How to get from the Athens Airport to City Center and Piraeus Port
Athens is a top travel destination with several U.S. airlines pointing their airplanes at the beautiful Greece city. In 2021, we began our j...
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Fares
First, the base transit fares. Each method offers its own intricacies and is highly dependant on how long you plan to stay in Athens. All tickets may be purchased in advance and only become activated upon first use.
Metro/Railway: €9 to/from the airport and includes transfers within 90 minutes of validation. Note: if you are connecting, it may make sense to wait to validate your ticket until close to when the train arrives to avoid losing out on later transfers because the pass expired too soon. This ticket can be purchased from station vending machines with cash or card and is not valid on express buses.
Express Bus: €5.50 to/from the airport. This ticket can be purchased from drivers and kiosks and does not include transfers.
Tourist ticket: €20 for 72 hours of travel within Athens, including one airport round-trip by Metro, Railway or express bus. The clock begins upon first use.
Multi-day passes: Athens also sells a 24-hour ticket for €4.10 and a 5-day ticket for €8.20. There are also, longer duration tickets available, but we’re primarily focusing on travel for tourists.
Airport to City Centre
Taxi
Taxis are a good option for groups of four or more. There’s a flat fare of €35 to/from the Airport to/from the Athens City Center Inner Ring, which is a rather large area that encompasses most hotels frequented by tourists. There is an additional charge of €14 for trips that end between midnight at 5 am. This means if you get into the taxi at 11:30 p.m. and get out at 12:05 a.m. you must pay the overnight surcharge.
Athens Metro
The M3 metro serves the Airport every 30 minutes. At €9, this is a cost-effective way to access the center of Athens in just 40 minutes, especially if your hotel is near Monastiraki. We stayed further to the south, so we transferred to a bus at Monastiraki. There are plenty of elevators if you’re traveling with a large suitcase. Note: the last M3 leaves the airport at 11:33 p.m., so if you have a late-arriving flight, then the Metro may not work for you.
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| Athens Airport Metro Station |
Express Bus to City Center
Four express buses serve the Airport 24/7. The X93 goes to the intercity bus station on Kifisou Ave., X95 to Syntagma, X96 to Piraeus and X97 along the beaches to Elliniko. Most tourists take the X95 or X96. At €5.50, the buses are the cheapest way to get into Athens or get to Piraeus. However, Athens traffic can be horrible and the buses make stops along the way to drop off passengers, so plan for the bus to take at least an hour into the city.
Suburban Railway
An hourly train departs the Airport for Piraeus and calls at Athens Central Railway Station. This service may be convenient for travelers going staying further north of the Acropolis or connecting to intercity rail service. It is also attractive for those going to the Piraeus port since it is a one-seat trip. The fare for the railway is also €9.
What did we do?
Initially, we were scheduled to land in Athens Monday evening and depart Saturday evening. Our long stay meant a Tourist Ticket wouldn’t work. We planned to take the X95 since our flight wasn’t scheduled to land until 10:45 p.m. and we wouldn’t likely make the last M3 because we would need to clear passport control and collect our luggage. We decided to pay a one-way fare for the X95 and then buy a 5-day pass for use during our remaining days in Athens. British Airways ended up canceling our flight, so we scrapped that plan.
Instead, we took a United flight that arrived Monday mid-morning. We opted to take the Metro into the city to avoid any potential traffic delays.
Getting to/from Piraeus
After five days in Athens, it was time to tour the Greek Islands. We opted for a cruise, but many travelers take ferries. Both depart from Piraeus, but the port is massive and the guidebooks leave a lot of details out. Here’s a good map to follow along.
Background
Piraeus is served by the M1, the Suburban Railway, the X96 express bus and several local buses. The M1 and Railway have separate stations, located a half-block away from each other. Depending on where you’re going, transit may leave you up to 2km away from your port gate.
Gates E1-E10 are for ferries to Greek Islands and gates E11-E12 are for cruises. If you depart from E5 or E6 then congratulations because you can easily access all forms of transit and you can stop reading here. Gates E1-E4 are easily accessible from the Metro and Railway by using a free shuttle bus that the port provides. Gates E7 and E8 are just 500m from the Metro and the Railway and are easily walkable. Gates E1, E3, E5 and E7 are also served by the X96 and you can walk from the even gates to a nearby stop.
Gates E9 and E10 are where things start to get interesting. These are on the eastern side of the port, about 1km from the Metro/Railway. Much too far than I care to walk with luggage. So, I recommend taking the 826, 843 or 859 bus three stops to Olympiakē, which is in front of these gates.
Gates E11 (Cruise Terminal A) and E12 (Cruise Terminal B/C) are used by cruise ships and are 2.5km from the Metro/Railway. Terminals A and C are accessed directly from their respective gates. Terminal B requires a free shuttle bus to the E12 gate. Gates E11 and E12 are only served by taxis and local buses.
