Greece › Athens › Transportation
Updated: December 5, 2025
By Santorini Dave
See Also
- Athens Airport Rental Cars
- Best Hotels in Athens
- Best Family Hotels in Athens
- Athens Airport Hotels
- Where to Stay in Athens
Scanning my phone (Apple Pay or Google Pay) to use the metro hassle-free.
Getting Around Athens: Transportation Guide
Athens has a modern, safe, and efficient public transport network. For most visitors, the Metro and walking will be your primary modes of travel. However, knowing the specific logistics for the Airport and Ferry Ports (Piraeus and Rafina) is crucial to for an easy transfer to the Greek Islands.
1. From Athens Airport (ATH) to City Center
The airport is located 30km (20 miles) east of the city. You have three main options to reach downtown (Syntagma Square/Plaka).
- Metro (Blue Line 3): The fastest and most consistent option.
- Route: Take the Blue Line straight from the airport to Syntagma (40 mins) or Monastiraki (42 mins).
- Frequency: Trains run every 36 minutes, from roughly 6:30 AM to 11:30 PM.
- Cost: €9.00 (One-way). Note: Standard €1.20 city tickets are not valid here.
- Express Bus (X95): The best budget option and the only 24-hour public transport.
- Route: Runs from the Arrivals curb directly to Syntagma Square.
- Time: 45 to 70 minutes (highly traffic-dependent).
- Cost: €5.50. Buy tickets at the kiosk next to the bus stop or tap your card on the bus.
- Taxi (Flat Rate): The easiest door-to-door option.
- Cost: There is a fixed, regulated flat fare to the city center (Inner Ring).
- Day (5:00 AM – Midnight): €40
- Night (Midnight – 5:00 AM): €55
- Tip: The flat rate includes all tolls and luggage fees. Do not let a driver turn on the meter if you are going to the city center.
- Cost: There is a fixed, regulated flat fare to the city center (Inner Ring).
2. From Athens Airport (ATH) to Piraeus Ferry Port
You no longer need to switch trains. The Metro extension has made this trip seamless.
- Metro (Blue Line 3): The best option.
- Route: Direct from Airport to Piraeus Station (located right at the port entrance).
- Time: 60 minutes.
- Cost: €9.00.
- Express Bus (X96): Best for late-night arrivals.
- Route: Direct from Airport Arrivals to Piraeus Port. Runs 24/7.
- Time: 60 to 90 minutes.
- Cost: €5.50.
- Taxi:
- Cost: Approx. €50–€60 (Day) / €65–€75 (Night). There is officially a flat rate for this route (~€54), but drivers often use the meter due to the long distance/traffic. Confirm the price before getting in.
3. From Athens Airport (ATH) to Rafina Port
Rafina is the secondary port, mainly used for the northern Cyclades (Mykonos, Tinos, Andros). It is much closer to the airport than Piraeus.
- KTEL Bus (Orange Bus):
- Location: Departs from the Arrivals level (usually across the street from the Sofitel, between Exits 2 and 3).
- Frequency: Roughly every hour.
- Cost: Approx. €3.00 – €4.00 (Pay the driver in cash).
- Time: 30–40 minutes.
- Taxi:
- Time: 25 minutes.
- Cost: €35–€40 (Day) / €50+ (Night).
4. Getting Around Athens (Metro & Public Transport)
The Athens Metro is safe, clean, and filled with archaeological exhibits.
The Three Lines
- Line 1 (Green): The old electric railway. Connects Piraeus Port ↔ Monastiraki ↔ Omonia.
- Line 2 (Red): Connects Acropolis ↔ Syntagma ↔ Omonia.
- Line 3 (Blue): Connects Airport ↔ Syntagma ↔ Monastiraki ↔ Piraeus.
Tickets & Contactless Payment (Tap-to-Pay)
- How to Pay: Simply tap your contactless credit card or phone (Apple Pay/Google Pay) on the turnstile reader.
- Cost: €1.20 for a standard 90-minute ticket.
- Daily Cap: The system automatically caps your spending at €4.10 per day. Once you hit that amount, all further rides that day are free.
- Note: This works for city transport (Metro, Bus, Tram). It does NOT cover the €9 Airport Metro fare. For the airport, you must buy a specific paper ticket or tap your card at the special airport gates (charges €9).
5. Taxis and Uber
- Uber: Uber operates in Athens as “Uber Taxi.” You hail a standard yellow taxi through the app.
- Pros: No language barrier, no cash needed, map tracking, and no haggling.
- Cons: There is a small booking fee (€1-€2) added to the metered fare.
- FreeNow: The most popular local taxi app. Works exactly like Uber.
- Street Taxis: You can hail yellow taxis anywhere. Always ensure the meter is ON (unless taking a flat-rate airport trip).
- Lyft: Does not operate in Greece.
6. Getting to Piraeus Port from Downtown
- From Monastiraki: Take the Green Line (Line 1) or Blue Line (Line 3) straight to Piraeus. (20 mins).
