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Right here’s the way to get from Piraeus Port to Athens metropolis centre (and again) by metro, bus or taxi…
Arriving into Athens by ferry or on a cruise? The port is definitely in Piraeus, about 10km southwest of the town centre – so that you’ll must make your method into the centre to discover.
After I arrived into Piraeus port on my latest Aegean cruise, I took the metro into Athens metropolis centre to spend the day exploring by myself. That is the most cost effective possibility and it’s very straightforward – in case you don’t thoughts a little bit of a stroll to the station. However you can too take a bus tour or taxi in case you want a better possibility.
Beneath, I’ve rounded up all of the methods to get from the port to the centre (and the enduring Acropolis) – together with step-by-step directions for utilizing the metro. In the event you’ve bought any questions be at liberty to go away a remark on the finish of the web page. Get pleasure from!
Learn how to Get from Piraeus Port to Athens Metropolis Centre
To get to Athens metropolis centre from the cruise terminal you may have three fundamental choices:
- Taxi or Uber: 20-25 minutes, €20-€25 every method.
- Bus Tour: an all-day, hop-on, hop-off bus tour connecting all the primary vacationer sights, €25-€28pp. Click on right here for extra particulars.
- Metro: 20-25 minutes (plus a 20-minute stroll if coming from the cruise terminal), €4.10 return.
I’ll go into extra particulars on every possibility beneath, together with a step-by-step information to taking the metro from Piraeus Port. You might additionally stroll into the town centre in case you actually wished, however that is inadvisable because it takes about 2 hours.
1. Taxi: €20-€25 every method
A taxi into the town centre from Piraeus Port takes 20-25 minutes and prices round €20 to €25 (as of July 2024).
There are normally loads of taxis ready proper outdoors the cruise terminal, so that is most likely the best possibility, but it surely’s additionally the most costly.
Additionally – site visitors will be unhealthy within the metropolis centre, so a taxi can take as much as 40 minutes on busy days. In that case, it is likely to be faster to take a taxi to the closest metro station and trip that to the town centre (see beneath for more information).
Taxis are metered so that you shouldn’t should haggle. Nevertheless, unscrupulous drivers have been recognized to show the meter off and cost no matter they like – so make sure to test it earlier than setting off. You too can use Uber to hail a cab and pay by way of the app, this may get rid of any likelihood of being overcharged (see beneath).
Is there Uber in Athens?
Sure, there’s Uber in Athens. It really works just about the identical because it does wherever else, besides that solely licensed taxi drivers will be Uber drivers. So whenever you order an Uber you’ll be getting an area taxi, and may anticipate to pay an identical worth as you do in a metered taxi.
I discovered Uber a a lot simpler solution to summon a taxi in Athens relatively than making an attempt to flag one down on the street.
2. Bus Tour: €25-€28pp
In the event you solely have a day and wish to see numerous Athens, the hop-on hop-off bus excursions is usually a good possibility (however once more, costlier).
These bus excursions will take you to many of the common vacationer sights in Athens, and you may get on and off as typically as you want. They make a wonderful sightseeing tour and normally embody an audio information to study a bit of about what you’re .
Just be sure you e-book the route that features Piraeus, because the cheaper routes cowl Athens metropolis centre solely. There are normally buses lined up outdoors Piraeus cruise terminals. You’ll discover a number of corporations to select from, however the two I personally advocate are:
1. Huge Bus Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour – 48 hours €25pp (all routes). You may trip the purple Pireaus Path to the Acropolis from outdoors Cruise Terminal A or B. On the Acropolis, change for the gray Athens Path to discover the town centre. CLICK HERE FOR LATEST PRICES.
2. Metropolis Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour – 48 hours €28pp (Athens + Piraeus). The inexperienced Piraeus Route has stops at Terminals A and B and goes all the way in which to the Acropolis, the place you may decide up the crimson Athens Path to discover the remainder of the town. CLICK HERE FOR LATEST PRICES.
3. Metro: €4.10 day ticket
Stroll to the Metro Station at Dimotiko Theatro (20 minutes from Cruise Terminal A) then trip the M3 to Syntagma or Monastiraki Sq.. The trip takes round 20-25 minutes. I’ve put detailed directions for this selection beneath so that you’ll know precisely what you’re doing.
