Athens Airport Transfers: Getting from the Airport to the City

Airports serving Athens

• Athens Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH) — 30 km from the centre

  Metro Line 3 to Syntagma in ~40 min (€9); X95 express bus €5.50 (~60 min); taxi flat €40 day / €55 night.

Arriving by train

Athens Larissa station runs OSE trains to Thessaloniki (~4h30) and connections to European rail via Belgrade/Sofia. Piraeus (metro Line 1) is the main ferry port for the Cyclades (Mykonos, Santorini), Crete and Dodecanese; Rafina serves the northern Cyclades.

Entry and arrival formalities

Schengen external-border checks at ATH; expect longer lines in summer.

Greece is in the Schengen Area. Many nationalities enter visa-free for 90 days per 180; ETIAS pre-authorisation applies once launched. Others need a Schengen short-stay visa.

Getting into the city

Metro Line 3 links the airport (ATH) to Syntagma in ~40 min for €9. Three metro lines plus trams and buses cover the centre; a 24h AthenaTicket is €4.10. The historic centre (Plaka, Monastiraki, Acropolis, Syntagma) is walkable end-to-end in 30 minutes. Uber-Taxi and Beat are cheap and metered.

• Metro

  3 lines running ~05:30–00:30 (24h Fri/Sat); Line 3 covers airport + port.

• Tram

  Coastal line to Piraeus and Voula beaches — useful in summer.

• Bus & trolley

  Dense network; 90-min transfer ticket €1.20.

• Taxi & rideshare

  Beat (owned by FreeNow) and Uber-Taxi are metered, cheap and English-friendly.