Getting around Athens

Metro

Line 1 (green) runs from Piraeus through Thiseio and Monastiraki to Kifisia; line 2 (red) stops at Akropoli and Syntagma; line 3 (blue) links Monastiraki and Syntagma with the airport. Trains are frequent and air-conditioned.

Buy a reloadable ATH.ENA card or ticket, validate it at the gates and keep it until you leave the station.

Tram

The tram runs from central Athens down to the coast at Palaio Faliro and along the shore towards Glyfada and Voula, giving access to the Riviera beaches and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center.

Walking

The car-free Dionysiou Areopagitou and Apostolou Pavlou promenades link the Acropolis Museum, the Acropolis entrance, Thiseio and Monastiraki. Expect uneven marble paving and little shade.

Bus

Buses and trolleybuses fill gaps in the metro network, and the X95 express bus runs between Syntagma and the airport around the clock.

Taxi

Yellow taxis are plentiful and fairly inexpensive; they run on the meter in the city and can be hailed in the street or booked through apps that dispatch licensed taxis.

A flat fare applies between the airport and the centre, with a higher night rate; confirm it before setting off.

Ferry

Ferries and fast catamarans to the Saronic islands and the Cyclades leave from Piraeus, at the end of metro line 1, and from Rafina, east of the airport.

3-day tourist ticket

Unlimited travel on the metro, tram and buses for three days, including one round trip to the airport by metro or express bus.

Combined archaeological ticket

A combined ticket valid over several days has long been sold for the Acropolis plus the Ancient Agora, Roman Agora, Hadrian's Library, Kerameikos and the Temple of Olympian Zeus.