- From Syntagma: Take the Blue Line (Line 3) straight to Piraeus. (22 mins).
- The “Walk”: Piraeus station is right opposite the main gates (E5/E6). However, for gates E1/E2 (Dodecanese/Crete) or E9 (Seajets), you may need to walk 10–15 minutes or take the free port shuttle bus inside the gates.
Recommended Hotels
The Sofitel Airport Hotel at the Athens Airport. The only hotel located at the Athens Airport.
A for Athens Hotel located in central Athens near the metro train to the ferry port and airport (same train different directions).
Theoxenia Hotel in Piraeus and a very short walk from the ferry port.
Santorini Dave was started in 2011 when I posted a short guide to visiting Santorini with kids. Now, my site publishes regularly updated guides to 
Hi,
We are coming to Athens for our 2nd honeymoon.
We want to use public transportation, but we have some questions…
For the 3-day tourist ticket w/round trip airport transport-do the round trip airport transfers have to be within the 3 days?
Is that round trip on the metro or X95 bus, or either?
We arrive to ATH on a Monday at 1:00…need to go to Syntagma.
We leave Thursday at 6:00 for the ATH airport to fly to Rhodes.
On Monday 14:00 we arrive back at the ATH airport and need to go to Syntagma.
On Tuesday 3:00 we need to go back to the ATH airport.
Do you have any suggestions for which tickets we should buy?
Thanks,
J
Yes, the airport transfer has to be within the 3-day window. When you start your trip in to Athens your 72 Athens will begin. You can take either the express airport bus or the metro.
Thank you Dave. It was easy to get to the city on the metro with your great guidance. However, I was pickpocketed and as were two other couples on the metro line and I am an experienced solo traveler. The tourist police reporting office had been filing reports from the metro all day of theft on the metro. 3 couples with me reporting at 10 pm! Nasty start to anyone’s vacation. So no cash. Please advise to put cell phones separately and split up cash immediately, put passport elsewhere. There are teams and pairs operating I am not looking forward to the metro to the port!
Thanks for sharing your experience. That sucks. I have ridden on the metro hundreds of times and not had an incident. But I know that there are pickpockets out there so riders should take precautions with their valuables. I think thieves like it when the train is busy so they can bump into you and distract you. The trains going to the port in the morning are not busy at all (always some riders but not where you’re bumping into each other, you can usually always get a seat), so maybe that might offer you some peace of mind.
Hello Dave,
I will be arriving in Athens on September 17th and want to take the ferry boat to Kefalonia Island. What bus will I have to take from the airport to get the the ferry port and then what ferry boat do I take to get to Kefalonia? Thank you.
There are no ferries from Athens (or Piraeus) to Kefalonia. You need to take a bus from the KTEL Peloponnisou (Kifissos) Station in Athens to Patras in the Peloponnese. Then get a ferry from there.
Hello Dave, Taking my family to Athens in July. There are 5 of us. We want to go to Cape Sounion to sit on beach for the day and see the temple. What would be the best way to go besides the bus. Any idea on the cost. Thanks you.
For Cape Sounion, you can take a public bus (leaves from near Syntagma Square), taxi, or guided tour. The bus is cheap, taxi expensive, and tour probably the best value.
I am looking for a way to get from Patras to Igoumenista (then a ferry from Igoumenista to Bari), and I found a bus schedule from Patras to Igoumenista, but I can’t find any information that it’s valid and running in August. Do you have any way of knowing if it’s valid and running in August?
I think there is a daily bus service between Patras and Igoumenitsa but can’t confirm 100%. There is an international ferry than goes from Patras to Bari (usually with stops in Igoumenitsa and Corfu). If so, you wouldn’t need the bus.
Hi Dave,
This website is amazing! Thank you so much for the info!
I’m looking at getting the Blue Star ferry which arrives in Piraeus at 23:30. Do you know if there is a bus which runs that late to take you into Athens?
Thanks,
Sarah
The metro is a short walk from the Blue Star ferry and runs until 12:30am. Otherwise, yes there is a bus but it’s not as easy to figure out. Taxis are pretty cheap and there are plenty about to meet ferries.
Hi Dave.. A truly informative blog..We are flying in from Santorini on 16th August at 10am and have an international flight on 17th August at 2.30 pm. We will be traveling with an infant and want to relax for the day. Please suggest some economy hotel near the airport. Also will it be better to stay near the airport or go to downtown as we would have already done the downtown in the beginning of our trip.
Ananya Mahapatra
The only hotel walking distance from the airport is the Sofitel. It is a 4 star hotel. Not super expensive but not cheap. The next two closest hotels are Peri’s and the Holiday Inn Athens’ Airport. Both are inexpensive but about a 10 minute taxi ride from the airport. With all that said, you’ll have more than 24 hours in Athens and it seems a shame to spend it at an airport hotel in the middle of nowhere. Much better to take the train downtown and enjoy the city – even if it’s just dinner beneath the Acropolis and a morning of walking around the Plaka.
