Travelling to the Greek islands -Athens airport & ports FAQs

A GREEK’S GUIDE TO GREECE

last updated: May 2023

So, you have found yourself in Athens, ready to continue your journey to the Greek islands! Congrats! You are about to immerse yourself in one of the quintessential experiences that define summer in Greece. In the very likely event that your excitement is overpowered by feelings of overwhelm due to the logistics involved, fear not! Allow me to guide you, seamlessly and effortlessly, from your plane to your boat, and back.

This blog post covers everything you need to know about Athens International Airport, Piraeus and the rest of the Athenian ports and how to plan your transit to the Greek islands.

Let’s begin!

ABOUT ATHENS TAXIS & PUBLIC TRANSPORT

WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ATHENS TAXIS?

In Athens, official taxis are yellow and have a TAXI or TΑΞΙ (in Greek) sign on the roof. Yellow taxis are reasonably priced, safe and a popular way of getting around for tourists and locals alike.

There are always plenty of taxis waiting outside the arrivals hall at the airport. In Piraeus, there are several taxi ranks and in Rafina and Lavrio, you should be able to get a taxi upon boat arrival. Hailing a taxi in central Athens should not be difficult either.

A few things to note:

• Card payments are not that common so make sure to have cash. If you wish to pay by card, check with the driver before getting in.
• A taxi driver may ask you to pick up other passengers as well. This is very common but you have the right to refuse.
• By law, you should get a receipt at the end of your ride.
• Tipping the driver is not mandatory.
• Uber exists in Greece though it is not as ever-present (or loved) as it is in other countries. Some of my Athenian friends use the FREE NOW app instead (formerly known as BEAT). I have not personally used it but I am told that it is reliable and you can choose to pay by card or cash.

WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT PUBLIC TRANSPORT IN ATHENS?

Athens Metro is fairly new, so, it is spacious, efficient and well laid out. In fact, some of the Metro stations in the city centre are quite impressive as the ancient artefacts discovered during construction works have been displayed quite cleverly.

On the flip side, in some parts of the wider public transport network, the infrastructure or clientele may not be very glamorous. Keep an eye on your belongings and beware of pickpockets. Other than that, public transport in Athens is safe.

One last thing you may be wondering about. Strikes in Greece do happen more frequently than other European countries but they are not as frequent as foreign media will have you believe!

WHAT ABOUT RUSH HOUR IN ATHENS?

When planning your journey from your Athens accommodation or the airport to any one of the ports, bear in mind that you are likely to experience road traffic and crowded conditions in public transport during rush hour (beginning / end of a typical working day), similar to most large European capital cities. From experience, Saturday road traffic is significant too!

Allow, at least, an extra 20-30mins travel time if you are travelling during the above mentioned peak times.

ABOUT ATHENS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Athens International Airport (AKA Eleftherios Venizelos Airport) is Athens’ one and only airport and your gateway to all Greek islands accessible by plane. It is located about 35km (22 miles) east of central Athens.

The airport hosts both domestic and international flights. It is large but, not ridiculously so. It is modern and fitted out with a very good selection of shops, restaurants and cafés. There is also a good amount of seating areas indoors and outdoors and at the gates. It is open 24/7, so you can definitely wait at the airport if you are travelling on a flight early in the morning.

HOW DO I GET FROM ATHENS AIRPORT TO THE PORTS OF PIRAEUS / RAFINA / LAVRIO ?

Further in this blog post, I talk about each and every one of Athens’ ports and how to get there from the airport.

HOW DO I GET FROM ATHENS AIRPORT TO THE CITY CENTRE?

From the airport, there are three options to get to central Athens:

• By car / taxi:
  It is approximately a 45-60min drive from Athens International Airport to central Athens (Syntagma square / Acropolis / Monastiraki). Bear in mind that there are flat taxi rates between the airport and the city centre inner ring*.
  
  
• By bus:
  There are four Airport Express Bus lines operating on a 24-hour basis. One of these four is X95 which connects the airport to Syntagma in approximately 60min, departing every 15-20min. Transport for Athens’ real time information for buses will help plan your journey on the day.
  
