Athens Airport to Center City

[ssawjo]

I am researching how to get from the Athens airport into Center City. We are staying at the Athens Gate Hotel. I was quoted a price of 60 euros for a private taxi. That seems high. We will have luggage and I really don't want to use the Metro, even if it is great, cheap and convenient. Are there any other suggestions? BTW, we will arriving on Aug. 25, 2012.

 

Thank you, Bill

[cruisemom42]

Only options I'm familiar with are a tax, the metro, or the express bus. I used the express bus and it was very easy and cheap; however, it only stops in two places and neither is close to Athens Gate hotel.

 

The taxi cost sounds about right, from memory. The airport is a fair distance from central Athens.

[SwissDave]

Have done the trip from the airport to city centre a few times by taxi and metro.

 

€60 for a private taxi, for 2 people with luggage is reasonable.

 

Apart from the bus, no other options available.

 

Also, as it is August the temperature will be similar to Phoenix, so that means very hot - taxi would be the most comfortable.

[Mands&Ian]

I am researching how to get from the Athens airport into Center City. We are staying at the Athens Gate Hotel. I was quoted a price of 60 euros for a private taxi. That seems high. We will have luggage and I really don't want to use the Metro, even if it is great, cheap and convenient. Are there any other suggestions? BTW, we will arriving on Aug. 25, 2012.

 

Thank you, Bill

 

Since February 2011 there's been a fixed price for trips between the airport and the centre of Athens.

 

DAY TIME FLAT FARE (05:00-24:00)

€35 AIRPORT TO ATHENS CITY CENTRE INNER RING

€35 ATHENS CITY CENTRE INNER RING TO AIRPORT

 

NIGHT TIME FLAT FARE (00:00-05:00)

€50 AIRPORT TO ATHENS CITY CENTRE INNER RING

€50 ATHENS CITY CENTRE INNER RING TO AIRPORT

 

Details on the ATH airport website here.

 

Based on that the quote for 60€, assuming that it one-way, seems excessive.

 

There's usually a queue at the taxi rank but it is fast moving and well managed. Exit the terminal and the rank should be directly in front. There are numerous signs and flyers about the fixed rate nearby.

 

HTH,

Mands

[BPCruiser]

We too will be staying at the Athens Gate Hotel for 3 nights at the end of April pre cruise. We are considering using the Metro from the airport to reach the Hotel. Has anyone done this with luggage, how difficult is it and do we have to transfer metro lines to reach our Hotel stop or stay on the same metro train from the airport all the way to the Acropolis stop?

Please advise

Thanks!

[cruisemom42]

We too will be staying at the Athens Gate Hotel for 3 nights at the end of April pre cruise. We are considering using the Metro from the airport to reach the Hotel. Has anyone done this with luggage, how difficult is it and do we have to transfer metro lines to reach our Hotel stop or stay on the same metro train from the airport all the way to the Acropolis stop?

Please advise

Thanks!

 

You would take the BLUE metro line to Syntagma Square, where you will have to transfer to the RED line and go one stop to the Akropoli stop. From there, it's less than a 5 minute walk to the Athens Gate hotel.

 

I haven't done it with luggage, but the transfer at Syntagma Square involves a certain amount of walking.

 

If you have a LOT of luggage, it could be a bit more challenging, both for navigating the station (escalators, etc) and also on the subways which can be crowded.

 

It's certainly doable, though.

[maryann ns]

The bus is much easier than the Metro as you don't have any stairs except the couple into the bus. It is a very efficient service.You could take the bus into town to Syntagma square and then a taxi from there.

[ssawjo]

Since February 2011 there's been a fixed price for trips between the airport and the centre of Athens.

DAY TIME FLAT FARE (05:00-24:00)

€35 AIRPORT TO ATHENS CITY CENTRE INNER RING

€35 ATHENS CITY CENTRE INNER RING TO AIRPORT

 

NIGHT TIME FLAT FARE (00:00-05:00)

€50 AIRPORT TO ATHENS CITY CENTRE INNER RING

€50 ATHENS CITY CENTRE INNER RING TO AIRPORT

Details on the ATH airport website here.

 

Based on that the quote for 60€, assuming that it one-way, seems excessive.

