This guide on how to get from Athens airport to downtown It shows you the best means of transport so you can make the transfer to the city or your hotel in the fastest and cheapest way.
The Athens Airport, officially called Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport is located 20 kilometers east of the city and is also well connected by public transport (subway, train and bus) and private (taxi and direct transfer) to the city center .
Based on the experience of our trip to Greece where we landed in the capital, we show you all the options of how to get from Athens airport to downtown, so that you choose the most comfortable or the one that best suits your needs. We start!
Meter
The M3 subway line, which runs every half hour and is operational from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., will take you to the city center in 40 minutes for 10 euros a person, 18 euros if you are two and 24 euros three. There is also a tourist ticket that costs 22 euros and allows you unlimited use of the metro, bus and tram for 3 days.
The Metro is the fastest way to get from the airport to Athens, by avoiding the heavy traffic that is usually found in the streets of the city.
We believe it is a great option if your hotel is close to the Monastiraki stops, which connects with the green line that leads to the Port of Piraeus, or Sintagma, which connects with the red line that leads to the Acropolis and Plaka neighborhood.
The only drawback is that you have to be attentive to all your belongings, especially when opening and closing car doors, to avoid any theft or theft, something that is quite common, unfortunately.
A good option to stay in Athens is the hotel we were in, the Phaedra Hotel, located in the charming Plaka district and 10 minutes from the entrance to the Acropolis. In addition to its magnificent location, the hotel has a 24-hour reception and views of the Acropolis from some rooms.
Athens Metro
Private transfer, one of the best ways to go from Athens airport to downtown
Depending on the situation of the hotel and the number of suitcases, a safe and comfortable option for the transfer from the airport to the center of Athens, is the private transfer.
When you book this service, a driver will be waiting for you at the arrivals terminal, raising a sign with your name and will take you directly to the door of your hotel in less than an hour, depending on traffic.
We are the option we chose, when carrying luggage and having a reasonable price of 45 euros for the 4-seater vehicle, 80 euros for 8 and 140 euros for the 17-minibus.
Bus
The bus, operating 24 hours a day, is the cheapest way to go from Athens airport to downtown at 6 euros the journey.
The X95 line will take you to the Sintagma square stop in 70 minutes, while the X96 will leave you at the Port of Piraeus in 90 minutes.
Another option is to take the Χ97 line that connects to the red metro line.
Buses leave from exit doors 4 and 5, and you can buy the ticket at the kiosk located in front of the stop or directly to the driver.
Acropolis of Athens
Cab
A taxi from Athens airport to the center has a fixed price of 38 euros between 05h and 00h and 53 euros between these two hours.
To take the taxi go directly to the official stop indicated with signs and ignore any proposal of cheap transfer.
In addition to all these means of transport, the airport also has a train line that connects with Larissis Central Station although this alternative is only useful if you want to travel to another city in the country by train.
Once you have decided the transfer, we recommend organizing the routes around the city with these guides optimized by days:
Do you want to organize a trip to Athens?
Get it here:The best offers of Flights to Athens here
The best hotels at the best prices in Athens: here
Get € 35 for your reservation with AirBnb here
Book your travel insurance with a 5% discount here
Book the best tours and excursions in Athens in Spanish here
10 essential places to visit in Athens
The 8 best tours and excursions in Athens
50 things to do in Athens
10 essential tips for traveling to Athens
Where to stay in Athens: best neighborhoods and hotels
10 essential places to see in Greece
The 10 best Greek Islands
How to go from Athens to Santorini
Rent your car to travel around Greece at the best price here