  
• By Metro:
  The airport is at the end of line M3 (blue line). Journeys to and from the airport are scheduled every 30min (approx), seven days a week. For reference, Airport – Syntagma is about a 40min train ride. Refer to Athens Metro map as well as the schedule of Metro services (stasy.gr) for first and last trains and the exact timetable.
  
  

*This is the best I could do in finding a map for the ‘Athens city centre inner ring’ -I have not created this map nor is this an official one.

IF THERE IS A GAP BETWEEN MY FLIGHT AND MY BOAT, SHOULD I WAIT AT THE AIRPORT OR THE PORT?

It depends. If your flight arrives late at night and your boat leaves first thing in the morning, I would say definitely the airport. There are a lot of seating areas and cafés in Athens International Airport both at the departures and the arrivals areas, indoors and outdoors. The airport is open and fairly busy 24/7. I have done this several times while travelling from London as both British Airways and Aegean Airlines operate Friday night flights to Athens. Most passenger boats, especially catamarans, leave Piraeus early in the morning. It is tiring, but you do end up saving a lot of precious day time!

If you find yourself having to spend a full night in Athens, yet you do not wish to brave the city centre, you have plenty of options. There is a 5* Sofitel hotel located opposite the main terminal of the airport. You will also be able to find hotels in Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio.

I will talk about things to do if you have a gap between your flight and your boat during the day later on in this blog post, in the respective port sections.

HOW MANY PASSENGER PORTS ARE THERE IN ATHENS?

There are 3 ports within the greater metropolitan area of Athens:

• Piraeus
• Rafina
• Lavrio

They all operate boat services to the islands of the southern Aegean Sea (Cyclades, Dodecanese, Argosaronic islands, Kythira, Crete) and even to some of the islands of the northeastern Aegean Sea (such as Samos, Ikaria, Limnos, Lesbos etc).

In all likelihood, your boat will be leaving from Piraeus as it is, by far, the largest port in the country. However, for many islands, departing from Rafina or Lavrio makes more sense (route-wise) so, you have done nothing wrong if you have booked a boat departing from there!

It is worth mentioning that Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio are not just ports. They are small towns with ports (with the same name). Geographically, Piraeus is completely attached to the southwestern neighbourhoods of Athens. Rafina and Lavrio are closer to Athens airport than central Athens.

Below you will find useful information and tips about each port and how to get there.

HOW LONG BEFORE DEPARTURE SHOULD I BE AT THE PORT?

In my experience, you really only need to be at the quay (gate) about 15-20mins before departure time unless instructed otherwise. Boarding is usually fairly speedy, especially if you are travelling by catamaran with a reduced or no vehicle carrying capacity.

However, if you are unfamiliar with the port (Piraeus is huge) and you have a lot of luggage (which you will need to carry around), I’d say not to leave things till the last minute! Especially if you have booked your tickets online and need to pick them up at the port, allow for a bit of extra time, say another 30min or so, in case of a queue at the ticket office.

One of the great joys of travelling by boat is that you don’t have to wait around for too long, like you do at the airport. Nevertheless, I would still suggest to have your hat, suncream and bottle of water within easy reach; the available shaded space is usually not enough.

ABOUT THE PORT OF PIRAEUS

Apart from Greece’s largest port, Piraeus is Europe’s largest passenger port. Therefore, allow a bit of time to find your quay / gate, which is noted on your ticket. If you are arriving by taxi, let your driver know; he/she might be able to drop you off near your exact departure point. Alternatively, there is a shuttle bus operated by the Piraeus Port Authority offering free transport within the port. The bus departs from the port’s main entrance which is located close to Piraeus metro & train stations.

Check out this very useful map of Piraeus port by Ferryhopper and you’ll understand what I am talking about!

Note that it is likely that the Greeklish word ‘Peiraias’ is used instead of English Pireaus to name the port. You can come across this when researching online or when you are actually there, on street signs etc.

HOW DO I GET FROM ATHENS AIRPORT TO PIRAEUS?

