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Getting There By Air:

Athens International Airport (ATH)
Tel: 210 353 0000.
Website: www.aia.gr 

Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos) is located 27km (17 miles) northeast of the city.

Approximate flight times to Athens: From London is 3 hours 15 minutes; from New York is 10 hours; from Los Angeles is 18 hours 30 minutes; from Toronto is 12 hours and from Sydney is 22 hours.

Airport facilities: These include banks, bureaux de change, duty-free shops, bars, restaurants, a post office, a GNTO tourist information office (tel: 210 353 0448) and car hire companies Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, National Car Rental/Alamo and Sixt.

Transport to the city: The Athens Urban Transport Organization (tel: 185) runs 24-hour express bus services linking the airport to the city (journey time - approximately 40 minutes, depending on traffic). Bus E94 runs to Ethniki Amyna metro station, bus E95 runs to Syntagma Square in the city center and bus E96 runs to Pireaus Port. Tickets, which must be validated in the orange machines on the busses, allow for 24 hours of unlimited travel on all forms of public transport (bus, tram and metro). These are available for purchase from the bus driver.

In addition, metro Line 3 has been extended so that some, but not all, trains now run between Monastiraki in the city center and the airport. Taxi services are also available - the cost is approximately €25 to the city center or €28 to Pireaus Port.

Getting There By Road:

Main roads are designated by blue signs. Traffic drives on the right. The maximum speed limit for cars is 120kph (70mph) on motorways, 110kph (60mph) outside built-up areas and 50kph (31mph) in built-up areas. It is illegal to carry spare petrol (benzina) in the vehicle. The minimum age for driving is 18 years. Seat belts must be worn and children under 10 must sit in the back. Penalties for drinking and driving over the limit are severe - the maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio is 0.05%, above 0.08% is considered a criminal offence.

A national driving license is acceptable for EU nationals but nationals of other countries may need an International Driving Permit. EU nationals in possession of a Green Card, which provides international third-party insurance, are permitted to import a foreign-registered car, caravan, motorcycle, boat or trailer for a maximum of six months (or up to 15 months for a fee). A Green Card is no longer a legal requirement in Greece for visits of less than three months, however, without it, insurance is limited to the minimum legal cover. Car registration documents must be carried at all times.

The Greek Automobile and Touring Club (ELPA) (tel: 210 606 8800; website: www.elpa.gr) provides members of associated national automobile clubs with 24-hour assistance on main roads.

Emergency breakdown service: ELPA (tel: 10400).

Routes to the city: The PATHE (Pátra, Athens and Thessaloníki) motorway runs from Pátra in the west via Athens to Thessaloníki and Tsoliades on the FYROM (Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) border. To reach both Istanbul and Sofia, drivers must head north on the E75 to Thessaloníki. From there, Istanbul is east on the E90, crossing the border at Kipi, while Sofia lies northeast on the E79, crossing the border at Promahonas.

Driving times to Athens: From Thessaloníki - 6 hours; from Sofia - 10 hours 45 minutes; from Istanbul - 16 hours.

Coach services: There are two domestic long-distance bus terminals in Athens - terminal A, Kifissou 100, and terminal B, Liossion 260. Buses link Athens and all the main towns in Attica, northern Greece and the Peloponnese. Bus schedule information for the Attiki region is available (tel: 1421; website: www.ktel.org or www.ktelattikis.gr).

Hellenic Railways Organization - OSE, Karalou 1 (tel: 210 529 7777 (international services) or 1110 (information); website: www.ose.gr), runs regular international bus services to Albania, Turkey and Bulgaria, departing from Pelopónnisos train station (now defunct but still the point of departure for buses), Dheliyáni (tel: 210 529 8739).

Getting There By Rail:

The Greek railway service is run by Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE), Karolou 1 (tel: 1110 (information); website: www.ose.gr). Greek trains have first- and second-class accommodation and there are luxury sleeper trains on selected routes. However, the rail service is limited to the northern and eastern mainland and parts of the Peloponnese.

Trains are cheaper than buses but generally much slower. Reservations are available for no extra charge and there is a 20% rebate on return fares. Touring cards, issued by OSE, entitle the holder to unlimited second-class travel at a reduced cost for 10, 20 or 30 days - there are further discounts for groups. All trains now depart from Larissis station, off Dheliyáni (tel: 210 529 8829). Facilities at Larissis station are minimal, basically left luggage and a couple of bars.

