Piraeus to Athens by Train ?

[ISLANDCRUSO]

Has anyone taken the Train from the port in order to get to Athens and back ?

[jocap]

Yes....it's a good 20 mins walk...just follow the crowds from the ship.

I prefer to stay on the water side of the road, and cross over the foot bridge opposite the station....you'll see lots of people crossing the roads, but the traffic can be bad....

Hide your wallet...people have been pickpocketted on the metro.

Again, watch where people from your ship get off...you can decide to go up to the sights, or wander the streets.

Easy to return...retrace your steps from the Piraeus station (end of the line)...go over the footbridge...I like to walk through the ferry ports, but watch the traffic.

Jo.

[cruisemom42]

If you go to the Greece ports of call board and search for "Piraeus train" or "Piraeus metro" you will find lots and lots of detailed (step by step) information on how to do this.

 

It's very easy; worst part is the longish walk (depending where your ship is docked) to the metro station from the ship (and back at the end of the day).

[ISLANDCRUSO]

Thanks guys for the info, have looked at a few sites now and found some great info.... we usually do our own thing as we have done on all our cruises whether it be Europe, America or the Caribbean..... :)

 

Jo ... thanks for the info about the Footbridge.

[see you soon]

Thanks guys for the info, have looked at a few sites now and found some great info.... we usually do our own thing as we have done on all our cruises whether it be Europe, America or the Caribbean..... :)

 

Jo ... thanks for the info about the Footbridge.

 

 

We used the Metro last May. The first time you do it it seems like a long way but you just stick to the sidewalk on the ocean side and eventually you get to the foot bridge. We bought our tickets at a newspaper stand before we got to the bridge. We always buy our return tickets at the same time so we don't have to try to get tickets later if we are tired or in a rush. The ticket prices and types have changed. There is a single ride ticket now that is 1,20 euro, a 90 minute transfer ticket for 1,4 euro and the day pass which costs 4 euro . Actually transit is still a bargain just a little more complicated. If you have a day pass or a 90 minute ticket when coming back from Athens, after crossing the bridge and walking back a little towards the port, you can catch the #843 bus which stops just before the port gate. You do need to be watchful to get the right stop and make note when you walk out in the morning of landmarks to guide you. The bus drivers don't call stops. We were pickpocketed on the metro. We had taken all the recommended precautions but these guys are good and the metro can be very crowded. It is impossible to tell if it is normal jostling because of train movement or someone invading your personal space. We will use the Metro again this May when we are in Athens and will be even more vigilant this time.

 

See you soon

[ISLANDCRUSO]

See you soon .... when are you in Athens ? are you on cruise ? good hiding place for money is your shoes or training shoe assuming people are wearing them of course and not open toe sandals which make it a little more difficult .... :eek:

[see you soon]

See you soon .... when are you in Athens ? are you on cruise ? good hiding place for money is your shoes or training shoe assuming people are wearing them of course and not open toe sandals which make it a little more difficult .... :eek:

 

Yes we are cruising stopping in Athens on May 4. All the fellow got last time was a throw away wallet with a few Euro. It was in a multi-zippered across the body (front) travel bag. We always use money belts and take copies of our passports. Credit cards are stored separate from cash. You do the best you can. These fellows know tourists are outside of their usual comfort zone. Concentrating on where they are going. Holding on for dear life if standing on the train.

 

Stuff happens.

 

See you soon

[sidari]

see you soon .... we are there later in the month ... thanks again for the info ... :) Islandcruso`s other half ... :D

[650cs]

There is wifi available free at the port. I was able to log on from my stateroom while docked at the pier. The city’s website gives you the username and password on their screen. The Internet connection on the ship was really poor, so this was really nice. :D

 

We planned a self-guided tour based on Frommer’s Athens day by day tour guide. I tried to find a good tour route that would allow us to see as much as possible with a minimum of backtracking. I found it in this guide. I was glad that I had the guide with me because it had a great map, and historical details about what we were looking at. Basically, this was the sequence: Changing of the Guard at Syntagma Square, Hadrian’s Arch, Temple of Olympian Zeus, then headed over to the Grand Promenade. We then went to the Acropolis Museum, Theater of Dionysos, Herodes Atticus Theater, Propylaea, Parthenon, The Erectheum, Aeorpagus, Porch of Caryatids, the Ancient Agora, the Temple of Hephastion, and the small but excellent museum housed in the Stoa of Attalos, the Roman Forum and the Temple of the Winds. We stopped for lunch at a small café near the Roman Forum. It sounds like it was too much, but it wasn’t because so many of the sites are right next to each other.

 

We were unable to find a place to buy a bus ticket from the port, so we just walked to the train station. It took 35 minutes, but only because two of our party are over 65 and don’t walk fast. If you walk, turn left, as you exit the port area and follow the road around the harbor, always keeping the water on your left until you reach Pier E6. It is about one mile. At this point, you should see a large silver pedestrian footbridge that crosses the highway, you can not miss it. It is very large. Cross over the pedestrian bridge to the other side of the main street and a modern multi-storied yellow building will be right in front of you – that is the Piraeus Metro Station. We planned to just get off the green line at the Omonia station (Omonia square) and transfer there to the red line. Fortunately, a local heard us talking and told us that the train would not stop at the Omonia station because it was closed for repairs. We got off at Monastiraki and transferred to the blue line, get then got off at the first stop, Syntagma and transferred to the red line. It sounds much more confusing than it really was. We went on and purchased a ticket for our return trip while we were in the station to save time when coming home. Two one-way tickets were cheaper than the all day pass.