Athens City Center to Piraeus
Metro
Travelers can take the M1 train from Monastiraki directly to Piraeus. Most Metro stations have elevators that you can use if you have luggage. From there, you may have to transfer to a local bus or shuttle bus depending on which gate you’re using. A multi-day pass or one-way fare will cover the cost to Piraeus and transfers to a local bus if needed.
Local Bus
The 826, 843 and 859 all travel between gates E9-E12, with E12 serving as the terminus for the routes. There are also several other local buses serving on nearby and adjacent streets, so it’s worth checking to see if a bus may be more convenient.
What did we do?
Our cruise departed from E11 and, based on the location of our hotel, we decided to take the 229 bus from Dafni to Telōneio. This required a lengthy bus ride that was 10 minutes longer than the fastest option.
Piraeus to Athens Airport
Ferries use assigned gates, so you can easily figure out where you’ll be arriving. Cruises always use E11 and E12, but you won’t find out which terminal your ship is returning to until the cruise is underway. It’s best to review the locations of the closest local bus stops so you don’t end up walking further than necessary.
Metro
Travelers can take the M1 from Piraeus to Monastiraki and then transfer to the M3 to the airport. You must purchase a €9 airport ticket. I recommend purchasing in advance so you can also use this to cover the cost of a local bus, if needed, since it is valid for a 90-minute trip. However, you’ll want to time this out with the Metro schedule to ensure it doesn’t expire too early. Travel time: 1 hr, 5 minutes, plus local bus transfer, if needed.
Suburban Railway
An hourly train goes from Piraeus to the airport. You can use the same €9 airport ticket as the Metro. The Piraeus rail station is located about a half-block north of the Piraeus Metro station. Both arrive at the same airport station. Travel time: 1 hr, 5 minutes plus local bus transfer, if needed.
Express Bus
The X96 serves odd gates from E1-E7. Those at even gates E2-E8 can walk to nearby stops. Travelers at E9-E12 will need to take a local bus or walk (not recommended with luggage) to the X96 stop at E7. The express bus is the cheapest option at €5.50 but is also scheduled to take the most time, 60-90+ minutes depending on traffic. You can purchase your ticket from the driver, so no pre-planning is required.
What did we do?
We decided ahead of time to take the Railway because it took the same amount of time as the Metro, but didn’t require a second connection.
Signs will point the way to a bridge that you can cross to quickly reach the station.
Four express buses serve the Airport 24/7. The X93 goes to the intercity bus station on Kifisou Ave., X95 to Syntagma, X96 to Piraeus and X97 along the beaches to Elliniko. Most tourists take the X95 or X96. At €5.50, the buses are the cheapest way to get into Athens or get to Piraeus. However, Athens traffic can be horrible and the buses make stops along the way to drop off passengers, so plan for the bus to take at least an hour into the city.
Suburban Railway
An hourly train departs the Airport for Piraeus and calls at Athens Central Railway Station. This service may be convenient for travelers going staying further north of the Acropolis or connecting to intercity rail service. It is also attractive for those going to the Piraeus port since it is a one-seat trip. The fare for the railway is also €9.
What did we do?
Initially, we were scheduled to land in Athens Monday evening and depart Saturday evening. Our long stay meant a Tourist Ticket wouldn’t work. We planned to take the X95 since our flight wasn’t scheduled to land until 10:45 p.m. and we wouldn’t likely make the last M3 because we would need to clear passport control and collect our luggage. We decided to pay a one-way fare for the X95 and then buy a 5-day pass for use during our remaining days in Athens. British Airways ended up canceling our flight, so we scrapped that plan.
Instead, we took a United flight that arrived Monday mid-morning. We opted to take the Metro into the city to avoid any potential traffic delays.
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| The M3 has helpful luggage racks |
We paid the full-fare €9 and then purchased a 5-day pass when we got to Monastiraki because our hotel was on a bus route and the multi-day passes must be purchased from a vending machine. However, didn’t activate it. Instead, we used our airport ticket for the bus to the hotel, since it is valid for 90 minutes. This gave us some extra time before beginning the clock on our multi-day pass because we would need every minute of it during our stay.
Getting to/from Piraeus
After five days in Athens, it was time to tour the Greek Islands. We opted for a cruise, but many travelers take ferries. Both depart from Piraeus, but the port is massive and the guidebooks leave a lot of details out. Here’s a good map to follow along.
Background
Piraeus is served by the M1, the Suburban Railway, the X96 express bus and several local buses. The M1 and Railway have separate stations, located a half-block away from each other. Depending on where you’re going, transit may leave you up to 2km away from your port gate.
Gates E1-E10 are for ferries to Greek Islands and gates E11-E12 are for cruises. If you depart from E5 or E6 then congratulations because you can easily access all forms of transit and you can stop reading here. Gates E1-E4 are easily accessible from the Metro and Railway by using a free shuttle bus that the port provides. Gates E7 and E8 are just 500m from the Metro and the Railway and are easily walkable. Gates E1, E3, E5 and E7 are also served by the X96 and you can walk from the even gates to a nearby stop.