Do you think it is safe to take the metro as a solo female from the airport to Monastiraki station at night, or would you recommend a taxi instead? Thank you so much! Jessica
The train itself is fine. The question is how close to the Monastiraki station is your hotel?, where is it?, and what time are you traveling? If you were staying at A for Athens (for example) you’d be fine.
I am planning a girls trip for me and my 2 adult daughters to Athens and Santorini for the first part of July this year. I read a lot of your Q&A’s and feel dumb asking this, but the flat rate taxi fare for 35 Euros seems cheap to go from the Airport to Central Athens compared to what it would cost us to take the public train pp. Is it per person or more for 3 adults plus luggage? Thanks for your help!!! Shirley
The flat rate from the Athens airport to Athens is now 38€ (it recently increased). There might be a few euro charge for bags but that includes up to 4 people so total charge should not be more than 45€ at the most.
Hello Dave! Your blog is a great travel tool.
My husband and I will stay in Athens one night. We will arrive from Santorini to the airport (around 10 am) and depart the next day from the airport too (around 10am). We never been in Athens and only have a few hrs. Any recommendations where to stay? and main places to visit? Our trip is in mid May.
I appreciate your comments.
Carolina
Stay somewhere near Monastiraki, Plaka, or Syntagma – as it’s central and an easy walk from the top sights and the Acropolis.
Hi Dave,
Your site is the most informative I’ve come across!
Question: My husband and I will be arriving from Frankfurt at 9:30 pm and we will be staying in Monastraki. How safe are the buses at that time? Is it better to get off at the Syntagma Square and catch a taxi or transfer to another type of transportation. If we get a taxi, are they readily available? Thank you!
Gloria
Yes, bus is safe and fairly busy at night. Certainly still busy at 10pm. Syntagma Square is the last stop for the airport bus and if your bags aren’t too heavy you could walk from there to Monastiraki. That said, the metro/train from the airport will take you directly to the Monastiraki stop so that’s easier (though it does cost more than the bus). Taxis are easy to get at the airport and there’s a flat rate (38€) to downtown Athens’ hotels (and 54€ between midnight and 5am).
This is absurdly helpful. Thank you so much!
Is it easy to get to the metro station in Piraeus from where the ships dock? We will be getting off of the Royal Princess June 11 and want to go to the Athens Hilton. We will have luggage as well. What do you suggest?
Julia Leaman
There will be taxis waiting as you get off on the Cruise Ship. Most of the ferries are close to the metro station but the cruise ships are a little farther away and a good distance if you have luggage. I would get a taxi and take it all the way to the Hilton. It will cost more than the metro but nothing unreasonable and it will make your life much easier. If you took the metro you would have to change trains at Monastiraki and then get off at Evagelismos station. The Hilton is a short walk from there.
Hey Dave!
Must say an amazing site to guide travellers like us! Before being to Athens I feel like I know the basic steps. All thanks to you.
I and my wife are travelling to Athens this October. I have planned arrival on 8th October. 2 days in Athens, 10-12th Mykonos, and then until 15th Santorini and back to Athens for my flight back home on 15th.
I am a bit confused as to whether I should start from Athens or travel to Mykonos from Athens airport and then return back from Santorini for a couple of days in Athens. My trip is just taking shape so any advise would be of great help!
Tauheed
It’s alway better to leave Athens until the end so that you have some built in “buffer days” should your flight or ferry back to Athens be canceled.
Concerning the bus X95, the kiosk doesn’t work late in the night in the airport, right? Does this apply to the center of the city, too?
Thanks a lot,
Thiago Lima
It does close, yes. If it’s closed you buy tickets on the bus – not a problem.
Thanks a lot Dave!
I’m going to Delphi and Cape Sounion as well. Are there kiosks to purchase the tickets to/from those destinations or do I buy them with the bus driver? Do you have any tips to these destinations?
Thanks once more.
Thiago Lima
The bus from Athens to Delphi takes 2.5 hours and costs €15.10 (one way). You buy tickets at the Liossion Bus Terminal (Terminal B). Buses leaves Athens for Delphi at 7:30, 10:30, 15:00, 17:30, and 20:00 (not Saturday). Buses leave Delphi for Athens at 5:30 (not Saturday and Sunday), 7:40 (only Saturday and Sunday), 8:20 (not Saturday and Sunday), 11:00, 16:00, and 18:50. You can get from the airport to the bus station by taking X93. It’s best not to do Delphi as a day trip as it will be very busy by the time you get there even if you take the 7:30am bus. It’s better to go the night before, stay the night in Delphi, and then get up early to do your sightseeing. You should be able to see the highlights by the time the crowds arrive.
The bus from Athens to Sounio takes about 90 minutes and costs €6.30 (one way). You buy tickets on the bus. The bus will stop on Fillenion St just off Syntagma.
Thanks for the datailed info! I’m going on January 31. Even so, do you think the sites will be crownded? I heard that on winter season, the places tend to be less crowded then on summer.
Thanks for your attention Dave,
Thiago Lima
The tourist sites will be quiet in Athens in January and February.