Five Athens metro stations closing to avert crowding

Five metro and ISAP electric railway stations in central Athens have been ordered to close from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday in a bid to stem public movement and avert crowds from gathering at public squares in the downtown area for Christmas, amid fears of a spike in coronavirus transmission.

The stations are Syntagma - where the City of Athens has set up a show of Christmas lights and the capital's biggest tree - as well as nearby Panepistimio, Acropolis, Monastiraki and Thiseio, the latter two of which serve the ISAP electric railway.

The tram, meanwhile, will be starting and stopping at the Kallirois Street station instead of its usual Syntagma Square terminus between those times.

Police are expected to be out in force throughout the Christmas holiday checking on motorists and pedestrians to ascertain whether they are authorized to circulate.

Some of the...