Rail services: The domestic railway network is limited to the mainland and is generally slower than travel by road. Destinations include Patra (fastest journey time - 3 hours 20 minutes) and Kalamata (fastest journey time - 7 hours 10 minutes).

International train services require changing at Thessaloníki (fastest journey time - 4 hours 15 minutes), from where the only direct services are to Bulgaria, Croatia, FYROM (the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia), Serbia, Slovenia and Turkey. A train to London, for example, requires a complicated series of changes and takes three and a half days.

Getting Around:




Public Transport
Public transport in the city is run by the Athens Urban Transport Organization (tel: 185; website: www.oasa.gr). The transport system, which was expanded for the Olympic Games, consists of buses, trolleybuses, trams and a metro/electric train service.

Public transport is cheap and extensive but often overcrowded. Tickets are sold at bus terminals and some street kiosks (periptera) and must be validated in orange machines located on-board buses or in the metro station. Failure to produce a validated ticket on request results in a heavy fine. Monthly passes for the entire urban network are available.

Blue-and-white buses run daily - there is also a limited night service on the major routes. The most visited parts of the city are served by several yellow trolleybus routes. In most cases, however, it is preferable to walk.

The original electric train/metro line (Line 1) runs north-south between the suburb of Kifissia and the Piraeus Port. The metro (tel: 210 679 2399; website: www.ametro.gr network was expanded for the 2004 Olympics. Line 2 runs from Agios Antonios to Agios Dimitrios, with its new Acropolis station just a 10-minute walk from the Acropolis Hill, while Line 3 now runs from Egali, passing through Monastiraki and Syntagma to run all the way to Eleftherios Venizelos Airport.

In addition, three tram lines now link the city center and the coast: one runs from Syntagma to Neo Faliro; one from Syntagma to Glyfada; and the third between Neo Faliro and Glyfada.

Taxis
A number of companies operate radio cabs in Athens, which can be reserved over the telephone. Reputable companies include Athina 1 (tel: 210 921 2800), Ermis (tel: 210 411 5200), Hellas (tel: 210 645 7000) and Ikaros (tel: 210 515 2800).

Official yellow taxis with red-on-white number plates can also be hailed on the street. When taxis are in heavy demand, it is not unusual to share the ride (but not the fare) with other passengers. Tipping is not customary, although taxi drivers may expect to ‘keep the change’ when handed a note. Taxis in Athens are probably cheaper than in any other European capital but unscrupulous drivers may occasionally try to overcharge naïve tourists, so it is wise for travelers to ensure that the meter is switched on and functioning before departure. Extra charges for baggage, trips to the airport and late-night journeys are explained in English on charts inside the taxis.

Driving in the City
Despite the government’s efforts, the center of Athens still has a traffic and pollution problem. The traffic-reduction scheme limits the number of motor vehicles from the commercial center of Athens: cars with registration plates ending in an odd number are allowed in on odd numbered days of the month, while those ending in even numbers are allowed in only on even numbered days. This scheme applies from Monday mornings to Friday afternoons, and cars with foreign number plates are exempt.

Parking is extremely difficult in central Athens, as it is restricted in many streets. Vehicles contravening these regulations may be towed away. Luxury hotels have their own garages, otherwise drivers can try the central but very crowded car park at Kathmonos Square (a 10-minute walk from Syntagma Square). The main car park on the outskirts of the city center is at the new Olympic Stadium, at Irini. From here it is a 25-minute metro ride into the center.

For all these reasons, a car is more of a problem than an asset in Athens, although visitors may wish to rent one for a trip out of the city.

Car Hire
Regulations vary between companies; however, in all cases drivers require a valid driving license. A national driving license is sufficient for nationals of EU states. Other nationalities should obtain an International Driving Permit. The minimum age for hiring a car ranges from 21 to 25 years.

Most car hire firms have offices in Athens and at the airport. Major providers include Avis (tel: 210 322 4951; website: www.avis.gr), Budget (tel: 210 921 4771; website: www.budget.gr), Europcar (tel: 210 924 8810; website: www.europcar.com) and Hertz (tel: 210 922 0102; website: www.hertz.gr). 

Bicycle Hire
Scooters are a popular means of transport in Athens although riding a bicycle cannot be advised.

Rent Moto, Robertou Gali 1, Makrigiani (tel: 210 923 4939; website: www.motorent.gr), hires out scooters and bicycles. They have a second office in Piraeus.

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