Athens is the capital and largest city of Greece, and as such, most international flights arrive here. Flying is the most common way to get to Athens, but other options include bus, train, car and ferry. As for getting around Athens, private and public transport includes trams, buses and taxis; but with the chaotic traffic conditions, walking is the best way to get around. You can hire a car and drive around, but only if you can take disorganised traffic in your stride.
Athens is a sprawling city, but this transportation guide should help you to get around with ease!
This Athens transportation guide lists both how best to get to and from Athens, and also the methods of getting around the city. Fortunately most sites of interest to tourists are located within the epicentre of the city, around Syntagma Square, and as such, walking is often the best (and cheapest!) way to get around. For more general transportation information, check out our Greece transportation guide. You could also go on a tour around Athens to help you see this wonderful city.
Athens Transportation Guide
Getting to Athens
By Air
The most common way of getting to Athens is by air. The 2004 Olympics brought about a new airport, Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, which opened in 2001, located 45 km eastwards from the city centre. It is near the suburb of Spata. This airport, a part of infrastructure improvements for the Olympics, is now counted among the most efficient, attractive and important European airports, having won many awards.
As Greece is such a popular tourist destination, many cities around the world have direct flights there. Athens International Airport has everything you would expect from a major international airport, including bureaux de change, bars, restaurants, cafes, a post office and duty-free shopping, as well as a number of car rental offices.
There are a number of ways to get from the airport to the city centre, and vice versa. These include a 24-hour express bus, as well as bus lines E94, running to Ethniki Amyna metro station, E95, running to Syntagma Square and E96, running to Pireaus Port. Tickets are €3.90 and can be purchased from the small blue or yellow kiosk. Trains also run to the airport from Monastiraki on Metro Line 3.
And, of course, there are taxis. Normal taxi fares are approximately €35 to the centre of the city or €430 to Pireaus port. While travelling in a taxi ensure that the meter is on and the driver charges rates fixed as per tariff-1. After midnight and out of Athens to the Airport for exemple, the charges double and tariff- 2 is applicable.
For transport from the airport to the city (or from the city to the airport), we recommend Green Path Transfers, who offer eco-friendly airport transfers in hundreds of destinations around the world.
Visit our partner Air Valid for Airline Reviews and Information about Greece or visit Cheapflight.co.uk for cheap flights to Athens.
By Rail
The Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE) runs the Greek railway service. More information can be found on their website: http://www.ose.gr/. Train travel is generally limited to the eastern and northern parts of the mainland. Although trains can be cheaper than buses, they offer much less coverage and are normally a lot slower.
Most European countries have complex and diverse rail systems as they operate many train lines. The OSE in Greece has only two train lines. One line goes to the north and connects Athens with Thessaloniki, the second major city of Greece, and the other goes southwards towards Pelopponese.
By Bus
A number of coach lines service Athens. For long-distance domestic journeys, there are two bus terminals in Athens - terminal A, located at Kifissou 100, and termina B, located at Liossion 260. Bus schedule information can be found by contacting tel: 210 512 4910 or visiting the website: http://www.ktel.org/. Both Hellenic Railways Organisation (http://www.ose.gr/) and Eurolines (http://www.eurolines.com/) operate international bus services to Athens.
By Road
EU drivers licences are accepted for EU nationals, but for most other nationalities an International Driving Permit is required. Traffic drives on the right-hand side of the road. You must carry car registration details at all times.
24-hour assistance on main roads is provided for members of associated national automobile clubs by the The Greek Automobile and Touring Club (ELPA) (tel: 210 606 8800).
Emergency breakdown services can be contacted on: ELPA 10400 (toll free number).
Getting around Athens
In the last ten years public transport in Athens has improved tremendously. With a €1.00 ticket you can travel anywhere, with unlimited transfers by any means of transport like the metro, trolleybuses, trams, buses and suburban trains within Athens, but for one way. For 24 hours transportation the cost is 3 euros. For 7 days, the cost increases to 10 euros.
Athens Public Transport
Athens Urban Transport Organisation (tel: 185; website: http://www.oasa.gr/) runs the public transport in Athens. This consists of a metro/electric train service, buses, trolley buses and trams. Whilst overcrowded, public transport in Athens is extensive and cheap. Tickets can be purchased at bus terminals, as well as some street kiosks. They must be validated on-board buses, in the orange machines, or in the metro station.
Since the expansion of the metro (http://www.ametro.gr/), there are now 3 lines. The original line (Line 1) runs between Kifissia and Piraeus Port. Line 2 runs from Agios Antonios to Agios Dimitrios, while Line 3 runs from Monastiraki to the airport. There are also 3 tram lines linking the city centre and the coast. You need to validate your ticket at the validation machines when you enter the station.
A new addition to the railway network in Athens is the Suburban Railway (Proastiakos). The main rail line, which starts from the Piraeus, passes through the station of Larissis in Athens and takes a diversion at Neratziotissa towards Corinth and Kiato or goes towards the airport.
Taxis
Taxis are relatively cheap in Athens compared to many European cities. However, watch out for unscrupulous taxi drivers that may attempt to overcharge foreigners. Insist that the metre be turned on and functioning before departure. Hailing taxis from the street is possible - look for the official yellow taxis with red and white numberplates. Alternatively you can reserve a taxi over the phone.
Rental Cars
Due to the horrendous traffic in Athens, the difficulty of parking anywhere in the city centre and the suspect nature of many Greek drivers, renting a car in Athens is not recommended. For trips out of the city, you may find renting a car is quite convenient, especially if you wish to do some exploring on your own. The minimum rental age ranges from 21 to 25, and you will require a valid driver's licence and, if not from the EU, an International Driving Permit.
Walking
Athens provides some of the worst and best city walking in Europe. Several major streets allow only pedestrians, and the Acropolis and other sites nearby have been converted into a car-free archaeological walking zone. The National Garden provides a good respite from the noise and heat of the city along with the pleasant walking in upper reaches of Plaka and in Kolonaki. Walking through the ever-chaotic traffic in the city can be termed as the ‘worst’ walking experience in all of Europe.
