The Ultimate Guide to Navigating the Ports of Athens: Piraeus – Rafina – Lavrio
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The Piraeus Port: The Largest of The Ports of Athens
Being the most famous of the ports of Athens, the largest port in Greece, and one of the largest in Europe, the Piraeus Port serves around 20 million passengers annually.
Situated in the Saronic Gulf, the port of Piraeus links the mainland with the Aegean islands, the Northern Aegean, Crete, the Dodecanese, and the Saronic Gulf.
Courtesy: Athens By Locals
The Passenger port is divided into several areas where coastal and cruise ships dock.
You can find an overview of the different sections of the port of Piraeus below:
- Ships from Piraeus to the Cyclades: Gates E6, E7, E9, E10.
- Ships from Piraeus to Northern Aegean: Gates E2, E9, E10.
- Ships from Piraeus to Crete: Gates E2, E3, E6, E7.
- Ships from Piraeus to the Dodecanese: Gate E1.
- Ships from Piraeus to the Saronic Gulf: Gate E8.
- Cruise Ships dock at Gates E11 and E12.
Athens City Center: Transportation to and from the Port of Piraeus
By Metro:
You can easily reach the Piraeus port via the metro from the city center of Athens (green and blue line). The metro ticket costs €1.40 and is valid for 90 minutes. The ride to Piraeus from Omonia lasts around 30 minutes.
Courtesy: Tilemahos Efthimiadis / flickr.com
By Bus:
Two bus lines connect the Port of Piraeus to Athens city center.
- The 24-hour 040 bus line departs from Syntagma with direction to Piraeus. The route lasts around 40 minutes and passengers heading to the port must disembark at Korai Square bus stop. The ticket costs €1.20.
- X80 (Piraeus-Akropolis-Syntagma Express) is an express bus line that operates only during the summer months and links the city center with the Port of Piraeus. The route lasts 30 minutes, and the ticket price is €5,50 (only valid one-way).
Note: Remember that tickets are not sold on the bus and you must purchase them beforehand.
By Taxi:
A taxi drive from or to Piraeus port from Athens city center lasts around 35 minutes and it costs €25 by day (05:00 – 24:00) and €38 by night (00:00 – 05:00). There are 13 taxi stations around the Port of Piraeus which means that there are always numerous available taxis. However, as passenger traffic increases during the peak season, finding a taxi at the port in the summer months may become more complex. Pre-book a taxi (check here some taxi services we’ve already picked for you) or with one of the numerous private taxi companies.
Transport companies:
Several transport companies are providing comfortable, customized transfers from the port of Piraeus. Prices vary depending on the destination, the car type, and the company.
Note: Uber and Lyft are not operated in Athens. Read here for more info.
Transfer from and to the Port of Piraeus, Athens International Airport (ATH)
By Metro:
Athens International Airport is 45 kilometers from the Port of Piraeus. Getting to Athens International Airport from the Port of Piraeus by metro is quite easy. All you need to do is get to the metro station across the street from the airport’s entrance and hop on the metro that connects the airport to the city center and the port of Piraeus (blue line). The trip lasts around 1 hour and the ticket costs €9 one-way or €16 for a round trip. The metro departs from Athens International Airport every 30’ minutes. Remember that the metro service operates from 5:30 in the morning to midnight.
By Bus:
Bus line X96 links Athens International Airport with the Port of Piraeus. It’s an express bus operating on a 24-hour basis, departing between 20 and 40 minutes depending on time, day, and season. The ticket costs €5.5; the trip lasts around 1 hour and 30 minutes, depending on the traffic.
By Taxi:
A taxi ride from Athens International Airport to Piraeus costs €54 in the daytime (05:00 – 24:00) and €70 at night (00:00 – 05:00).
Tickets for Ferries:
Ferry port agents can be found in and around the Port of Piraeus and are available to provide passengers with printed ferry tickets.
Other Information:
The Port of Piraeus features four air-conditioned passenger terminals equipped with refreshment rooms, WC for disabled travelers, baby changing rooms, and ticket offices. Buses operate in the port, transferring passengers between Gate E1 and Gate E5 free of charge.
The Port of Rafina
The Port of Rafina is located in the Municipality of Rafina – Pikermi on the eastern coast of Attica, around 30 kilometers from Athens’ city center.
It has 13 berths, serving ferries to the Cycladic Islands (Andros, Tinos, Mykonos, Paros, Naxos, Amorgos, Ios, Santorini, Koufonisia) and to the southern part of Evia. Rafina port is the second busiest port in Attica.
Transfer to and from the Port of Rafina, Athens City Center
By Bus:
Regional buses to the Port of Rafina depart every 45 minutes from Pedion Areos (see map), which is situated in Athens city center. The ride lasts approximately 70 minutes and the ticket costs a little less than €3.
By Taxi:
A taxi ride to the Port of Rafina from Athens’s city center costs around €40 in the daytime (05:00 – 24:00) and €50 at night (00:00 – 05:00), depending on the traffic.
Transfer from and to the Port of Rafina, Athens International Airport (ATH)
The port town of Rafina is situated 16 kilometers from Athens International Airport and with normal traffic, it takes a 20-minute drive to get there. Therefore, many travelers on a layover choose to book accommodation in one of the area’s numerous hotels.
By Bus:
Regional buses (KTEL) to the port of Rafina depart from Athens International Airport at the arrivals level between Exits 2 and 3. The trip lasts around 30 minutes and the ticket price is €4. Passengers on regional buses can purchase their tickets on the bus.
By Taxi:
A taxi ride from Athens International Airport to the Port of Rafina costs €53 during the day and €62 at night and it lasts approximately 20 minutes.
Parking space:
The Port of Rafina has one parking space with a capacity of 160 vehicles that operates all year round and two parking spaces close to the port, open only during the summer months.
The Port of Lavrio
The Port of Lavrio is located on the southeast coast of the Attica peninsula, 60 kilometers from Athens city center and 35 kilometers from Athens International Airport.
Courtesy: Rab Lawrence /flickr.com
Lavrio port serves ferries to Kavala, Kea, Kythnos, Syros, Naxos, Paros, Milos, Ios, Kimolos, Sikinos, Folegandros, and the eastern Aegean islands of Limnos and Agios Efstratios.
Transfer from and to the Port of Lavrio, Athens City center
By Bus:
Regional buses to the Port of Lavrio depart from the Nomismatokopio metro station (blue line), a few steps away from Syntagma. The ride lasts approximately two hours and the ticket costs €5.30.
By Taxi:
A taxi ride to the Port of Lavrio from Athens city center costs around €65 in the daytime (05:00 – 24:00) and €80 at night time (00:00 – 05:00), and it lasts around 1 hour and 30 minutes depending on the traffic.
Transfer from and to the Port of Lavrio, Athens International Airport
By Bus:
Regional buses (KTEL) to the port of Lavrio depart from Athens International Airport at the arrivals level between Exits 2 and 3. The trip lasts around 60 minutes and the ticket price is €4. Passengers must change buses at the Markopoulo area. Tickets can be purchased on the bus.
By Taxi:
A taxi ride from Athens International Airport to the Port of Lavrio costs €50 (05:00 – 24:00) in the day and €70 at night (00:00 – 05:00) and it lasts approximately 30 minutes.
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