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The Greece airport transfer question has very different answers depending on which airport you are arriving at. Athens is one of the most straightforward airport-to-city transfers in Europe. Santorini is one of the most confusing for first-time visitors. The twelve airports covered in this guide each have their own specific situation — this guide works through them all.
For the broader getting-around-Greece context, see the transportation in Greece guide. For the Athens-specific overview, see the Athens airport guide.
Athens International Airport (ATH) — Eleftherios Venizelos
Athens airport is one of the most modern and well-connected airports in Europe, opened in 2001 and serving 30+ million passengers annually. It is located 33 km east of central Athens, near the coastal suburb of Spata.
Metro Line 3 (Best Option)
Metro Line 3 (Blue Line) runs directly between the airport and Syntagma Square (central Athens) every 30 minutes, from approximately 5:30am to 12:30am. Journey time: 40 minutes.
Tickets: €10.50 single / €18 return (return valid within 48 hours). The return ticket must be validated within 48 hours of the outbound journey — useful if you are leaving again quickly. One ticket covers all public transport (tram, bus) for 90 minutes after validation, so if you need a connection from Syntagma, you are covered.
The Metro also stops at Doukissis Plakentias (for eastern suburbs), Nomismatokopio, and Evangelismos (for the upmarket Kolonaki/Hilton area). For Piraeus (ferry port), change at Syntagma to Line 2 then Line 1, or travel the whole way on Line 1 from Monastiraki (allow 70 minutes total).
X95 Express Bus (Budget Option)
The X95 Attica Bus operates 24 hours between the airport and Syntagma Square. Journey time: 60–90 minutes depending on traffic. Fare: €6.40. Running every 15–30 minutes, it is the cheapest airport transfer option. Slower than the Metro and subject to Athens traffic, but the right choice for the budget-conscious traveller or anyone arriving outside Metro hours.
Other express bus routes: X93 to Kifissos Bus Terminal (for KTEL intercity buses), X96 to Piraeus port (90 min–2 hours, €6.40), X97 to Dafni Metro station.
Taxi
Fixed regulated rates from Athens airport to central Athens: €40 daytime (5am–midnight) / €55 night (midnight–5am). These are legally regulated and non-negotiable. The tariff card is displayed inside the vehicle; you can request to see it.
Always use taxis from the official taxi rank outside the arrivals exit, not drivers who approach you inside the terminal. The official taxis have a city-issued licence plate and a lit meter.
Private Transfer
Multiple operators offer pre-booked private transfers from Athens airport. Standard sedan (1–3 passengers): from approximately €40–55. Minivan (up to 8 passengers): from approximately €70–90. Welcome Pickups is the most widely used platform and includes a name-board meet in arrivals.
Pre-booked private transfers make most sense for late-night arrivals, large groups, families with young children, or travellers with a lot of luggage heading to specific addresses outside the metro grid.
Thessaloniki Airport (SKG) — Makedonia
Thessaloniki's Makedonia Airport is 13 km from the city centre. Options:
Bus 78A: Runs between the airport and the city centre (Eleftheria Square and the train station). Fare: €2. Journey time: 30–45 minutes. Runs approximately every 30–60 minutes throughout the day.
Taxi: Fixed conventional metered taxi. Journey to central Thessaloniki: approximately €25–35 depending on traffic and exact destination. No fixed airport rate (unlike Athens) — the meter runs on Tariff 1 (daytime) or Tariff 2 (nighttime).
Private transfer: From approximately €35–50 for a standard vehicle.
Heraklion Airport (HER) — Nikos Kazantzakis, Crete
Heraklion's airport is 4 km from the city centre — one of the closest airport-to-city situations in Greece.
Bus 78: Municipal bus connecting the airport to Heraklion's central bus station (KTEL) and city centre. Fare: €1.20. Journey time: 15–20 minutes. Runs frequently but with less frequency late at night.
Taxi: Extremely short journey — 10–15 minutes to the centre. Metered; expect €12–18 to the city centre or harbour area.
Rental car: All major operators have desks in the arrivals hall. If you are heading directly to a resort or planning to drive in Crete (strongly recommended), picking up the rental car here and driving directly saves the taxi cost. See car rental Heraklion.
Private transfer: Pre-booked transfers to Heraklion hotels start from approximately €25–35. For destinations further east or west along Crete's coast, pre-booking makes more sense given the longer drives.
Chania Airport (CHQ) — Ioannis Daskalogiannis, Crete
Chania airport is 15 km from Chania town.
Bus: Seasonal bus service connects the airport to Chania's central bus station (KTEL). Fare: €2.50. Journey time: 25–35 minutes. Frequency is limited — confirm the timetable in advance.
Taxi: €25–35 to Chania town. Metered. Journey time: 20–30 minutes.
Private transfer: Particularly useful for Chania as the taxi situation can be busy during charter flight arrivals. Pre-booked transfers from approximately €35–50. See car rental Chania.
Rhodes Airport (RHO) — Diagoras
Rhodes Diagoras Airport is located on the west coast, 16 km from Rhodes Town.
Bus: KTEL bus service connects the airport to Rhodes Town (Rimini Square) and to the resort areas of Faliraki and Lindos. Fare to Rhodes Town: €2.50. Journey time: 30–40 minutes.
Taxi: €25–35 to Rhodes Town. Metered. Taxis are also available to Lindos (approximately €55–65) and other destinations.
