How To Get From Athens Airport To The City Center 2026

Find out how to get from Athens Airport to the city, with all transport options available and different budgets in mind. Keep on reading to learn about Athens Airport taxis, transfers, and public transport.

Athens is one of the most underrated cities in Europe. Despite its wealth of historical attractions, some tourists often leave it as a second or third option, when it comes to visiting European capitals.

Others leave it out of the itinerary completely when planning a trip to Greece, and just use it as a point of connection, before taking a flight or a ferry to visit Santorini, travel to Milos, or go on a Greek Islands cruise.

Despite that, Athens received a total of 6.3 million visitors in 2019.  If you’re among the lucky tourists to visit the city, whether you’ll be island hopping or not, keep on reading as I’ll help you find out the best transport options to go from Athens Airport to the city center.

Before You Go

Book Your Accommodation in Athens

There are some fantastic hotels in Athens, many with amazing views of the Acropolis. Book your accommodation in Athens.

Buy Your Travel Insurance

If you’re traveling from overseas, you’ll need travel insurance. Only residents of Greece are entitled to free health care. So for peace of mind, having travel insurance is a must. Buy your travel insurance here.

Book Your Tours in Athens and Greece

There are many great things to do in Athens and the rest of Greece. Don’t miss out on some great tours in town and around. Check out some Athens tours with Get Your Guide or Viator.

Get an e-SIM to Arrive in Greece Connected

Buy a regular or an e-SIM card and connect to the internet as soon as you land in Greece. This is recommended if you don’t have an EU/EEA SIM card.

Athens Airport Arrivals: What You Should Know

Athens International Airport (IATA: ATH) or Eleftherios Venizelos Airport is located around 20.5 miles (33 kilometers) from the city center. Serving a total of 25 million passengers in 2021, it’s the busiest airport in Greece and the Balkans. It was completed in 2001, three years before the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Athens airport arrivals can connect to free wifi once in the terminal. If you’re traveling from within the Schengen Zone, you won’t be going through immigration.

However, if you’re traveling from the UK, the US, or another country outside the Schengen area, you will be going through immigration.

After going through Athens airport arrivals gate, you’ll find some cafes, shops, and car rental desks. There are also exchange bureaus as well as ATMs dispensing euros.

See Also: Things to do in Samos in one day

How To Get From Athens Airport To The City

When planning how to get from Athens airport to the city, one of the main things you may want to consider is your budget and convenience. Public transport from Athens airport to the city is very affordable. Considering the distance, taxi prices are not that expensive.

You can go from Athens Airport to the city center by taxi, private transfer, bus, metro or train. Below you’ll find more details on prices and how to use each option.

The cheapest way to get from Athens Airport to city: Bus at 6 euros per person

The fastest way to get from Athens Airport to the city center: transfer at 28 euros or taxi from 40 euros

Athens Airport Transfer

You can book an Athens airport transfer to the city to save time and avoid hassles. This is the most convenient way to get to Athens Downtown from the airport and is cheaper than taxis. By booking a transfer, your driver will be waiting for you in the arrivals hall with a sign with your name on it.

Sofia Airport transfers and other ways to get to the city

I usually book my transfers online on this website. Your hotel can also book your transfer at an extra fee. That will include the normal Athens Airport transfer price and an additional fee for booking the service.

The more expensive your hotel, the more your transfer will cost. I also used this company several times all over the world and I’m happy with the way they work.

The good thing about booking your Athens Airport transfer in advance is that you won’t have to look for taxi drivers.

You will also know the fare at the time of booking and pay for it online, avoiding any money transactions with the driver. This is especially good if you’re arriving from a country that doesn’t use the euro. If needed, you can also cancel your transfer a few hours before your arrival time.

Depending on which company you use, you may be contacted in advance by your driver, so you can arrange exactly where your driver will be waiting for you.

Price of Athens Airport Transfers

– Shared Transfer from 21 euros (4/5, with 132 reviews). Note that the driver will take several passengers to different hotels and it may take a while until you get to your accommodation.

Athens Airport Taxis

Taking airport taxis in most destinations is usually not a great experience. Athens Airport taxis are among the few exceptions. These are modern air-conditioned taxis and will take you door-to-door, like the private transfers.

The disadvantage of taking a taxi from Athens Airport to the city center, compared to a transfer, is that you’ll have to look for a cab. You will also be dealing with money as soon as you arrive in a new country.

To take a taxi at Athens Airport, just follow the signs. You’ll find the yellow Athens Airport taxi rank outside exit gate 2, from the arrivals hall. Most drivers speak good English and they are very friendly.

Athens Airport Taxi Prices

Taxis from Athens Airport to the city center have a fixed price, as follows:

From midnight to 5am: 55 euros

Athens Airport Metro To City

If you want to save money, you can also take the Athens Airport metro to the city center. The metro station is located right opposite the airport itself. It is connected to the terminal by an airbridge.

To go from Athen Airport to the city by metro, you must buy your ticket before boarding. The machines are located in the metro station terminal and you can use cash or card.

The metro ticket to go from Athens International Airport to the city costs 10 euros per person. So if you’re in a party of 3 or more, you’re better off booking a private transfer, which will turn out to be much cheaper than the metro. And, of course, much more convenient.

The journey from the airport to Central Athens takes around one hour. If you’re traveling at peak times, it may get very busy, whether you’re going from the airport to the city or from Central Athens to the airport.

Bus From Athens Airport To The City Center

Taking a bus is the cheapest way from Athens Airport to the city center. As you can imagine, it will also entail walking from the bus stop to your accommodation or taking a taxi.

The Athens Airport bus stop is on the arrivals level, between exit gates 4 and 5.

The buses run every 40 minutes 24/7 and the journey takes around one hour, depending on traffic.

To get to Syntagma Square, in Central Athens, take airport bus X95.

Uber From Athens Airport To The City

If you prefer, you can also book an Uber to get to Athens from the airport. However, this is not the best option, since the ride will be more expensive than a private transfer and a taxi.

The Athens Airport Uber service is operated by regular yellow taxis.

Accommodation In Athens

Athens has several great hotels. When booking your accommodation in Athens, you’re better off choosing a centrally located hotel or apartment. The city’s main square is called Syntagma Square and it’s right by the parliament.

From there, you can get to many other places by foot or by metro. Many Athens hotels have great views of the Acropolis, which is a great bonus.

These are Travelwithpedro’s top hotel picks in Athens.

NVJ Athens Plaza Hotel

Located right on Syntagma Square, NVJ Athens Plaza is a 5-star hotel, a member of Preferred Hotels. It offers comfortable rooms with luxury decor and lots of natural light and great service, in addition to the great location. Some of the suites have unobstructed views of the Acropolis. The hotel is rated 8.5/10 by Booking.com guests. Room rates start at 200 euros per night.

Check their rates and availability on Booking.com, or check guest reviews on TripAdvisor.

24K Athena Suites

24K Athena Suites is located only 200 yards from Monastiraki Square, one of the hippest areas in Athens. In Monastiraki, you have many great cafes, restaurants, and a thriving art and cultural scene.

All apartments at 24K Athena Suites are equipped with air-conditioning, a living room, and a kitchenette. Suite prices start at 95 euros per night and it is rated 9.1/10 by Booking.com guests.

Check rates and availability on Booking.com, or check guest reviews on TripAdvisor.

Please remember that any schedule on this post – and any other post here – is subject to change and I won’t necessarily be able to keep up with their updates. 🙂