Greece - Korina Miller [106]
Suburban rail services also go from the airport to Piraeus (change trains at Nerantziotissa) and Kiato in the Peloponnese (via Corinth).
TAXI
Unfortunately, catching a taxi from the airport can often involve an argument about the fare (Click here for the full rundown).
Check that the meter is set to the correct tariff. You will also have to pay a €3.40 airport surcharge and a €2.70 toll for using the toll road, as well as €0.35 for each piece of luggage over 10kg. Fares vary depending on traffic, but expect to pay from €25 to €30 from the airport to the city centre, and €30 to Piraeus. Most drivers will add the tip, so it can be worth checking the breakdown before adding any extra. Both trips should take no longer than an hour. If you have any problems, do not hesitate to threaten to involve the police.
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TRAINS FOR PELOPONNESE
TRAINS FOR NORTHERN GREECE & EVIA
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Car & Motorcycle
While the metro, the Attiki Odos and a new network of ring roads have helped ease Athens’ notorious traffic congestion, it can still be a nightmarish city to drive in. Heavy traffic, confusing signposting, impatient drivers and one-way streets in the city centre make driving a challenge.
Drivers have a cavalier attitude towards road laws and parking restrictions. Athens’ kerbs and car parks are insufficient for the number of cars in the city (more than two million in Attica), prompting Athenians to develop ruthless and creative parking techniques. Contrary to what you will see, parking is actually illegal alongside kerbs marked with yellow lines, on pavements and in pedestrian malls. There are now paid parking areas, with tickets available from kiosks.
For details of rental agencies in Athens, Click here.
Public Transport
Athens has an extensive and inexpensive integrated public transport network of buses, metro, trolleybuses and tram.
Athens Urban Transport Organisation (OASA; 185; www.oasa.gr; Metsovou 15, Exarhia/Mouseio; 6.30am-11.30pm Mon-Fri, 7.30am-10.30pm Sat & Sun) can assist with most inquiries. Transport maps can be downloaded from its website and are also available at the airport, at train stations and from the organisation’s head office near the National Archaeological Museum.
A €1 ticket can be used on the entire Athens urban transport network, including the suburban rail (except airport services), and is valid for 90 minutes. There is also a daily €3 ticket valid for 24 hours, and a weekly €10 ticket with the same restrictions on airport travel. There’s also a new €15 tourist ticket (boxed text).
Children under six travel free. People under 18 and over 65 travel at half-fare.
Plain-clothed inspectors make spot checks and issue on-the-spot fines to passengers travelling without a validated ticket. Penalties average €30 to €72 or up to 60 times the ticket price.
BUS & TROLLEYBUS
Blue-and-white local express buses, regular buses and electric trolleybuses operate every 15 minutes from 5am until midnight. Buses run 24 hours between the centre and Piraeus – every 20 minutes from 6am until midnight and hourly at other times. The free OASA map shows most of the routes.
Tickets for buses and trolleybuses (€1) can be purchased at transport kiosks or most periptera (street kiosks) and must be validated on board.
METRO
The expanding and efficient metro (www.ametro.gr) system has transformed travel around central Athens, making it quick and easy to get around. The stations are an attraction in their own right, displaying finds from the excavation works and contemporary art. Trains and stations can be stifling in summer as limited (or no) air-conditioning was installed. All have wheelchair access.
Tickets must be validated at the machines at platform entrances. Trains operate between 5am and just after midnight. They run every three minutes during peak periods, dropping to every 10 minutes at other times.