How to book a cab in Athens ? When we first moved to Greece, we had a lot of questions about cabs in Athens… That’s why we’d like to give you an overview of the various proposals on the Athenian market. You’ve probably heard of private chauffeurs, yellow cabs and revolutionary apps, but you’ve also heard of scams and “tourist” fares, missed appointments …
We’ve tested all the services discussed in this article and can give you the rates, advantages and disadvantages of each to make booking a cab in Athens as easy as possible. After that, it’s up to you to choose what suits you best…
Yellow cabs in the street
The most obvious solution is the thousands of yellow cabs circulating around Athens. They’re easy to spot, and you’ll always find them close to points of interest. In yellow cabs, the drivers have a meter, so make sure it’s running when you get in and, if necessary, ask the driver to plug it in.
Don ‘t accept package deals in Athens, they’re rarely interesting. For your information, a run of less than 10 minutes shouldn’t cost you much more than €5 during the day. On the other hand, ask for the flat-rate price from the airport, which is very reasonable (€42 airport-Athens city center by day, €58 by night). Please note that rates are subject to regular change in line with inflation.
Book a cab in Athens with a driver – private transfer
You need to book a cab in Athens when you arrive at airport to one of the Athens ports or to your hotel, for example? Save yourself some last-minute stress. This solution offers security and peace of mind for just a few extra euros (€47 for a daytime transfer from the airport to the city center). This makes it ideal for travelers.
A number of private companies offer transfers. We tested a number of them and finally selected the following Welcome PickUps for their reliability, rates and practicality.
Apps, a cab right away…
Smartphone applications make life easier. In fact, they allow you to geolocate vehicles and book your cab immediately. Very practical when you’re in town. On the other hand, it’s less reliable when you have a time imperative (boat, plane, important appointment). In this case, you should book with one of the companies listed below.
Among the apps we use FreeNow (formerly “cab Beat”), which offers a service quite similar to that of Uber. And the famous Uber which works a little differently here in Greece.
And what do we choose for ourselves?
Well, it all depends on what you need at the time:
- to and from the airport: we systematically book a vehicle with Welcome PickUps. The service is top-notch. The drivers are on time and English-speaking. They wait directly outside the plane. It’s super convenient. In short, no stress is the most comfortable solution.
- to get around downtown Athens: we opt for yellow cabs, the cheapest solution
- to get home from a party or a place where there are few cabs: we book a cab with the app FreeNow app (formerly “Beat”) app. It’s done in two clicks, no need to look for a cab on the street. Link to download the application.
And now the choice is yours!
Sophie B.
