Greece - Korina Miller [107]
Line 1 (Green)
The old Kifisia–Piraeus line has transfer stations at Omonia and Attiki for line 2; Monastiraki is the transfer station for line 3. Nerantziotissa connects with the suburban rail. The hourly all-night bus service (bus 500) follows this route, with bus stops located outside the train stations.
Line 2 (Red)
Line 2 runs from Agios Antonios in the northwest to Agios Dimitrios in the southeast (check the boards so you don’t confuse your saints). Attiki and Omonia connect with line 1, while Syntagma connects with line 3.
Line 3 (Blue)
Line 3 runs northeast from Egaleo to Doukissis Plakentias, with the airport train continuing from there. Monastiraki is the transfer station for line 1 and Syntagma is the transfer station for line 2.
SUBURBAN RAIL
A fast and comfortable suburban rail ( 1110; www.trainose.com; 24hr) connects Athens with the airport, Piraeus, the outer regions and the northern Peloponnese. It connects to the metro at Larisis, Doukissis Plakentias and Nerantziotissa stations, and spans from the airport to Kiato (1¾ hours, €10). The network will eventually span 281km, connecting Athens to Thiva, Lavrio, Rafina and Halkida.
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TRAVEL PASS
For short-stay visitors, the new €15 tourist ticket is good value. It is valid for three days and allows unlimited travel on all public transport around Athens, including the metro airport service, as well as the Athens Sightseeing bus.
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TRAM
Athens’ tram (www.tramsa.gr) makes for a scenic coastal journey to Faliro and Voula, via Glyfada, but it is not the fastest means of transport.
Regular services run from Syntagma to Faliro, Syntagma to Voula and Faliro to Voula. The tram operates approximately every 10 minutes from 5am to 1am Monday to Thursday, then 24 hours from Friday night to Sunday (services reduce to every 40 minutes), servicing revellers travelling to the city’s seaside clubs.
The trip from Syntagma to Faliro (SEF) takes about 45 minutes, while Syntagma to Voula takes around one hour. The central terminus is on Leoforos Vasilissis Amalias, opposite the National Gardens. There are ticket vending machines on platforms.
A tram extension to Piraeus is expected to be completed in 2010.
Taxi
If you see an Athenian standing on the road bellowing and waving their arms, chances are they are trying to get a taxi at rush hour. Despite the large number of yellow taxis on the streets, it can be tricky getting one.
Hailing a taxi often involves standing on the pavement and shouting your destination. If a taxi is going your way the driver may stop even if there are already passengers inside. The fare is not shared: each person is charged the fare on the meter (note where it is at when you get in).
Make sure the meter is switched on when you get in. The flag fall is €1.05, with a €0.95 surcharge from ports and train and bus stations, and a €3.40 surcharge from the airport. After that, the day rate (tariff 1 on the meter) is €0.60 per kilometre. The night rate (tariff 2 on the meter) increases to €1.05 per kilometre between midnight and 5am. Baggage is charged at a rate of €0.35 per item over 10kg. The minimum fare is €2.80. Most short trips around downtown Athens should cost around €4.
Booking a radio taxi costs €1.70 extra. Try one of the following companies:
Athina 1 ( 210 921 2800)
Enotita ( 801 115 1000)
Ikaros ( 210 515 2800)
Kosmos ( 18300)
Parthenon ( 210 532 3000)
For more information about Athens’ taxi drivers, Click here.
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PIRAEUS ΠΕΙΡΑΙΑΣ
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Piraeus is Greece’s main port and the biggest in the Mediterranean, with more than 20 million passengers annually. It is the hub of the Aegean ferry network, the centre of Greece’s maritime trade and the base for its large merchant navy. While Piraeus was once a separate city, nowadays it virtually melds imperceptibly into the expanded urban sprawl of Athens.
Piraeus can be as bustling and traffic-congested as Athens. Its waterfront was tarted up before the Olympics, creating a tree-lined promenade along the ancient walls surrounding