- 48-hour taxi strike in Athens: January 20–21, 2026
- Announced by SATA (Attica Taxi Drivers’ Union)
- Key demands: EV transition delayed to 2035, bus-lane access, tax changes
- The taxi sector also wants clearer rules for chauffeur/private-hire vehicles (E.I.X.).
- A sector information event is planned for January 20 at 10:00 at the Peristeri Exhibition Center.
A 48-Hour Freeze on Athens Taxis
Athens taxi drivers are escalating their protest with a new 48-hour strike on January 20 and 21. This move will once again reduce taxi availability in the capital and likely frustrate anyone trying to move quickly around the city.
The action was announced by the Attica Taxi Drivers’ Union (SATA), which argues that the government continues to underestimate long-standing problems in the sector — not as a temporary irritation, but as a persistent pattern.
SATA says the strike is meant to force authorities into meaningful action on what it calls regulatory, financial, and operational pressure points that have been dragging the profession into a slow grind.
And yes: in Athens, even a “slow grind” becomes a traffic event.
What Taxi Drivers Want This Time (and Why It Matters)
SATA’s statement outlines a list of demands that combine practical street-level issues with significant policy shifts — especially the transition to electric mobility.
Core issue: mandatory electric taxi transition
Taxi drivers are pushing back against the timeline for electromobility, requesting:
- An extension of the mandatory shift to electric taxis until 2035
- A framework they consider realistic, sustainable, and economically doable
Another significant pressure point is the market itself: SATA is calling for a more transparent regulatory framework for chauffeur-driven private hire vehicles (E.I.X.), warning about distorted competition and what it describes as unfair influence from multinational ride-hailing platforms.
Additional demands include:
- access to bus lanes for occupied taxis
- changes to what the union describes as unfair tax treatment
SATA also directly criticized Deputy Transport Minister Konstantinos Kyranakis, accusing him of dismissing the sector’s concerns and ignoring repeated appeals.
Meeting With Opposition Parties, Plus a Public Event in Peristeri
In the political background of the strike, SATA says its board has recently met with parliamentary groups from opposition parties:
- PASOK
- SYRIZA
- Hellenic Solution
- KKE
According to SATA, opposition representatives expressed support and promised to push for immediate solutions.
Meanwhile, SATA also announced an information event for the sector:
- Tuesday, January 20
- 10:00 a.m.
- Peristeri Exhibition Center
What Travelers Should Do (Because Tourists Will Not Read SATA Statements)
If you are in Athens during the strike window, expect fewer taxis available (and more drama than usual at taxi stands).
Practical survival tips:
- Use Metro / Tram for predictable travel times
- Book airport transfers early (if possible)
- Allow extra buffer time for:
- flights
- ferries
- long-distance bus departures
- If you must use taxi services, check availability ahead of time and do not assume you can “find one quickly.”
Athens does not forgive optimism.
