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We are doing Athen's on our own. Anyone out there in cruise land have step by step directions to get from the port to the metro station? Which stop is best to get off for the Acropolis? How do you walk from Acropolis to the shopping area (Plaka? I think)? Thanks in advance!

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We are doing Athen's on our own. Anyone out there in cruise land have step by step directions to get from the port to the metro station? Which stop is best to get off for the Acropolis? How do you walk from Acropolis to the shopping area (Plaka? I think)? Thanks in advance!

 

There is a lot of info re just this question on this board...do a search and you will find all kinds of info re Athens/metro/stops etc.

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Very easy to do, and just did it on our Celebrity Millennium cruise May 25 - June 6.

 

Note that the walk to the Metro is at least 30 minutes each way. If it's hot, you will be well advised to bring some water. Wear some good sneakers.

 

We took the Metro to the Victoria station, visited the National Archaeological Museum, then back to Monastiraki for the Acropolis and Plaka.

 

Consider buying the 24-hour pass for 3 euros.

 

Check out Tom Ogg's www.europeportreviews.com/athens3.htm for more info.

 

Cheers

Mike

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We were one the same cruise as Mike and did Athens on our own. We took a cab from the dock to the Piraeus train station for around 12 Euros. We bought day passes for 3 Euros each then took the metro (Line 1) to the Omonia station then changed to Line 2 towards Agios Demetrios and got off at the Akropolis station. When you come out of the station, the Acropolis is right in front of you. It's a short walk up the hill to the ticket booth. You can hire a licensed guide to take you thru the site right there.

 

After touring the Acropolis, we walk back down to see the Theatre of Dionysos (the birthplace of the Theatre) then over to the Temple of Zeus. You can use your Acropolis ticket to get into these sites. From there, we continued around the Acropolis to Hadrian's Arch (which is next to the Temple of Zeus site). From there, we headed back towards the other side of the Acropolis to get into the Plaka. You can wander for hours thru the streets. It was really very easy. When we were ready to head back, we just found one the train stations around the Plaka (in our case, it was the Monastiraki station on Line 1) to go back to Piraeus. We decided to take the public bus back to the ship. (You could walk but it's quite a ways around the harbor.) I'm not sure which bus line it was but we just crossed the street and headed around the harbor towards the ship to get to a big bus stop. We asked the man selling bus tickets which bus to take back to the ship. The bus stop is just around the corner from the entrance to the cruise terminal. (You'll see the ship on your right.)

 

Have a great cruise!!

 

 

Frederick

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The walk from the ship to the Metro will take about 25 minutes. Turn left after you exit the port area, keeping the water on your left. The easiest way to find the Metro station is to keep walking until you come to the elevated crosswalk that takes you over the street, and it brings you right to the Metro entrance. Many instructions fail to mention the crosswalk.

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The walk from the ship to the Metro will take about 25 minutes. Turn left after you exit the port area, keeping the water on your left. The easiest way to find the Metro station is to keep walking until you come to the elevated crosswalk that takes you over the street, and it brings you right to the Metro entrance. Many instructions fail to mention the crosswalk.

 

I'm traveling with one of my senior, but sprightly parent, and we're arriving by Silver Whisper in Pireas next month. We travel light; one roller bag/person.

 

Does any know whether Silversea provides a free shuttle bus into town, specifically to the Metro Station (Line 1)? Or whether there are public buses? Or how much a taxi from the ship to the Pireas Metro station should cost?

 

Thanks in advance!

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Take a cab - it's not so expensive in Athens before carry baggage with the subway:

 

MusPirTaxipreise-vi.jpg

 

If someone pays 12 EUR from the cruise terminal just to the Piraeus Station this sign was not attended properly which is just twice at the exit of the cruise terminal. Sometimes Athens Taxi Drivers trying to convince you that the price is per person - but that's nonsense!

 

Make a print-out of this photo and show that you know the prices!!!

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

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Take a cab - it's not so expensive in Athens before carry baggage with the subway:

 

MusPirTaxipreise-vi.jpg

 

 

Make a print-out of this photo and show that you know the prices!!!

 

That's a great idea. I like the small text that states that tolls and luggage are included, as that would have been my next question.

 

Nice thing about taking a taxi to a hotel is that in the event of a fare dispute, there are often hotel door staff to help sort things out.

 

We're headed to the Grande Bretagne Hotel after we arrive, and believe it or not, I actually want to take the Metro again--since the line has been rebuilt in recent years.

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Take a cab - it's not so expensive in Athens before carry baggage with the subway:

 

MusPirTaxipreise-vi.jpg

 

If someone pays 12 EUR from the cruise terminal just to the Piraeus Station this sign was not attended properly which is just twice at the exit of the cruise terminal. Sometimes Athens Taxi Drivers trying to convince you that the price is per person - but that's nonsense!

 

Make a print-out of this photo and show that you know the prices!!!

