere in Greece. The Foreign Office warns: “There will be no metro, train, tram or trolley services in Athens.”

Some buses will run in the capital from 9am to 9pm, and the airport authorities said: “Taxis and regional buses will also be available.”

Aegean Airlines, the main Greek carrier, has not announced any cancellations for 28 November.

British Airways and easyJet are planning to operate their services to and from Athens as normal.

Almost all domestic trains have been cancelled, with the only departure between the two main cities of Athens and Thessaloniki being the overnight service due out of Athens just before midnight on Wednesday.

Across in Turkey, British Airways has revealed details of its flight cancellations as it prepares to switch operations to Istanbul’s new airport.

Eight services between Heathrow and Turkey’s largest city will be cancelled between 29 December 2018 and 1 January 2019.

BA says: “We have contacted affected customers, who will be offered a full refund or the opportunity to move their travel dates.”