Gates E9 and E10 are where things start to get interesting. These are on the eastern side of the port, about 1km from the Metro/Railway. Much too far than I care to walk with luggage. So, I recommend taking the 826, 843 or 859 bus three stops to Olympiakē, which is in front of these gates.
Gates E11 (Cruise Terminal A) and E12 (Cruise Terminal B/C) are used by cruise ships and are 2.5km from the Metro/Railway. Terminals A and C are accessed directly from their respective gates. Terminal B requires a free shuttle bus to the E12 gate. Gates E11 and E12 are only served by taxis and local buses.
Athens City Center to Piraeus
Metro
Travelers can take the M1 train from Monastiraki directly to Piraeus. Most Metro stations have elevators that you can use if you have luggage. From there, you may have to transfer to a local bus or shuttle bus depending on which gate you’re using. A multi-day pass or one-way fare will cover the cost to Piraeus and transfers to a local bus if needed.
Local Bus
The 826, 843 and 859 all travel between gates E9-E12, with E12 serving as the terminus for the routes. There are also several other local buses serving on nearby and adjacent streets, so it’s worth checking to see if a bus may be more convenient.
What did we do?
Our cruise departed from E11 and, based on the location of our hotel, we decided to take the 229 bus from Dafni to Telōneio. This required a lengthy bus ride that was 10 minutes longer than the fastest option.
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| Gate E11/Cruise Terminal A |
However, it dropped us right in front of our gate and would limit how much we were hauling our luggage, so it was very convenient compared to using the Metro and a local bus. Other travelers may find using the M1 and then transferring to 826, 843 or 859 bus is more convenient.
Piraeus to Athens Airport
Ferries use assigned gates, so you can easily figure out where you’ll be arriving. Cruises always use E11 and E12, but you won’t find out which terminal your ship is returning to until the cruise is underway. It’s best to review the locations of the closest local bus stops so you don’t end up walking further than necessary.
Metro
Travelers can take the M1 from Piraeus to Monastiraki and then transfer to the M3 to the airport. You must purchase a €9 airport ticket. I recommend purchasing in advance so you can also use this to cover the cost of a local bus, if needed, since it is valid for a 90-minute trip. However, you’ll want to time this out with the Metro schedule to ensure it doesn’t expire too early. Travel time: 1 hr, 5 minutes, plus local bus transfer, if needed.
Suburban Railway
An hourly train goes from Piraeus to the airport. You can use the same €9 airport ticket as the Metro. The Piraeus rail station is located about a half-block north of the Piraeus Metro station. Both arrive at the same airport station. Travel time: 1 hr, 5 minutes plus local bus transfer, if needed.
Express Bus
The X96 serves odd gates from E1-E7. Those at even gates E2-E8 can walk to nearby stops. Travelers at E9-E12 will need to take a local bus or walk (not recommended with luggage) to the X96 stop at E7. The express bus is the cheapest option at €5.50 but is also scheduled to take the most time, 60-90+ minutes depending on traffic. You can purchase your ticket from the driver, so no pre-planning is required.
What did we do?
We decided ahead of time to take the Railway because it took the same amount of time as the Metro, but didn’t require a second connection.
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| Piraeus rail station |
We purchased an airport ticket before leaving Athens and timed out our trip so we would arrive at the airport within the 90-minute limit.
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| Suburban Railway comfortable interior |
Some people we met on the boat took the local bus with us and decided to take the Metro because it was leaving a few minutes before the train. It’s really a personal choice, but I prioritized not having to transfer over a small time savings.
In our case, the ship docked at Terminal C and there were no passport checks so we walked off the boat, grabbed our luggage and crossed the street to the bus stop where numerous (all?) buses go to the six stops to Metro/Railway or five stops to the X96 bus.
Travelers who do not purchase airport tickets in advance must pay the local bus fare of €1.20 on board, although some buses that only board from the rear were not accepting cash. You must then pay for an airport ticket at either Piraeus station or on the X96 bus.
Final thoughts
While Google Maps is extremely helpful, you should use caution when simply typing in “Athens International Airport” for the airport. I found it often defaulted to the express bus because it claimed the train or Metro required a 15-minute walk, which is not true.
Travelers who do not purchase airport tickets in advance must pay the local bus fare of €1.20 on board, although some buses that only board from the rear were not accepting cash. You must then pay for an airport ticket at either Piraeus station or on the X96 bus.
Final thoughts
While Google Maps is extremely helpful, you should use caution when simply typing in “Athens International Airport” for the airport. I found it often defaulted to the express bus because it claimed the train or Metro required a 15-minute walk, which is not true.
The Metro/Railway station is across the street from the terminal.
I recommend putting in the airport Metro station (not the rail station on Google Maps, even though they’re the same thing) as the destination to get the most accurate result.
