ABSTRACT
This chapter reflects on the transport legacy of the 2004 Olympic and Paralympic Games for the Athens transport system. Athens’ Olympic authorities had explicitly stated the goal of enhancing urban mobility and regional accessibility as a result of the Games. Transport planners intended to keep operational practices that had proven to be beneficial during the event while leveraging their own transport goals in the wake of the Games. With daily life returning to the 2004 Olympic city, some practices were sustained, others dropped, legacies discovered and lost opportunities recognized. This chapter traces the creation of these transport legacies. First, it describes the common Olympic Transport System to accommodate Olympic travel demands. Second, it reflects on the tangible legacies. Third, it evaluates the intangible legacies and their implications for the Athens transport system. Finally, it concludes with recommendations for future host cities to leverage the Olympics or other mega events for tangible and intangible legacies for their transportation systems.
