School trips: ministry clarifies permits, insurance and travel rules
The circular explains when venue permits are required, how activities may be declared, and what applies to insurance, public transport and the European Health Insurance Card.
Greece's Education Ministry has issued new guidance on applying the ministerial decisions of 19 August to public and private schools. The circular dated 5 October 2026 does not create a new general entitlement to school trips; it clarifies procedures for educational visits, travel and other activities outside school.
Planning and duration
At primary level, a second activity in the same category may take place in the same month if the teachers' council provides a documented decision and observes the monthly limit. The maximum travel duration applies separately to each activity, rather than cumulatively across all activities.
The teachers' council may approve several or all planned activities for a term or the full school year in one decision. The local education directorate may likewise be notified once about the complete programme and then informed only of changes.
Permits and supporting documents
An operating licence and fire-safety certificate are required when the venue or provider is private, together with a declaration from its legal representative. Those documents are not required for public venues. Travel agencies may submit their eligibility documents once per school year, while a school's online request for expressions of interest may cover several planned activities.
Insurance and public transport
According to the clarification, additional accident or illness insurance for travel without an overnight stay applies to a primary-school day visit and a secondary-school day excursion. When students travel by public transport, no travel agency or related paperwork is required.
If a student cannot obtain a European Health Insurance Card because they are uninsured or vulnerable, a parent or guardian declares that there is no private insurance and the teachers' council decides on participation. Traffic-police inspections of coaches continue under the existing circulars.
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