 

There's usually a queue at the taxi rank but it is fast moving and well managed. Exit the terminal and the rank should be directly in front. There are numerous signs and flyers about the fixed rate nearby.

 

HTH,

Mands

 

Thank you very much for the web site and the taxi cost/price. I have been to Cyprus twice, in 1987 and in 2001, and found your new home to be wonderful and a bit exciting. I was there on a U.S. government mission and worked with your Customs officials. Had a wonderful time. I would like to return someday. Spent most of our time in Nicosia but was able to visit other parts of the country. When I first told my mother that I was going to Cyprus, she thought Cypress, Florida. So, yes, I agree us Americans can be geographically deficient. Thank you, Bill

[Mands&Ian]

Thank you very much for the web site and the taxi cost/price. I have been to Cyprus twice, in 1987 and in 2001, and found your new home to be wonderful and a bit exciting. I was there on a U.S. government mission and worked with your Customs officials. Had a wonderful time. I would like to return someday. Spent most of our time in Nicosia but was able to visit other parts of the country. When I first told my mother that I was going to Cyprus, she thought Cypress, Florida. So, yes, I agree us Americans can be geographically deficient. Thank you, Bill

 

Hi Bill,

 

Cypress, Florida is a common source of confusion as are those other places named Cypress in the US. Until I moved here I wasn't aware just how places called Cypress there were. I can understand your mother's confusion: Arizona to Florida makes sense but Arizona to the most south-eastern part of the Med?

 

Some people are geographically challenged including plenty of Brits and other Europeans. It just happens that two recent amusing examples (Cyprus=Crete and Cyprus=Italy) happened to be by Americans. Sorry about that!

 

Working with Cyprus Customs sounds like it might have been interesting. When we first arrived and had to deal with local bureaucracy someone told us that what we wanted, importing our car I think, wouldn't happen until the paperwork file was two inches thick. We thought they were joking; 26 months later as the file was closed and the car was finally released we knew they were right.

 

If you are back over this way and need any help in planning do let me know,

Mands

[mkcruise]

Since February 2011 there's been a fixed price for trips between the airport and the centre of Athens.

 

DAY TIME FLAT FARE (05:00-24:00)

€35 AIRPORT TO ATHENS CITY CENTRE INNER RING

€35 ATHENS CITY CENTRE INNER RING TO AIRPORT

 

NIGHT TIME FLAT FARE (00:00-05:00)

€50 AIRPORT TO ATHENS CITY CENTRE INNER RING

€50 ATHENS CITY CENTRE INNER RING TO AIRPORT

 

Details on the ATH airport website here.

 

Based on that the quote for 60€, assuming that it one-way, seems excessive.

 

There's usually a queue at the taxi rank but it is fast moving and well managed. Exit the terminal and the rank should be directly in front. There are numerous signs and flyers about the fixed rate nearby.

 

HTH,

Mands

 

Thanks Mands - it was great to see this information. I had sporadically picked it up on some other posts, but there still seemed to be a number of people who were paying 50 Euros or so to go from the airport to city center.

 

Is there any trick or procedure to make sure you get this rate? We are arriving in mid-June, with 4 people, but enough luggage that I have already resigned myself to getting 2 taxis.

 

We arrive mid-day on a Friday, and from what I have read, we should allow about 60 minutes to get into Athens.

 

Thanks again for the help.

 

Mark

[BPCruiser]

I think we have decided to be brave Athens tourist and attempt the Metro from the Airport to Athens Gate Hotel. Does anyone know if there are signs well marked at Syntagma Square station where we have to transfer from the Blue line to the Red Line to get the the Acropoli stop which is where we need to exit.

 

We will each have 1 large pull luggage and a carry on. Does this sound reasonable to do? :eek:

[Anapli]

It isn't so hard get the metro from Airport... when you arrive in airport use the elevator for go one floor up...

use the first exit and you will see the gate to metro..

buy your metro tickets and go down (use elevator) to station..

when arrive at Syntagma station follow the signs "to Agios Dimitrios" (use the elevator again)..

next stop is acropolis station..

use the exit to "Ath. Diakou" and follow the road with same name..

at 100 metres is your hotel.

 

note: the tickets from Airport station are valid for all routes.. you don't need buy other tickets for Syntgma-Acropolis route..

