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Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (IATA: ATH) sits 33km east of Athens city centre on the Attiki Odos motorway. For most international visitors to Greece, it is both the first thing they see in the country and the last, and the transfer decision made at the Arrivals level sets the tone for the whole trip.
Compared with island airports like Santorini's or Mykonos's, ATH is refreshingly straightforward: one metro line, one express bus, a single regulated taxi flat rate, and no chaotic taxi rank to fight through. Four numbers are worth knowing before you land: €9 for the metro, a consistent 40 minutes regardless of traffic; €40 for the flat-rate taxi by day and €55 after midnight; and €5.50 for the X95 bus that keeps running all night after the metro stops at 11:30pm.
Ferries leave from two different ports depending on the island — Piraeus for most of the Cyclades, Crete and the Dodecanese, Rafina for Mykonos and the northern Cyclades — and it's the X96, not the X95, that covers the Piraeus route. Domestic connections onward to the islands run from the same terminal, with Aegean and Sky Express reaching Santorini in 45 minutes and Crete in 50.
This guide covers every connection from ATH: metro, bus, taxi, app-based ride-hailing, pre-booked transfers, car rental, ferry connections, domestic flights, and the airport's own facilities for delays and long waits.
Flying in from the US? Our guide to how to travel to Greece from the USA covers the transatlantic leg, the best time to land and how to handle jet lag before you reach this arrivals hall.
For what to do once you get to Athens, see Things to Do in Athens and 3 Days in Athens. For ferry logistics, see Greece Ferry Guide.
If the Acropolis is the whole reason for the trip: it's on the same Metro Line 3 as the airport, no transfer needed. Take the direct 40-minute train to Syntagma or Monastiraki, then it's a 15 to 20 minute walk uphill to the entrance. A taxi covers the same distance in the same 35 to 45 minutes the flat rate already quoted above covers, and drops you closer, at the cost of losing the metro's flat €9 predictability.
Getting From ATH to Athens City Centre
Option 1: Metro Line 3 (Blue Line) — Best Daytime Option
Cost: €9 one-way, €16 return (children under 6 free; 50% discount for under-18, over-65, students with valid ID)
Time: 40 minutes to Syntagma Square
Hours: 6:30am–11:30pm (last train from airport approximately 11:30pm; check current schedule at stasy.gr)
Frequency: Every 30–36 minutes
Luggage: No restrictions, but rolling suitcases on a crowded metro can be uncomfortable during rush hour
The metro station is inside the airport complex — follow "Train" signs from Arrivals through the elevated passageway (approximately 5 minutes from the baggage hall). Tickets are purchased at the station machines or ticket windows. The Line 3 ticket includes 90 minutes of transfer across all Athens public transport (metro lines 1, 2, 3, buses, tram) — useful if your hotel is not directly on Line 3. As of 2025, you can also tap a contactless bank card, phone, or smartwatch directly at the gate instead of buying a paper ticket — the fare charges automatically and there's no separate airport-ticket step to get wrong.
Important: The airport-specific metro ticket (€9) is a separate fare from the standard city metro ticket (€1.20). Do not attempt to use a standard city ticket for the airport leg. Ticket inspectors are common and fines are €72+.
If you're staying more than a couple of days and plan to use public transport a lot, the 3-day tourist ticket (Confirm current price, historically around €20) covers the airport trip in both directions plus unlimited metro, bus, and tram travel for 72 hours — often cheaper than buying the airport fare twice plus a handful of city tickets separately.
Key stops on Line 3 toward Piraeus: Airport → Doukissis Plakentias → ... → Evangelismos → Syntagma → Monastiraki → Kerameikos → Agioi Anargyri → ... → Piraeus. Since the 2024 Line 3 extension to Piraeus, you can travel direct from ATH to Piraeus without changing — approximately 60 minutes, same €9 ticket.
Option 2: X95 Express Bus — Best Late-Night and Budget Option
Cost: €5.50 one-way (€2.70 reduced)
Time: 60–90 minutes (traffic dependent)
Hours: 24/7 (the most important advantage over the metro)
Frequency: Every 20–40 minutes (more frequent during the day)
Route: ATH Arrivals → Syntagma Square (central Athens)
The X95 bus stop is outside the Arrivals level, between Exits 4 and 5. Tickets from the kiosk at the stop or on board. The bus runs along the Attiki Odos and into the centre — travel time varies significantly with traffic (rush hour can extend to 90 minutes+; midnight can take 55 minutes). For late-night arrivals after the metro closes (after 11:30pm), the X95 is the main public transport option to the city centre.
