From Plane to the Streets of Athens: How to Get from the Athens Airport to the City Center

Getting from the Athens International Airport to downtown Athens is most likely the first thing you’ll be asking about after your flight lands in our city. There are several ways you can reach downtown Athens from the airport. The best way depends on the time of your arrival, your destination in the city, and your budget.

To make things easier, we’ve put together this complete guide on how to get from the Athens Airport to the city center of Athens that includes all the possible ways to get to the city along with prices and timetables for each one and other helpful tips.

Keep reading to make sure that you arrive in Athens well-prepared.

Getting from Athens Airport to the City Center by Metro

The most popular choice among travelers is taking the metro from Athens Airport to downtown Athens. The metro station is right across the arrivals terminal; arriving there takes only a few minutes.

The metro (blue line) will take you directly to downtown Athens, running through central stations that include Syntagma, Monastiraki, Kerameikos, and Piraeus port at the end of the line. For an overview of public transportation in Athens, have a look here.

How to get to the metro station at the Athens Airport

The airport metro station (also called the “El. Venizelos” metro station) is located only a few minutes from the Athens Airport, at the Departures terminal level, one level above the Arrivals terminal. You can get to the metro station via a pedestrian bridge.

After you exit the arrivals area, you’ll have to cross the street (where all the taxis are). On the other side, you’ll find an escalator leading up to the bridge, which will take you to the metro station. From there, you can take the escalator to the metro platform below.

Important Note: Bear in mind that there are two kinds of trains departing from the same platform at the airport. One is the metro (blue line) that will take you to the city center, while the other is the suburban railway that will take you to the port of Piraeus. Make sure that you board the right one.

Where to buy tickets for the metro at the Athens Airport

You can get your metro tickets at the ticket booths located right outside the airport on the ground floor at the Arrivals level or at the automatic ticket machines you’ll find at the metro station after you cross the pedestrian bridge.

If you’re using the machines, select the Airport Ticket option. Tickets are valid for 90 minutes.

Getting from Athens Airport to the City Center by Bus

Taking the bus from the Athens Airport to downtown Athens might take a bit more time, but on the other hand, it’s the cheapest option and available 24/7, including national holidays.

The bus line that connects the airport with the city center is called “express airport bus X95” or simply X95. The X95 bus makes 19 stops before getting to Syntagma Square at the end of the line.

Depending on the time of day, the bus ride from the airport to Syntagma may take 50 minutes up to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

How to get to the X95 bus stop at the Athens Airport

The X95 bus stop is located at the Arrivals Terminal level, right between Exits 4 and 5. All you need to do is exit the airport after landing, and you’ll notice a blue sign with X95 written on it right next to a ticket booth. Usually, you’ll find quite a few people waiting nearby.

Where to buy tickets for the X95 express airport bus

You can buy your bus tickets at the kiosk right next to the bus stop outside the airport (see the image above). Bear in mind that the tickets are not activated by purchasing them. To validate your tickets, you must scan them at the machines inside the bus. After scanning, your tickets will be valid for 90 minutes.

Getting from Athens Airport to the City Center by Taxi

One of the most convenient options is a taxi from the airport to the city center. You’ll find an abundance of taxis available right outside the airport at the Arrivals level on the ground floor, no matter the time of day, all year round.

It’s important to know that there is a fixed price for taxi rides between the airport and the city center in Athens. This only applies to the standard taxis (the yellow ones).

However, outside the airport, you may find other vehicles owned by private transfer companies, which may charge much more for the same trip. Now, if you’re wondering whether you can use Uber or Lyft in Athens, you’ll find the answer here.

Taxi from Athens Airport to the City Center Price

As mentioned above, there is a fixed fee for trips to and from the airport in Athens. The price of a taxi trip from the Airport to the city center is 40€ during the day (from 5 am to midnight) and 55€ at night (from midnight to 5 am).

Keep in mind that the flat price only applies if you are traveling to or from the inner city. You will be asked to pay extra if you go to the suburbs or anywhere outside downtown Athens.

Important Note: Keep in mind that most taxis in Athens can only accept payment in cash.

Private Transfers from Athens Airport to the City Center

Booking a private transfer from the Athens Airport to the city center before you even land at the airport is the most convenient and safest way to reach the city without worrying about getting public transport tickets, finding an ATM, checking timetables, or even hailing a taxi.

Among all your private transfer options, we highly recommend booking through GetYourGuide, the popular travel platform.

Check out some excellent transfer services from reliable companies.

If you book a private transfer, an English-speaking driver will be waiting for you at the airport lobby, holding a sign with your name when your flight lands. In most cases, this will only cost a few euros extra. And the best part is that you can reserve a transfer now and cancel it up to 24 hours in advance to get a full refund.

Book a trained, English-speaking taxi driver to pick you up at the same price as a regular cab from the line

Comparison of all the ways you can get from Athens Airport to Downtown Athens

If you’re still uncertain of the best way to get from the Athens airport to the city center, you can find below a breakdown of all your options, including prices and availability.

	Availability	Trip Duration	Price in EUR	Average Waiting Time
Metro	06:30 to 23:35	50 minutes	9 per adult	20 minutes
Bus	24/7	1 hour	5.5 per adult	20 minutes
Taxi	24/7	30 minutes	40 during the day / 55 during the night	–
Private Transfer	24/7	30 minutes	Starting from 47	–

How to get from Athens Airport to the Acropolis

You have plenty of options if you plan to get directly from Athens Airport to the Acropolis. If you’re traveling by metro, get off at Syntagma metro station, change from the blue line to the red line, and ride for just one stop until you reach the Acropolis metro station.

If you’re traveling by the express airport bus X95, get off at Syntagma Square, hop on the metro (red line), and get off at the Acropolis metro station.

Finally, if you’re taking a taxi or a private transfer, ask the driver to take you directly to the car park on Rovertou Galli street, which is located right across the entrance to the Acropolis.

Local’s tip: If you’re planning to visit the Acropolis and all the other archaeological sites of Athens, we highly recommend booking a combined ticket that will allow you to skip the long queues at the city’s most popular attractions!

Getting from Athens International Airport to the city center might not be as simple as you’d think. After landing, you’ll have several options, including the metro, the bus, a taxi, or a private transfer. Make sure you go through our guide and choose the one that best suits your needs so that your trip to Athens starts in the most convenient way.

Featured Image Courtesy: wikimedia.org