Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport is located in Spata, about 30 kilometers east of downtown Athens. It is modern, clean and not too large. This is where domestic and international flights depart and land.
The airport is well served by public transportation or road infrastructures. No matter where you want to go, you have several options.
Here we give you all the useful information on how to get from the Athens airport to the city center or to the different ports of Athens (Piraeus, Rafina or Lavrio).
| Transport from the airport to the center of Athens |
TAXI | METRO | BUS X-95 |
| Transport time | approximately 45 minutes depending on traffic |
about 50 minutes | approximately 45 minutes depending on traffic |
| Frequency | Immediate | 360 minutes | 10 to 15 minutes |
| When | 24 hours a day | From 6.30 a.m. to 11.30 p.m. | 24 hours a day |
| Price | Approximately 44 euros during the day and 59 euros at night | 9 euros per person | 5,5 euros per person |
1. Taxi from Athens airport
TAXI are probably the best option for groups and families and the most convenient for travelers with a lot of luggage. It is also the most comfortable because the driver drops you off directly in front of your hotel.
But the cab is not necessarily the fastest option. To go to the city center or to the port of Piraeus, count on 45 minutes to one hour of travel, sometimes more in case of traffic jams. On the other hand, if you arrive at night or if you travel with children, it is very practical.
The rates
The trip from Athens airport to the city center is subject to a flat rate : about 42€ during the day and 55€ at night (from midnight to 5am).
And the race to reach the port of Piraeus is not included in this package. It is more expensive, count about 60€.
Don’t be discouraged by the sometimes very long waiting lines. It’s moving pretty fast. Nevertheless, for more convenience, we recommend that you to book your Taxi before your arrival .
Book a cab at Athens airport
If you want to avoid the line-up and the stress on arrival, you can book your cab before you leave. We have tested several transfer companies and our favorite (by far) is WelcomePickups.
Just fill in the form (route-pickup date-time-passengers), you can even specify your specific needs in the comments (baby seat,…). The driver will be waiting for you at the arrival of your plane, in the terminal, with a sign with your name. No queue, it takes you directly to your car. We also offer you a welcome note, a tote bag, a bottle of water, a map of Athens… no stress and a smooth arrival.
As for the price, it’s a bit more expensive than a classic cab but it’s worth it (about 44€ during the day, 59€ at night from 10:30 pm to 5 am). You can make an quote online. The payment is done by card on the site. No bad surprises with the meter!
2. Public transportation from the airport: subway and suburban train
The metro has one big advantage: it allows you to avoid traffic jams. During rush hour, it can be faster than a cab.
Find all the schedules of the Metro line 3
To get to the center of Athens
Line 3 (blue) connects the airport directly to the city center, serving Syntagma and Monastiraki stations; it also connects the airport to Piraeus in less than 1 hour.
To reach the metro station from the arrivals hall, it takes about 10 minutes to walk. Exit at Gate 3, go up the stairs in front of the Sofitel Hotel and take the walkway.
It takes about 50 minutes by metro to get to downtown Athens.
From the airport, there are subways every half hour from 6:30 am until 11:30 pm.
To get to Piraeus
If you want to go to the port of Piraeus by metro, you can take line 3 (blue line) direction “Dimotiko Theatro” and get off at the second last stop “Piraeus” (less than 1 hour total).
You can also take the suburban train with the fast and convenient direct connection between the airport and Piraeus. The Proastiakos (as it is called) connects Athens airport to the port of Piraeus in about an hour. Frequency: every 60 minutes, from 6am to 10pm. More info on Trainose.gr .
Rates
The metro ticket from the airport costs 9€/person. Be careful with the return ticket (16€): the return must be done within 48 hours. There is also a 3-day pass (including a return trip to the airport) for 20€, which is interesting financially. The tickets are printed on magnetic card carriers magnetic cards .
For Piraeus, if you take the direct train Proastiakos, the ticket price is also 9€.
3. Public transport from Athens airport: buses
The express bus is the cheapest option (ticket price: 5,5€). And it has the added advantage of working day and night, 7 days a week. But beware, it can be very crowded and it is sometimes difficult to find a seat.
These yellow and blue city buses are located at the arrivals level and serve several destinations:
- the X93 line serves the south of Kifisia in 45 minutes. Frequency: every 20 to 60 minutes, 24 hours a day
- The X95 line serves downtown Athens (Syntagma Square) in one hour. Frequency: every 15 to 25 minutes, 24 hours a day
- line X96 serves the port of Piraeus in about 1h30. Frequency: every 25 to 40 minutes, 24 hours a day
- line X97 serves Daphni in 1h15. Frequency: every hour, 24 hours a day
Find all the bus schedules on the website Oasa.gr .
There are also regional buses (KTEL). At the arrivals level, in front of the Sofitel hotel, you will find these white and orange buses to the port of Rafina (from 4:35 to 22:30, 30 minutes of travel, about 4€ – KTEL Airport-Rafina) and the port of Lavrio with a change of bus in Markopoulo (every hour from 5:30 to 21:30, 45 minutes journey, about 5€ – KTEL Attikis).
4. Shuttle
The shuttles are an intermediate service between cabs and public transport. They provide semi-private transportation from the airport to downtown hotels. The driver will wait for you in the airport arrivals hall and then drop you off at your hotel door. This formula avoids the stress of public transportation while being less expensive than a cab.
Price: From 55€ per person
The shuttle runs every two hours every day, at 9:00 am, 11:00 am, 1:00 pm, 3:00 pm, 5:00 pm, 7:00 pm and 8:00 pm from the airport to the center of Athens and from the center to the airport.
This service is only available for hotels in downtown Athens and not for hotels on the Athens coast or in Piraeus.
5. Car rental
Finally, you can also rent a vehicle. You will find all the main rental agencies in the airport (arrivals hall). We advise you to reserve your vehicle before your stay, through this platform which allows you to see at a glance the prices and services of the different agencies, to book and pay online (with the possibility of cancellation without fees). When you get off the plane, your vehicle is waiting for you and you are ready to start your stay in Athens!
To reach the city center, take the Attiki Odos highway (toll: €2.80). Follow the direction “Elefsina”. At exit 16K, take the ring road (Ymittos Ring) and follow the signs to “Athina Center”. Travel time depends on traffic.
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Finally, if you are in transit at Athens airport and are looking for ideas to pass the time in a pleasant way, check out our article In transit for a few hours at Athens airport: nearby beaches, shopping, activities for young and old… we tell you everything! And if you are looking for a hotel near the Athens airport, we recommend this one very good value for money.
Laure M.
