You've made it to one of the oldest cities in the world! Before delving into the thousands and thousands of years of history that this ancient city holds, let's figure out how to get into the heart of Athens from the airport.
Taxi
Taking a taxi is the most convenient option, and you can call one at the designated taxi waiting area found at Exit 3 of the Arrivals level. To get to the general centre of the city, it'll cost around a rate of around €35 from 5am to midnight, and €50 if you want to call a taxi from midnight to 5am.
Subway Metro
Taking the subway is another option that is more affordable than a taxi but takes longer, with the Athens subway ride taking approximately 1 hour to go from the airport to Syntagma station (central Athens).
We'd like to add a disclaimer however that the subway station is confusing to find as you walk from the airport terminal and is more difficult to navigate through than the average subway system as most signs are only in Greek, so it's not our first option especially if you're a first-timer in Athens or are carrying considerable luggage.
But if you're set on taking the subway, trains run every 30 minutes, 7 days a week from 6:30am to 11:30pm. You can buy tickets at the designated kiosks when you arrive at the station, with a one-way ride costing €10 for one person, €18 for two, and €24 for three people, and once you buy your ticket, it's valid for 90 minutes of travel.
Railway Train
A speedier option other than the metro is taking the Athens Suburban Railway electric train (Proastiakos Athens) that connects you from the Athens Airport to the Athens Central railway station (Larissis Station). A 40 min. ride for €10 per person, the train offers a quick way to reach the Central railway station if the journey to your destination includes this route.
A handy benefit of taking the Railway train is that it connects to the Athens metro, where you can get off at Plakentias station, change trains, and continue to the city centre (Metro Line 3 to Egaleo) using the same ticket.
Bus
The most affordable option is taking one of the Athens Airport buses into the centre of the city which run 24/7; however, if you are travelling with large luggage, maybe skip this option as the buses don't offer large compartments to store your bags. The ride itself from the airport into the city centre is around 1-1.5hr depending on which bus you take.
There are four buses running from the airport to the city 24/7 - X93, X95, X96, X97. Each Athens Airport bus has its own route - for example, X95 arrives in the city centre, at Syntagma Square. The trip duration is 1 hour, the bus fare is €6 per person. The shuttle tickets can be bought from special ticket machines at the airport, at newsstands, or from the driver when boarding.
To recap
Out of all the ways to get to the central part of Athens, especially if it's your first time, we recommend taking a taxi. It's the easiest, most straightforward way to get to the city while being the most convenient if you're travelling in a group or have heavy bags you don't want to lug around. Whichever way you decide to reach the central part of the city, we hope you have a wonderful time exploring Athens! Safe travels!
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