There are four ways to travel between Piraeus and Athens International Airport:

• By car / taxi:
  From Athens International Airport, it is approximately a 60min drive to get to the port of Piraeus. Taxi fare is fairly reasonable in Athens compared to other European capital cities. Refer to the official port of Piraeus website for its useful table of estimated taxi fares and tips.
  
  
• By Metro:
  There is a direct route via metro line M3 (blue line) from Athens Airport to Piraeus with trains departing every 30min (approx). The trip takes about 60min. Check out Athens Metro map and the schedule of Metro services (stasy.gr).
  
  
• By Suburban Railway (‘Proastiakos’):
  This is a direct train which departs every hour and the journey takes 60min. Refer to the Athens Suburban Railway map and the schedule of Suburban Railway services (scroll all the way down to get the timetable) to plan your journey.
  
  
• By bus:
  Bus route X96 is a direct 24/7 service with buses departing every 20-30minutes. The journey takes approximately 90min (or less depending on traffic). Transport for Athens’ real time information for buses may prove useful.

HOW DO I GET FROM CENTRAL ATHENS TO PIRAEUS?

There are three ways to travel between Piraeus and central Athens:

• By car / taxi:
  From central Athens (Syntagma square / Acropolis / Monastiraki), it is approximately a 30min drive to get to Piraeus. Refer to the official port of Piraeus website for its useful table of estimated taxi fares and tips.
  
  
• By Metro:
  Piraeus station is the end of line M1 (green line) with trains running every 5-15mins, depending on the time of day. For reference, Monastiraki – Piraeus is about a 20min train ride. Piraeus is now also connected to line M3 (blue line) which can get you to Syntagma square in 20mins (trains run every 5-15mins). From there, the Acropolis can be reached via a quick change of trains. Refer to Athens Metro map as well as Urban Rail Transport for first and last trains and other information.
  
  
• By bus:
  There are plenty of bus services that connect Piraeus to Athens, most notably 040 (more frequent / crowded) and X80 (faster / geared towards visitors). Probably the easiest way to find how to get to Piraeus from where you are or vice versa is to have a look at Google Maps. Transport for Athens’ real time information for buses could help out as well.

HOW CAN I GET TICKETS & PLAN A JOURNEY TO / FROM PIRAEUS?

In summary, Transport for Athens (OASA.gr) is the first port of call regarding all means of public transport in Athens. Even though it is responsible for operating Athens’ buses, its pages about ticket types and prices and useful information for visitors are particularly helpful for all means of public transport because of the combined ticket system that covers all.

As an FYI, Urban Rail Transport (stasy.gr) operates Athens Metro and Tram lines. TrainOSE (trainose.gr) operates Athens Suburban Railway along with most interregional trains in Greece. I have already linked directly to the most useful pages of these websites, in the relevant sections above.

WHAT CAN I DO IF THERE IS A GAP BETWEEN MY FLIGHT & BOAT?

If you have a couple of hours to kill between your flight and boat journey during the day and you are travelling light, I would recommend venturing a bit further from the port to Faliro bay. More specifically to:

• Marina Zeas (AKA Pasalimani):
  A 20min walk from Piraeus station, this private boat mooring spot is lined with low key cafés and eateries. I have had many an iced coffee here, with my suitcase, waiting it out before its time to head to the airport. Once it is time to head to the airport, you will have to either head back to Piraeus station or get to bus stop ‘Ypourgeio’ to get on a X96 bus. I hailed a taxi but it took me a while to find one.
  
  
• Mikrolimano:
  A 30min walk from Piraeus station, this cute bay is lined with upscale restaurants and sailing club style cafés and bars. If you are in the mood and have the time to live it up, I would recommend famous Varoulko Seaside Restaurant; we had an amazing dinner with fresh fish last time I visited (not on my way to the airport though!). Once it is time to head to the airport, you will have to either head back to Piraeus station, get to bus stop ‘Tzavella’ to catch the X96 bus or hail a taxi.

SPENDING A FEW HOURS IN MONASTIRAKI

If you have even more time to kill, then why not cut the Metro journey in two and spend a few hours exploring Monastiraki? This is one of the top destinations to explore while in Athens. Monastiraki’s landmarks include the ruins of Hadrian’s Library, the Ancient Agora and Stoa of Attalos. There is a famous flea market where you can buy artisanal soaps, handmade leather sandals and souvenirs. The surrounding streets are crammed with tavernas and restaurants, many with views of the Acropolis. This little detour will work best, though, if you are travelling light.

