Longer Metro hours in Athens

The extension of the metro and Kifissia-Piraeus electric railway's operating hours on weekends becomes a permanent feature of Athenian life, as announced yesterday. The two-month trial run was declared successful by Transport Minister Costis Hatzidakis, as up to 29,000 passengers per night used both modes of public transport. The timetables of the metro and railway extended by two hours on Friday and Saturday nights, meaning that trains are running until after 2 a.m. The longer metro and electric railway hours on the weekends have also helped to ease traffic congestion in central Athens, when many residents drive into the city center for a night out. Simos Simopoulos, the Transport Ministry's general secretary, said data showed that weekend traffic in central Athens after midnight has dropped by up to 8%.