When you first arrive in any city be it on a bus, plane, train or boat, your first concern is accommodation. This may have already been arranged in advance, but if not we provide a short list of hostels and hotels, some near the airport, to get you settled in before you start to look around and see what the city of Athens has to offer. Choose a hotel carefully with your map in hand and request upper floors to avoid noise.
Next you will want something to eat. There are restaurants in Athens of all kinds to cater to every taste, from African to Chinese, French to the ubiquitous "international," and of course, lots of taverns in Athens and restaurants with really good Creek food. The ancient Creeks were renowned for their culinary skills,just as the French chefs are now, and the whole tradition of food as a pleasure shared with friends continues today. Don't be put off by the package tour versions offered in some of the hotels, but search around for yourself, its not difficult to find.
How to get about in Athens takes a while to learn and this is where we can give you some hints to cut down on wasting precious time (and money) during your stay. There are buses from the airport (see below for details) which go right into the centre of Athens.
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If you are confused at first, someone is sure to help you. The tickets for city buses are available at most kiosks (periptera) or at booths near the bus stations and they cost 1,40€ each.
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- Six (6) "express" bus lines serve "Eleftherios Venizelos" airport, as well as
- Metro "Line 3" and a suburban railway line.
- You can also get to the airport by car, on Attiki Odos Highway.
Bus connections to the airport are:
- X92 from Kifissia,
- X93 from Kifissos bus terminal,
- X94 from Mesogeion Avenue (At "Ethniki Amyna" Metro station terminal),
- X95 from Syntagma Square,
- X96 from Piraeus and
- X97 from Dafni Metro station.
- Suburban railway schedules connect the airport with Larissa Train Station (Stathmos Larissis) and the port of Piraeus.
All 6 bus lines operate 24/7.
There are mini-buses which take you round the centre of Athens and they use the same tickets. You can find details of their routes on the little map at the bus stops, which are red to differentiate them from the other buses.
Bus tickets are similar to metro tickets and you can use them on the metro.
Metro tickets are sold at the stations and vary in price.
There is also a taxi rank at the airport. It is a good idea to ask the taxi-driver approximately how much you will have to pay to your destination and bargain if it sounds extortionate. If you are obviously a foreigner there is a temptation to overcharge which is not always overcome.
Taxis are allowed to take several fares, so if you hail one and find there is already a passenger, don't be put off, just check the meter as you get in, allow for the fact that the meter starts running at 1,80€ and make your own calculations. A little more expensive, but more reliable, is a radio taxi, there is a surcharge of between 3-4€.