 

If you are transferring at Syntagma 10-15 minutes before the hour, get off there and cross the street to see the Changing of the Guard at Syntagma Square. You can’t miss the Greek Parliament building which houses the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. As you exit the station, turn around and you will see it across the street. Outside and at the bottom of the steps, Evzone attired Presidential troops perform their ceremonial duties every hour on the hour. You will want to see this uniquely Greek display of respect for the battle dead. After you cross the street, you will soon distinguish the two small guard-post-sun-shacks in front and to the sides of the monument once you get near. The ceremony takes about 15 minutes. Afterwards, head back into the station to get on the red line and we got off at the first stop, Acropolis.

 

When you get off the metro, look around to get your bearings, you will be in the area known as "Plaka's Gate." Just across the busy street is the Temple of Zeus, beginning of the promenade. You can’t miss Hadrian’s Arch (at the entrance of the Temple of Zeus; Amallias Avenue) and the Temple of Olympian Zeus.

 

When we finished that, we crossed the street back to where we first started and headed to the museum of the Acropolis. This is a DON'T MISS! The building itself is stunning and the artifacts are beautifully displayed. It made the Acropolis more meaningful because we knew more about what we would see. There is a nice museum cafe that was very reasonable to rest and get a quick drink or snack.

 

After the museum, we crossed over to the SE entrance of the Acropolis. We purchased the 12 € combo ticket here and used it for the rest of places we visited later in the day. The Acropolis ticket can be used for these archaeological sites, Acropolis, Ancient Agora and the Attalos Museum, Kerameikos, and its Museum, Zeus Temple, Roman Agora, Hadrian’s Library, Dionysus Sanctuary and Theater.

 

Acropolis Hill, known as the “Sacred Rock of Athens”, without question the Acropolis is the single most important point of reference as the seat of ancient Greek culture. Once you arrive at the entrance to the Acropolis and pay the entrance fee, you can begin your trek to the top. The walk up didn’t seem too hard because the path zigzags and slopes gently in parts. There is so much to see there, including the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, the Propylaia, the Odeion of Herodes Atticus, and the Theater of Dionysus. The Propylaea is the monumental entrance of the Acropolis to the sacred area dedicated to Athena the patron goddess of the city. A great view of the Theatre of Herodes can be seen from the steps of the Propylaea. Originally a stone amphitheatre erected in 161 AD by Herodes Atticus in memory of his wife, the stands and stage were restored in the 1950’s and it is now used for concerts and special venues. Finally you will arrive at the Parthenon. The Parthenon is the temple dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena and considered one of the most important surviving structures of classical Greece. Next, you will come to the Erectheum, an Ionic temple that sits on the north side of the Acropolis. It is believed to have originally been the palace of the mythical king Erechtheus I. The temple, dedicated to Athena Polias and Poseidon Erectheus, is best known for its southern facing porch, the Porch of Caryatids. Also known as the “Porch of the Maidens” it has 6 draped female figures or caryatids. The figures that adorn the structure now are actually all replicas. One of the originals is in the British Museum and the other five are in the new Acropolis Museum.

 

The ground is very uneven and raw marble shows through the dirt all over the place. It is very slippery, even when dry. Take your time and be careful. I saw one woman fall. When you are finished, you head back down the hill, continue past Mars Hill (the Aeropagus) to the Hill of the Muses and the Pynx, the birthplace of democracy. It sounds very confusing but there is a path/walkway that everyone uses and it is practically one-way traffic, so you just follow the crowds.

 

Further on there was a very nice area of outdoor restaurants where we stopped for lunch before visiting the Ancient Agora and the Temple of Hephastion (the only ancient Greek temple with an intact roof), the Agora, and the small but excellent museum housed in the Stoa of Attalos. Then we headed next door to the Roman Forum (also included in combo ticket) and view the Temple of the Winds. You can then continue on to the Kerameikos, the ancient cemetary, or go through the Agora (included in your 12 € combo ticket) to the Tower of the Winds and the Roman Agora, which will basically put you in the opposite end of the Plaka.

 

We planned to head back to the port from the Monastiraki Square metro station. The station is in the heart of the city's market district. Many other shops and vendors are packed on Athinas and Aeolou Sts. The popular flea market is southwest on Ifestou St which leads off to the metro station.(loved it!). I had read that it was one of the most colorful and the noisiest areas in Athens and after being there I wouldn’t argue the point! It was fascinating to just sit and watch the people and traffic. We shopped for a while and got some gelatos and baklava to eat at the square. There was a lot of shopping and it was mostly locals, not just tourists. When we were ready, we got on the metro and headed back to the port. This time, we didn't have to transfer at all since our stop was at the end of the line.

 

If it didn’t time out right, you could try again for the changing of the guards on your way back, you would have to transfer to correct station.

 

When you exit the metro in Piraeus, you can cross the street (using the pedestrian bridge) to catch the local bus back to the port. Believe me, you won't want to walk all the way back by this point!

 

Athens was a wonderful and it was very easy to do on our own.

[Hlitner]

I am going to post a link which gives pretty good (and detailed) info on using the train at Pireaus.

http://www.mediterranean-cruise-ports-easy.com/athens-train.html

 

You will see a reference to Terminal A and B and all of our cruise ships have always docked at the closer Terminal A. The link does not discuss the public buses which can help folks from Terminal A. It is possible to exit the terminal, cross the main street, and stop in the tobacco store to buy a local bus ticket for about 1 Euro. There is at least one public bus line that stops right at this area that will take you around the harbor to the train station. Unfortunately, we do not remember the bus number (you can search old threads or hopefully somebody else will post the bus number). Personally, we enjoy the walk.

 

Hank

[tech40]

650cs sounds like a wonderful and full day! Can you tell me how many hours your adventure took?