ABOUT THE PORT OF RAFINA

The port of Rafina is located approximately 30km (19 miles) east of central Athens and 15km (9 miles) from Athens International Airport. The compact layout and lesser crowds in Rafina combined with quick driving times from the airport create a great opportunity for quick Greek island breaks via Athens.

You are most likely to find yourself catching a boat from Rafina if you are travelling to northeastern Cycladic islands such as Andros, Tinos, Syros and Mykonos. Geographically and logistically, it makes perfect sense to choose Rafina over Piraeus for these destinations. There are plenty of other routes too, though.

The port of Rafina is a lot smaller than Piraeus, there is only one large terminal capable of hosting several vessels. Ferries are easily reached on foot, as the pier is located a few meters from the entrance of the port. Compared to Piraeus, Rafina is also closer to Athens airport and, as a rule of thumb, less busy, although, on weekends during high summer, this port could get hectic too.

In Rafina, there are plenty of restaurants, cafés and tavernas near the port where you can kill an hour or two before your boat departs.

HOW DO I GET FROM ATHENS AIRPORT TO RAFINA & BACK?

There are two ways to travel between Rafina and Athens International Airport:

• By car / taxi:
  It only takes a 20-30min drive to get to the port of Rafina from Athens International Airport. The cost of a taxi is around 35€ during the day and around 50€ with the night charge (00:00-05:00) -these are approximate values.
  
  
• By bus:
  There is a direct bus service between Athens airport and Rafina; it is operated by regional bus service ‘KTEL Attikis’. The bus departs from the Arrivals Level, opposite Sofitel. The journey takes about 30-40mins. There is a timetable posted online but I would recommend calling them (old school, I know, but you should be able to get hold of an English speaker). They usually operate more routes in high season and schedules are subject to change.
  
  

ABOUT THE PORT OF LAVRIO

Lavrio is located on the southeast tip of Attica, about 60km (37 miles) south from central Athens and 40km (25 miles) from Athens International Airport. Due to its location, Lavrio serves as a gateway to Kea and Kythnos islands as well as some of the islands in the northeastern Aegean Sea (such as Limnos).

The port is located right next to the town of Lavrio so you can find cafés, restaurants and shops within walking distance. The bus terminal of KTEL Attikis is also located at the centre of the town, about a 20min walk from the port piers.

If you have a car and some free time before your boat departs, I would definitely recommend taking the 20min drive to the archaeological site in nearby Sounio. It’s a doric style temple dedicated to sea god Poseidon strategically built on the cliff edge of the cape overlooking the sea. The location, strong winds and the ruins of the ancient temple of Poseidon create a truly breathtaking scenery.

HOW DO I GET FROM ATHENS AIRPORT TO LAVRIO & BACK?

There are two ways to travel between Lavrio and Athens International Airport:

• By car / taxi:
  It takes about 30min to drive to the port of Lavrio from Athens International Airport. The cost of a taxi is around 35€ during the day and around 50€ with the night charge (00:00-05:00) -these are approximate values.
  
  
• By bus:
  Regional bus service ‘KTEL Attikis’ have an indirect service between Athens airport and Lavrio. Honestly, I have done almost all the routes I have talked about in this blog post but I have never done this one. For me, it is too much of an inconvenience to change buses midway on an otherwise short route. So, I would probably bite the bullet and pay for the taxi. Also, as I mentioned previously, the website of KTEL Attikis is not very user friendly, so, I would recommend calling them instead (they should be able to put you through to someone who speaks English).
  
  

FINAL THOUGHTS

That was not that bad, was it? If you still have questions about Athens airport and the ports, just get in touch! Also, make sure to check out the rest of A Greek’s Guide to Greece for more information on how to easily plan and get more out of your trip to Greece. The point of this series of blog posts is for you to experience my home country a little less like a tourist, a bit more like a local and in the style that suits a citizen of the world like you. Now hurry, you have a boat to catch!