Athens Airport: Getting to and from the City 

1. The Bus: Economical and Reliable 

Three bus routes connect Athens International Airport, located in the northeastern suburbs, with the Greek capital: 

• X95 will take you directly to the city’s main square, Syntagma, near the central metro station of the same name, which is on both the Blue and Red lines. The bus schedule can be found here
• X96 goes to Piraeus Port, from where ferries depart for almost all Greek islands. The bus schedule can be found here
•  X97 heads to Athens' southern suburbs, with its final stop in the Ellinikon area, close to the Aegean Sea coast. The bus schedule can be found here

This method of transport from the airport to the city is perfect if you’re on a budget or if you arrive late at night when the metro is closed and taxis have switched to their night tariff (and the night tariff for a taxi from the airport to Athens is one of the most common causes of bankruptcy for Greek citizens!). 

 All three buses stop directly outside the arrivals hall, and tickets (€6) can be bought from multilingual vending machines or at the ticket office by the bus stop. 

2. The Metro: Smooth and Guaranteed Air-Conditioning

The Blue Line of the Athens Metro starts right here, directly opposite the airport building, where the attractive and modern “Aerodromio” station is located. It passes through the city centre (specifically, Syntagma and Monastiraki squares) to Piraeus Port. A ticket for the train from the airport to the city costs €10 and must be validated both when entering and exiting the metro. The train carriages are air-conditioned (which, unlike the buses, is guaranteed to be working) and have special racks for your luggage. My only word of caution if you plan to use the Athens Metro is this: keep your belongings in sight and under no circumstances put your wallets, phones, or documents in your back pockets. While the Blue and Red lines of the Athens Metro are much cleaner, more modern, and more convenient than the oldest Green Line, this is still pickpocket territory. Metro tickets can be purchased from multilingual vending machines in the station building, which you reach by walking along a long elevated walkway. The entrance to this walkway is directly above the arrivals hall: you need to exit the airport building, cross the road, and go up the escalator. Follow the clear signs, and you won’t get lost.

The first metro train from the airport departs at 6:10 am and the last one at 11:34 pm. The interval throughout the day is 36 minutes.

3. Taxis: Comfortable, Direct, but There’s a Catch

A daytime taxi fare is around €50, which includes luggage, potential traffic jams, background music, and a charming chat with your driver. They’ll undoubtedly ask you about every aspect of your life, offer a dozen invaluable tips on visiting Athens' main attractions (where, naturally, their cousins, nephews, godchildren, neighbours, and former army buddies all work), and without a doubt, provide the driver’s personal commentary on the economic and political situation in Greece and the world. However, you might be able to avoid the latter if you order a taxi using the app, which you can download here:

Free Now app. 

You can also use this app to pay the taxi driver by card, which is very handy if you haven’t managed to get any European cash yet. 

4. Private Transfer: Welcome, Mr. and Mrs. Smith 

You can book this either through your hotel or with a third-party company before you even arrive in Athens. As expected, you’ll be met with a sign bearing your name in the arrivals area, a helpful driver will load your bags into the car, and all that’s left for you to do is recline on the leather seats with the air conditioning on, watching the Attic plains and rocky “pampas” drift by behind the tinted windows. Typical transfer prices from the airport to the city are as follows: 

•  Up to 3 people — €60      

• Minivan for 6-7 people — about €100.     
  

5. Rent a Car or Something More Interesting 

If you’re planning to explore Attica or go beyond Athens, renting a car can be a great move. Total freedom, like the breeze up at Cape Sounion.

That said, parking in Athens is… well, let’s say ambitious. Check if your hotel offers a parking spot—it can make a world of difference.

If you served in the Marines or a Scottish Highlander regiment and the word “impossible” sounds like a challenge, and Tabasco sauce is merely eyedrops for you, then this method might be your preferred choice. At the airport, you can rent a car via car-sharing and then leave it wherever is convenient in the city. But remember, driving on Athenian streets is nothing like a roller coaster, and for an inexperienced driver, this experience can cause an adrenaline rush comparable, perhaps, to a stratospheric skydive (eternal memory to Felix Baumgartner). Furthermore, as Forrest Gump’s mother used to say: “Life is like traffic in Athens: you never know for sure which street will be two-way.”

But if even that seems too simple, then for you specifically, there’s bicycle rental available at the airport. The journey from the arrivals hall to Athens' main square, Syntagma, along the winding city roads can be quite long (33 kilometres or 20 miles), and the weather can be mercilessly hot and unprincipledly sunny (up to +45°C or +113°F), so be a hero consciously and responsibly. Please.

Of course, technically, there are many more ways to get from Athens Airport to the city, but far from all of them are legal, and most are more suited for an action movie than for real life, especially if you’re travelling with bulky luggage, family, and children. And if you truly want to get to know the Greek capital, discover its most gentle, personal, and little-known sides, and see this city through the eyes of a real local, then my guide can become a true key to the hearts of Athenians and to what makes this ancient, contradictory, complex city truly unforgettable. 

Next stop: Athens.

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This transport guide is just a glimpse of the in-depth, authentic experience I offer. My full travel guides provide detailed itineraries, historical insights, and local secrets to ensure your Athens trip is unforgettable.