The Athens Ring Road vehicle restriction scheme — commonly known as ‘O Daktylos’ (The Ring) — will be suspended starting Saturday, 25 July, ahead of its scheduled summer break. The measure, introduced on 20 October 2025, remains in effect until Friday, 24 July.
How the system works
Until then, the alternating traffic restriction based on license plate numbers remains active from Monday to Friday. Vehicles with license plates ending in even digits — 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 — may drive on even-numbered calendar dates, while those ending in odd digits — 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 — are permitted on odd-numbered dates.
The restrictions apply only within the boundaries of the Small Ring Road (Mikros Daktylos), which encompasses major arterial roads encircling central Athens — including Leoforos Alexandras, Leoforos Mesogeion, Leoforos Syngrou, Leoforos Peiraios, and Leoforos Konstantinoupoleos.
The measure does not apply on weekends, official public holidays, or days of general strike by public transport workers. Drivers using only the outer perimeter roads of the Ring — i.e., the boundary avenues themselves — are also exempt.
Summer suspension and autumn return
From Saturday, 25 July, unrestricted vehicle access will resume across central Athens, with no odd-even license plate restrictions in place. The Ring Road measure is set to resume this autumn, in line with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport’s annual implementation schedule.