How to Get Around Athens

How transport works in Athens

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.

Your options compared

• 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.

Passes and tickets

24h AthenaTicket €4.10 (unlimited transit including airport bus X95); 3-day tourist ticket €20 includes airport metro.

Local transport tips

Metro Line 3 (blue, airport line) is the pickpocket hotspot — keep bags in front and phones in inner pockets.

Arriving from the airport

• Athens Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH)

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

Do you need a rental car?

Inside Athens a car is usually a liability — parking and traffic cost more than transit. A rental earns its keep for day trips and regional drives, so compare rates only for the days you actually leave the city.