Athens and the Olympics

摘要

For years Athens has been notorious for being difficult to get around - either by private car or public transport. Previous efforts by the Government to deal with the traffic problem have come up against the native Athenian's love affair with the motor vehicle (a plan to allow odd and even numbered cars into the city on alternate days was subverted by many citizens buying a second car with the appropriate registration!). By building new over-ground rail lines, metro routes and a tram system, the Government planned to make serious inroads into car use and provide a modern transport network critical to the success of the Olympic games, which are being held at sites spread all over the city. This has left the city with the legacy of an excellent public transport system that rivals those in many other European cities. Despite delays and the revision of plans, work progressed at such a speed as to enable a core network of new routes to be available for transporting visitors to the Games.