Useful related routes:
- X96: ATH → Piraeus port (24/7, €5.50, 60–90 minutes depending on traffic). Best for late-night ferry connections.
- KTEL to Rafina: ATH → Rafina port (€3.50, 30–40 minutes, hourly). Best for morning Mykonos ferry connections.
- X93: ATH → Kifisou Avenue intercity bus station (for onward KTEL coaches to the Peloponnese or northern Greece).
- X97: ATH → Elliniko (for the southern coastal suburbs and the Athens Riviera).
Option 3: Taxi — Best for Groups and Night Arrivals
Cost: €40 flat rate 5am–midnight; €55 flat rate midnight–5am (to/from the city centre, inclusive of tolls and luggage)
Time: 35–45 minutes (daytime); 30 minutes (night)
Hours: 24/7
Official yellow taxis queue at the designated rank outside Exit 3 of the Arrivals level. The flat rate (€40 day) is regulated by law and includes all tolls and luggage surcharges — there should be no extras. Always confirm the flat rate before departing. If the driver suggests using the meter for this route, decline and get out: the meter would cost more.
Avoiding the taxi scam:Unofficial touts sometimes approach travellers inside the Arrivals hall offering "taxi" services. These are not official. The only official taxis are at the rank outside Exit 3 — the queue may be 10–20 minutes at peak arrival times. The metro carries its own, different risk: pickpocketing on crowded carriages, particularly around the busiest interchange stations. Keep bags zipped and in front of you, especially during the walk from Arrivals to the platform.
App-based alternatives:Uber (operates as UberTaxi, using licensed yellow taxis) and FreeNow (Greece's most popular taxi app) both work at ATH. Using either app skips the queue, provides route tracking, and processes card payment automatically — significantly reducing scam risk. A small booking fee (€1–2) applies. Beat, a Greek-founded app, is also widely used and often has better city-centre availability than Uber at peak times. Our Uber in Greece guide explains how the apps compare and where else in the country they work.
For groups of 3–4 splitting the cost, the taxi competes directly with the metro on price-per-person and is faster and more comfortable with luggage.
Option 4: Pre-Booked Transfer — Best for First-Timers and Families
Cost: €40–65 (varies by company and vehicle type)
Time: 35–45 minutes
Hours: 24/7
A pre-booked private transfer (Welcome Pickups, Odyssey Transfers, and others) provides a driver waiting with your name at the Arrivals exit, confirmed fixed pricing, flight tracking (the driver knows if your flight is delayed), and English-speaking drivers. For first-time visitors to Greece arriving tired and disoriented, the elimination of decision-making on arrival is worth the marginal extra cost over the official taxi.
Welcome Pickups is the most widely recommended — used by tens of thousands of Greece visitors annually, reviewed positively across Tripadvisor and Google.
Option 5: Rental Car — Best for Mainland Greece and Crete
Car rental desks: All major companies (Hertz, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Sixt, Thrifty, local operators) have desks in the Arrivals level car rental area.
Cost: €30–60/day for a small car (varies significantly by season — book in advance for summer)
Relevant: Only if you are driving out of Athens — do not rent a car to navigate Athens city centre (traffic, parking, and one-way streets make it genuinely difficult)
Car rental at ATH is the starting point for Peloponnese road trips, mainland Greece exploration, and Crete holidays (where you fly to Heraklion or Chania but the ATH car rental network is the most competitive). Book via Booking.com Cars for the widest price comparison.
Important: Get comprehensive insurance. Greek road conditions, particularly on Crete and Peloponnese secondary roads, create real risk. The excess/deductible on basic insurance is typically €500–1,500 — comprehensive coverage is worth the additional €8–15/day.
Flying on to an island afterwards? The arrival situation is completely different at each Greek airport — Athens is among the easiest in Europe, Santorini among the most confusing. Our Greece airport transfers guide covers every major airport with current costs, plus which taxi apps actually operate where.
ATH to Ferry Ports: Piraeus and Rafina
One thing to settle before you time this: if you connected through another Schengen airport, your EES registration already happened there, not at ATH. Our guide to Greece entry requirements for US citizens explains which arrivals get the biometric queue and how much connection time to leave.