Private transfer: Useful for late arrivals or direct hotel transfers; from approximately €30–55 depending on destination. See car rental Rhodes.
Corfu Airport (CFU) — Ioannis Kapodistrias
Corfu airport is 2 km from Corfu Town — one of the closest in Greece.
Bus: Municipal bus routes run from near the airport to Corfu Town centre. Fare: €1.10–2. Journey time: 10–15 minutes.
Taxi: €10–15 to Corfu Town. Very short journey — the airport is practically adjacent to the town. For resort areas further north or south, taxis are metered and distances are longer (30–60 minutes).
Private transfer: Less critical here given proximity to town, but useful for large groups or transfers to distant resort areas. From approximately €20–60 depending on destination.
Santorini Airport (JTR) — Thira
Santorini's airport is on the eastern side of the island, 5 km from Fira (the main town).
No metro or reliable public bus from the airport. This is the key Santorini airport transfer fact. There is a local bus route that theoretically passes near the airport, but it is not designed as an airport transfer service and is unreliable for timed arrivals.
Taxi: The standard transfer option. €20–25 to Fira, €30–40 to Oia, €15–20 to Perissa/Kamari beaches. Santorini taxis are in high demand in summer — a queue of 50 people at a busy charter arrival is not unusual. Pre-booking is strongly recommended.
Private transfer: Particularly useful at Santorini. Transfer operators wait in arrivals with name boards and provide fixed pricing. Pre-book via Welcome Pickups or the EKTA (Santorini taxi cooperative) booking system. From approximately €25–45 to Fira/Oia depending on operator.
Rental car/ATV: Santorini's roads are not ideal for standard cars in the narrow caldera-edge areas, but rental vehicles are available at the airport. See car rental Santorini.
Mykonos Airport (JMK) — Mykonos
Mykonos airport is 3 km from Mykonos Town.
Bus: There is a local bus route near the airport, but it is unreliable as an airport transfer — timing does not align with flight arrivals.
Taxi: €10–15 to Mykonos Town. In peak season (July–August), the taxi queue at Mykonos airport can be significant. Pre-booking is strongly recommended during peak months. See car rental Mykonos.
Private transfer: Particularly valuable in peak season. From approximately €15–30 to town.
Kos Airport (KGS) — Hippocrates
Kos airport is 24 km from Kos Town — further than most Greek island airports.
Bus: KTEL bus service connects the airport to Kos Town. Fare: €4. Journey time: 40–50 minutes.
Taxi: €35–45 to Kos Town. The distance makes this the more expensive island airport taxi.
Private transfer: Particularly useful given the distance. From approximately €35–55.
Kefalonia Airport (EFL) — Anna Pollatou
Kefalonia airport is 9 km from Argostoli (the capital).
Bus: Limited bus service; availability varies by season.
Taxi: €15–25 to Argostoli. To Fiskardo or other more distant parts of the island, taxis are metered and significantly more expensive — a taxi from the airport to Fiskardo (north Kefalonia) can cost €60–80.
Private transfer / Rental car: Particularly recommended for Kefalonia given the island's size and the importance of having a car to explore it. See the Kefalonia travel guide.
Zakynthos Airport (ZTH) — Dionysios Solomos
Zakynthos airport is 6 km from Zakynthos Town.
Bus: KTEL buses connect to Zakynthos Town. Fare: €2. Journey time: 15–20 minutes.
Taxi: €15–20 to Zakynthos Town. Metered.
Private transfer / Rental car: For resort areas (Laganas, Tsilivi), taxis are available but pre-booking a transfer is more reliable during busy summer arrivals.
Skiathos Airport (JSI)
Skiathos has one of the most dramatically positioned airports in Greece — the runway begins almost at the town. The airport is 1 km from Skiathos Town.
Taxi: €8–12 to Skiathos Town. Very short journey.
On foot: The most budget-conscious travellers walk the 1 km from the terminal to the town along the beach road — a genuinely pleasant walk in good weather.
Booking Platform Comparison
Option | Best for | Notes
Metro (Athens only) | Solo/couple travellers, budget | €10.50, fastest and cheapest in Athens
Local bus | Budget, flexible timing | Cheap but schedule-dependent
Metered taxi | Small groups, standard arrivals | Widely available; use official ranks only
Pre-booked private transfer | Large groups, late arrivals, families | Fixed price, name-board meet, reliable
Rental car from airport | Multi-day car users | Pick up in arrivals; eliminates transfer cost
Pre-booking platforms: Welcome Pickups (welcomepickups.com) operates across all major Greek airports and is the most widely used dedicated private transfer service in Greece. Suntransfers and Hoppa offer alternative price comparison. Direct booking with local operators via hotel recommendation is also reliable.
Plan Your Trip
- Athens Airport Guide — full Athens airport arrivals and departures guide
- Transportation in Greece — every transport option explained
- Trip to Athens Greece — Athens city guide
- Corfu Travel Guide — Corfu from the airport
- Trip to Santorini Greece — Santorini including airport logistics
- Trip to Crete Greece — Heraklion and Chania airports
- Rhodes Travel Guide — Rhodes airport to town
- How to Plan a Trip to Greece — full planning framework
✈️ Planning your Greece trip? Use our AI Trip Planner to build a complete itinerary including arrival logistics — or take our quiz to find the right Greek destination for your travel style.
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.