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

Thanks yet again HeinBloed. This will be useful for us. Our cruise ends in Athens and we are staying overnight in a hotel.

Jennie

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No - there is a (more or less stupid) rule which allow taxis only to take 4.

 

We had the same problem: 2 taxis... and due to this (more or less stupid) law there are no mini-van or something like this operate as taxi.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

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You can forget the sign and the prices on there!! We came off the ship about 2 hours after docking so by then you'd think the taxi drivers would have been pretty keen to get a fare. We planned on taking a train but as we came out we thought we'd see how much they wanted for a taxi to the station. The first one shook his head an dpointed us to another one who tried to tell us how far it wa and we should take a taxi all the way to the Acropolis. Se we asked how much -he quoted us 40 Euros! We said no and walked on, the next driver came up and said 30 euros!! We said no and just kept walking. They would not take us to the station and would not charge the right prices as on the board so beware!! We just walked to the station and it took us about 20 minutes. Pictures of the station are in my review. It cost us 70 cents each per journey - 2.80 in total!! Very easy, clean and cheap!

 

http://community.webshots.com/user/Welshlady147?vhost=community

 

attachment.php?attachmentid=49936&stc=1&thumb=1&d=1182979550

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Thank you for the reply on two taxis.

 

I just can't imagine taking two taxis and it isn't a money issue. We are two parents and three children. The idea of arriving in a country we have never been to before, don't speak a word of the language and splitting up from my husband really terrifies me. I am a brave well traveled person, but something about that I just can't do.

 

I just imagine spending the entire day searching for each other, no phone, etc.

 

<shiver>

 

 

That leaves us walking to the train or a tour. I can't find a ship tour that does the two things we want, museum and Acropolis. I don't think that is unreasonable to want, but guess I am wrong.

 

decisions decisions:D

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Check also the section "Taxi Cowboys"

 

and

 

the official Taxi Guide of the National Greek Tourist Board - Athens Office.

 

And here for your print-out the Greek Version. It might help to have a Greek copy with you to impress the cab driver and to avoid experience like Welshlady made.

 

Hope this info is helpful...

 

I am lucky that the sister of my Greek hairdresser is Athen Cab driver - so I hopefully will not make this experience again.

 

Regards,

HeinBloed

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  • 4 weeks later...
Check also the section "Taxi Cowboys"

and

the official Taxi Guide of the National Greek Tourist Board - Athens Office.

And here for your print-out the Greek Version. It might help to have a Greek copy with you to impress the cab driver and to avoid experience like Welshlady made.

 

Thanks for the great info.

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I can't find a ship tour that does the two things we want, museum and Acropolis. I don't think that is unreasonable to want, but guess I am wrong.

 

decisions decisions:D

 

 

Princess offered one on our cruise last November. What line are you on?

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We are doing Athen's on our own. Anyone out there in cruise land have step by step directions to get from the port to the metro station? Which stop is best to get off for the Acropolis? How do you walk from Acropolis to the shopping area (Plaka? I think)? Thanks in advance!

TRAIN: Athens Trains ON YOUR OWN

Note: If walking to the metro or bus to the metro in Pireas from the port, bear left past the busses to get on the main street and you need a bus heading LEFT towards the metro. On the street there was kiosk where you can buy a bus ticket for #843 (.50 euros each way) that will take you to the metro station. I was told that bus #832, 833, 826 or 875 would also take us to the metro & to tell the bus driver to tell you when to get off for the "metro station". Unfortunately, we arrived on a Sunday when everything was closed and couldn’t buy tickets for the bus! Beware the heat in the summer! The walk to the metro is about 1½+ miles and can be unbearable. Consider a cab (8 – 10 euros) since the walk is 25 minutes to the metro (& you’ll be tired from Egypt) and there is a lot of smog in Athens! When you get on the metro (want a train going to Monastraki), you will see the Thissio stop (6th stop) just before the Monastraki stop (= 7th stop) where we got off. Either of these stops will work. Monastraki is close to the Plaka. Thissio is a 15-minute walk to the Acropolis and may be a tad closer. [The taxi quoted us 18 euros from the port directly to the Plaka.] The metro costs .70 euros each way (1.4 euros each total--buy enough for round-trip). (The cab driving us TO the metro charged us 10 euros but another driver charged us 8 euros on the return from the metro to the port. No need to tip though.)

 

We went to the Hard Rock Café to buy a shirt for my daughter on Filaealias Street (near the Plaka.) About a block away was Sindagma Square (= a metro stop too) where there are several upscale hotels that have rooftop bars/restaurants with views of the Parthenon. (It was a chance to relax and cool down too.) Our cab driver also recommended Dionios Restaurant, which he said was very upscale and across the street from the Acropolis with great views. (We never went there though.)

 

Athens—recent passenger hints:

Information can be found on Athens at http://www.greeceathensaegeaninfo.com

 

I found Rick Steves article on Athens really helpful both for advance planning and while in Athens: http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/desti...ece/athens.htm

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