Ferry connections from Athens require getting from the airport to one of two ports. Which port depends on your destination island.
ATH → Piraeus Port (For Cyclades, Dodecanese, Crete, North Aegean)
Piraeus serves the majority of Greek island ferry routes — all Cyclades islands (Santorini, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Milos), Crete, Dodecanese (Rhodes, Kos), and North Aegean islands. Piraeus is also Athens' cruise ship port, so the same metro and bus directions below apply if you're joining a cruise rather than a ferry.
Metro direct (best option): Metro Line 3 now runs directly from ATH to Piraeus station — approximately 60 minutes, €9, no changes. The Piraeus metro station exits directly adjacent to Gates E1-E2 of the ferry port. For most Cyclades ferries (Gates E6-E9), allow a 10-minute walk along the quay from the metro exit.
X96 Express Bus: ATH → Piraeus port direct, 24/7, €5.50, 60–90 minutes. Bus drops at the port entrance.
Taxi: ATH to Piraeus approximately €50–60 day rate (the flat rate applies to the city centre only — Piraeus is a different flat rate or metered, confirm in advance). Allow €54 flat.
Allow total time from landing to ferry boarding: Minimum 90 minutes. Two hours is safer for July-August traffic. Piraeus is a large port — getting from the metro to the correct gate takes 10–15 minutes walking.
ATH → Rafina Port (For Mykonos, Andros, Tinos and Northern Cyclades)
Rafina is the second Athens ferry port, 30km northeast of ATH and significantly closer to the airport than Piraeus.
KTEL bus from ATH Arrivals: Departures roughly every hour from outside the Arrivals hall (ask at the information desk for exact location). Cost €3.50, journey 30–40 minutes. Arrives at Rafina port bus terminal, 5 minutes from the ferry quay.
Taxi from ATH to Rafina: €35–40, approximately 25–30 minutes.
For Mykonos travellers: If you are arriving at ATH and heading directly to Mykonos, the Rafina connection is significantly more efficient than going via Piraeus — shorter distance, less congestion, and Rafina ferries to Mykonos (Golden Star Ferries, Fast Ferries) take 2.5–3 hours.
Important: Check which port your specific ferry departs from when booking. Most Cyclades ferries leave from Piraeus; a few (particularly to Mykonos and Andros) leave from Rafina. Ferryhopper specifies the departure port on every booking.
ATH Airport Facilities
Arrivals level: Baggage reclaim → customs exit → Arrivals hall with the following: ATM machines (multiple, all major networks), currency exchange desks (rates worse than city banks — use ATMs instead), tourist information desk, luggage storage (Athens Airport Smart Lockers), car rental desks, hotel transfer desks, official taxi queue outside Exit 3.
Departures level (for departing flights): Duty-free shops, food and beverage (limited selection, airport pricing), Wifi (free throughout), airline check-in desks, security.
ATH Card (ATH.ENA card): A rechargeable card for Athens public transport (metro, bus, tram) — available at ATH metro station. Does not cover the €9 airport metro surcharge but reduces friction for subsequent city transport. Worth getting if spending more than 2 days in Athens.
Luggage storage:Available at the airport Smart Lockers (Arrivals level). Also available in central Athens at multiple locations near the metro stations, from €5/day — useful if arriving early before check-in is available. Apps like Bounce and Stasher list additional drop-off points across central Athens if the airport lockers are full.
Domestic Connections from ATH
Athens Airport serves as the hub for all Greek domestic flights. Aegean Airlines and its budget subsidiary Sky Express connect ATH to:
- Santorini (JTR): 45 minutes, 6–20+ daily flights in summer, €40–150 one-way
- Mykonos (JMK): 45 minutes, multiple daily
- Heraklion, Crete (HER): 50 minutes, multiple daily
- Rhodes (RHO): 1 hour, multiple daily
- Kalamata (KLX): 55 minutes, seasonal Aegean service
- Thessaloniki (SKG): 1 hour
- Corfu (CFU): 1 hour
Domestic check-in closes 40 minutes before departure for Aegean (30 minutes for Sky Express). Domestic flights depart from the same terminal as international flights.
Booking domestic flights: Aegean Airlines (aegeanair.com) and Sky Express (skyexpress.gr) have the most routes. Prices are seasonal — book 4–8 weeks ahead for summer Santorini and Mykonos flights.
