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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of dialing codes in Greece. The first digit represents the type of service. 1 is used for short codes, 2 for geographical numbers (3 and 4 are reserved for that purpose too), 5 is used for inter-network routing purposes (non-dialable codes) and VPNs, 6 for mobile services, 7 is reserved for universal access numbers (not active), 8 for reduced-fee services (like 800 toll-free, 801 local call, 89 dial-up and data services), 9 is used for premium rate services (901 for general purpose and 909 for adult-only services). All dialable numbers are ten digits, except for short codes (3–5 digits in the 1 range), 807-XXXX (seven digits) used for calling card access codes, and numbers in the 5 range, used for routing purposes and not dialable by end-subscribers.
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Country | Greece |
| Continent | Europe |
| Access codes | |
| Country code | +30 |
| International access | 00 |
| Long-distance | none |
Geographical area codes start with the digit 2. There are currently two-, three-, and four-digit area codes. The only two-digit area code is 21 for the Athens Metropolitan area; three-digit codes are used for the cities Thessaloniki, Patras, Larissa, Heraklion, Kavala, and Tripoli. The rest of the codes are four-digit codes.
Generally speaking, the second digit of a geographical area code signifies a broader geographical area of Greece. That is how area codes are sorted in this article.
Two-digit codes are used with eight-digit subscriber numbers, three-digit codes with seven-digit numbers, and four-digit codes with six-digit numbers, so the full telephone number is always ten digits.
Subscriber numbers in most areas start with 0. That is the digit that was inserted between the area code and the subscriber number to form the new ten-digit numbering plan back in 2002. Thus, many Greeks erroneously think that the area codes include this leading 0. For example, they think that Athens's area code is 210 while, actually, Athens's area code is 21, with 0 being the first digit of the subscriber number.
Subscriber numbers starting with 0 are assigned to the former monopoly OTE. In bigger cities like Athens and Thessaloniki, subscriber numbers starting with digits other than 0 are becoming more and more common, especially amongst business subscribers. In this case, many people think that the area code is different. For example, a subscriber number in Athens might start with 211, with people thinking that 211 is a distinct area code from 210 while, in reality, both numbers are in the 21 area code and the third digit of the number belongs to the subscriber number.
The international call prefix depends on the country from which you are calling, for example, 00 for most European countries and 011 from North America.
In 2001-2002, Greece moved to a closed ten-digit numbering scheme in two stages, with the result that subscribers' numbers changed twice. For example, before the change, a number in Athens would have been dialed as follows:
| xxx xxxx | (Athens numbers called within Athens) |
| (01) xxx xxxx | (Athens numbers called from within Greece) |
| +30 1 xxx xxxx | (Athens numbers called from outside Greece) |
In 2001, a '0' was added after the area code, which was incorporated into the subscriber's number:
| 01 0xxx xxxx | (Athens numbers called from within Greece) |
| +30 1 0xxx xxxx | (Athens numbers called from outside Greece) |
Finally, in 2002, the leading '0' was changed to a '2' (for geographic numbers) :
| 21 x xxx xxxx | (Athens numbers called from within Greece) |
| +30 21 x xxx xxxx | (Athens numbers called from outside Greece) |
For mobile phone numbers, the leading '0' was changed to a '6'.
Note that because of number portability, for both geographical and non-geographical (mobile, toll-free, premium rate) numbers, one cannot be sure about the operator that a number belongs to. All geographical codes (21x, 231x) end in a number from 0 to 6 (210 or 212 for Athens, 2310 or 2312 for Thessaloniki). Numbers whose code ends in "0" are or were originally operated by OTE. The same applies to mobile phones: All mobile codes (69x) end in 0,3,4,5,7,8 or 9 (690, 698). Mobile code "696" is assigned to OTE pagers. Numbers starting with 690 and 693 were originally assigned to WIND, with 694 and 695 to Vodafone, with 697 and 698 to Cosmote and with 699 to Q-Telecom until 2007 when it merged with WIND.
236x is not used.
245x, 247x and 248x are not used.
256x through 258x are not used.
271: Tripoli (and area)
277x and 278x are not used.
285x through 288x are not used.
Note: emergency numbers in bold.
The following defunct short codes were created and provided for free by OTE during its monopoly on the Greek telephony market.
104 - Automobile and Touring Club of Greece (ELPA) Roadside Assistance.[3][4]
131 - OTE directory service.[3] Terminated according to the provisions of the 2002 National Numbering Plan and replaced by multiple 5-digit premium-rate codes.[5]
141 - Greece Time.[6] Established in 1963 as two-digit 14.
185 - Transport for Athens.[3] Became 11185.[8][9]
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