[Mexfolkart]

We have a great taxi driver in Athens..Andreas Kambas..a.kambas at

taxidrives dot gr We have always found him pleasant and reasonable and speaks perfect English. He is picking us up in a couple of weeks.

Then will also take us to the ship several days later.

Sherry & Kimber

[BPCruiser]

It isn't so hard get the metro from Airport... when you arrive in airport use the elevator for go one floor up...

use the first exit and you will see the gate to metro..

buy your metro tickets and go down (use elevator) to station..

when arrive at Syntagma station follow the signs "to Agios Dimitrios" (use the elevator again)..

next stop is acropolis station..

use the exit to "Ath. Diakou" and follow the road with same name..

at 100 metres is your hotel.

 

note: the tickets from Airport station are valid for all routes.. you don't need buy other tickets for Syntgma-Acropolis route..

 

Thank You for your information. Once we collect our luggage at Airport, are there signs in English directing us to where to go to find the Metro tickets and where to go to get on the Metro? Are there any luggage restrictions when boarding the Metro in the Airport....we will each have a large pull suitcase and smaller carry on case?

[Anapli]

There are signs in English for everything.. when you exit the main building of airport you will see the metro sign:

 

 

No, there isn't any luggage restrictions.. the trains from airport has and special positions for big bags-luggage

[mkcruise]

After all the warnings about getting ripped off by taxis in Athens, I was a little leery about using a taxi to get from the airport to our hotel, but we had absolutely no problems this past June. There were 4 of us, with a fair amount of luggage, so I had resigned us to having to get 2 taxis, hopefully at the flat rate of 35 Euros per taxi (which is clearly posted at the taxi queue), and avoid any "extra" charges.

 

When we arrived at the head of a very short line for the taxis, our driver quickly said he could take all 4 of us and the luggage, which he did (a little tight) for the 35 Euros plus a 10 Euro "extra person and luggage" charge, which I thought it was very fair in light of what other people have reportedly paid. We arrived on a Saturday, mid-afternoon, so I don't know if that had something to do with it, and if I knew his name and how to reach him, I would certainly recommend him.

[ducklite]

Having recently been in Athens and using the Metro to get around for a few days, I need to caution that often the escalators were not working or were only working in one direction. While there are elevators at Syntagma station the elevator at Acropoli was not working either, and there were people having to drag their luggage up and down the stairs.

 

It is a long walk with stairs to make the transfer.

 

Also the streets around Acropoli are all cobblestone and the sidewalks tend to be narrow and crowded, plus it's hilly in that area, so getting from the station to your hotel will add another level of challenge.

 

 

Personally I would bite the bullet and use a cab unless you are in very good physical condition and able to manage carrying your luggage up and down the stairs. You will be jet lagged and out of sorts and at that point a prime target for pickpockets.

[BPCruiser]

We were recently in Athens in late April and after much thought regarding transportation to the City Center from the Airport, we opted to be adventurous as well as economic tourist and try the Metro. It was quite easy to access the Metro from the airport exit area after we retrieved our luggage. The signs are well marked and we only asked once if we were going the right direction to buy our Metro tickets. The cost for 2 of us going the same direction together was only 10 Euros, I originally thought it would be 8E/pp.

 

We boarded easily and knew we had to transfer at Syntagma Station to change lines to the Acropoli which was to be our final destination to get to the Athens Gate Hotel. Very easy to do and no issues with pick pockets, although we remained observant and cautious with our belongings during our 45 minute ride. The only issue we encountered was as a previous poster mentioned, the up escalator at the Acropoli to take us to the street level was going in the down direction. So....my very strong DH carried our 2 rolling bags up the stairs and I carried the smaller carry on bags. My husband is strong and active with no mobility issues, 62 yrs young :) We managed ok and were able to easily get to the Athens Gate from where we exited and happy to save the Euros not used for taxi or or other transport. However, I would only recommend this route if you are able to carry your luggage up stairs in the event the escalator going in the down direction is a regular occurrence. Seems like this should be monitored more carefully by the Athens Metro Management. The streets are cobble stone and uneven in some areas but our rolling bags managed fine. It was about a 10 minute walk to the Athens Gate from where we exited at Acropoli.