Practical Tips
On arrival: Exit through the Arrivals hall, ignore anyone approaching you to offer taxis (go to Exit 3 rank or use an app), locate the correct transfer option, and have your accommodation address accessible offline (mobile data may take a few minutes to connect).
Money: ATMs at the airport dispense euros. Use a Visa or Mastercard debit/credit card — the conversion rate is better than currency exchange desks. The airport currency exchange kiosks apply 5–8% markup; avoid unless genuinely necessary. Some of the arrivals-hall machines are independent ATMs with higher fees, so if your transfer is already paid, it can pay to wait for a bank ATM in town — our money in Greece guide explains which machines to use and why you should always choose to be charged in euros.
- Before you land, compare flight deals to Athens on Kiwi.com — it searches across carriers and often surfaces routes other tools miss.
- Book your Welcome Pickups transfer in advance — the driver tracks your flight, waits at Arrivals with your name, and charges a fixed price with no surprises.
Customs: EU citizens from EU countries with valid Schengen entry do not need separate customs processing. Non-EU citizens follow standard arrival immigration (passport check, entry stamp). Greece is a Schengen Area member.
VAT refund: Non-EU visitors making purchases in Greece can claim VAT refund at the airport tax refund desk before check-in departure. Minimum purchase €50 at a single retailer displaying the Tax Free Shopping logo.
Delays and disruptions: Athens Airport is a well-functioning hub with good facilities for unexpected delays. The Sofitel Athens Airport hotel (connected to the terminal) is the only on-site hotel — useful for very early departures or overnight connections. Alternative accommodation: Spata village (3km from airport) has several 3-star hotels at lower prices than the Sofitel.
Sleeping Near the Airport
The Sofitel Athens Airport is the only hotel physically connected to the terminal — walk from Arrivals under cover, no shuttle needed. It runs Confirm current rate per night and is the only realistic option if you land after midnight and need to be back at check-in before dawn.
For a cheaper alternative three kilometres out, Spata village has several 3-star options in the Confirm current rate range, all a short taxi or shuttle from the terminal. Neither is worth booking for a normal daytime arrival — you lose nothing by taking the metro straight into Athens instead — but for a genuine overnight layover, an early-morning departure, or a very late arrival with young kids, one of these two beats a 40-minute transfer each way.
Airport Lounges for a Long Wait
Athens International Airport has several lounges past security, mostly airline-specific — Aegean's own lounge for Star Alliance and business-class passengers, and a Sky Express lounge for its own flyers. Priority Pass and most credit-card lounge programmes are accepted at the main independent lounge; check your specific card's network before flying, since acceptance changes without much notice. There is also a dedicated smoking lounge in the departures area, one of the few left at a major EU airport. If you're facing a long connection or an early check-in with hours to kill, a day-pass lounge is usually a better use of €30 to €40 than the airport's limited food options at departure-gate prices.
Staying connected: Non-EU visitors face high roaming charges on Greek networks. Activate a Yesim eSIM before you fly — instant setup, no physical SIM, works the moment your plane lands in Athens.
Comparing providers? Our best eSIM for Greece guide explains why the airport SIM kiosks are rarely the cheapest option.
Picking up a rental car at the airport? Our Greece road trip guide covers licence rules, tolls and how to leave Athens by car.
Plan Your Athens Arrival
- Athens Transfer Guide — full price comparison for airport, port & day-trip transfers
- Things to Do in Athens — what to do once you arrive
- 3 Days in Athens — Athens itinerary
- Athens Travel Guide — complete Athens guide
- Best Day Trips from Athens — Delphi, Sounion, Nafplio
- Greece Ferry Guide — ferry connections from Piraeus
- Athens to Santorini — ferry vs flight guide
- Greek Islands Itinerary — planning your island hop
- Greece Itinerary 7 Days — one-week itinerary from Athens
- Greece Itinerary 2 Weeks — two-week Greece planning
- Greece Packing List — what to bring.
Written by
Athens-born engineer · Coordinates a 5-expert Greek team · 50+ years combined field experience
I write every article on this site drawing on real, first-hand expertise — mine and that of four colleagues who live and work across Greece daily: a Peloponnese tour operator, a transfer specialist across Athens, Mykonos & Santorini, a Cretan hotel owner, and a Northern Greece hotel supplier. Nothing here comes from a single visit or desk research.
Informed by 5 Greek experts
Every destination we cover has been visited and vetted by at least one team member — not for a review, but as part of their daily work in Greek tourism.