The Metro in Athens could be very straightforward to make use of and the M3 practice has bulletins and indicators in English after the Greek, so it’s superb for vacationers.
The ticket prices €4.10 for twenty-four hours and you should utilize it to trip the metro all day. That is the most cost effective solution to attain the town centre from the cruise port – and it permits you most freedom.
From Cruise Terminal B: There’s a free shuttle bus (each 10 to fifteen minutes) from Terminal B to Terminal A.
Which Metro Station is finest for visiting Athens Metropolis Centre?
Monastiraki Sq. is an efficient central spot, proper subsequent to Hadrian’s Library. It’s surrounded by a flea market and is a good spot for memento purchasing. Close by Psirri Sq. and the encompassing streets are nice for road artwork searching.
Syntagma Sq. is one other good possibility. It’s the town’s fundamental sq., dwelling to the palace – that is the place you may watch the enduring altering of the guard each hour.
To get to the Acropolis, you may change at Syntagma Sq. station and trip the crimson M2 line one cease to the Acropolis entrance.
Learn how to Take the Metro into Athens from Piraeus Port
You should buy an all-day metro ticket for €4.10. There are ticket machines contained in the metro stations (obtainable in a number of languages). In the event you get caught, there’s additionally a ticket workplace within the Piraeus metro station.
The ticket you want is the 24-hour ticket for Athens solely (you don’t want those that embody the airport).
From Piraeus Ferry Port to the Metro Station
Piraeus Metro Station is nearly immediately reverse the primary ferry port. It’s a giant yellow constructing, so it’s straightforward to identify. Merely cross the pedestrian bridge over Avenue Posidonos to succeed in it.
Skip the subsequent part to choose up extra detailed directions for taking the metro.
From the Cruise Terminals to the Metro Station
From the cruise terminals, it’s a bit of faster to stroll to the metro station at Dimotiko Theatro Sq. (ΔΗΜΟΤΙΚΟ ΘΕΑΤΡΟ) relatively than Piraeus Metro Station.
In case your cruise arrives at Terminal B, first take the free shuttle to Terminal A. It will prevent an additional 20-Half-hour of strolling.
From Terminal A, it’s a couple of 20-minute stroll to the closest metro station. Nevertheless, Google Maps instructions aren’t fully correct and should attempt to ship you down alongside the docks. Fortunately, there are many indicators pointing you in direction of the metro so observe these and keep on with the primary highway.
Flip unnoticed of the cruise terminal, stroll previous the tour buses and be a part of onto the primary highway: Akti (Avenue) Miaoili. Comply with this fundamental highway (see the photograph beneath), with the water in your left, all the way in which to the top. I like to recommend crossing to stroll within the shade whenever you attain the primary pedestrian crossing.
Simply earlier than you attain the top of the highway, you’ll see a giant yellow church in your proper with a park subsequent to it: Themistokleous Sq.. Stroll throughout the park in direction of the beautiful Holy Trinity church (nicely value a photograph cease).
Going through the church with the park behind you, flip proper to observe Leof. Vasileos Georgiou A two blocks till you attain the sq. in entrance of the Municipal Theater. Right here, you’ll discover the doorway to Dimotiko Theatro metro station (see photograph beneath).
Metro from Piraeus to Athens Metropolis Centre
Don’t miss: Inside Dimotiko Theatro metro station, look out for a big piece of historic structure on show – a part of an previous water provide system found once they constructed the station. See photograph beneath.
As soon as by way of the ticket boundaries, observe indicators for “airport” to get right down to the platform. Hop aboard the M3 (blue line) practice in direction of the airport. Merely trip it 10 stops and get off at Monastiraki Sq., or 11 stops to Syntagma Sq., relying in your chosen vacation spot.
The stops are introduced in each Greek and English nicely prematurely of the practice stopping, so it is best to be capable to discover your method simply. If you wish to head straight to the Acropolis, change for the M2 (crimson line) at Syntagma and trip it one cease to the Acropolis.
Remaining Ideas & Learn Extra
So, that’s my information on the way to get from Piraeus Port and the cruise terminals to Athens metropolis centre!
In the event you solely have a day to discover the town centre and wish to keep away from an excessive amount of strolling, I extremely advocate a hop-on hop-off bus tour. I’ve finished a number of excursions with Metropolis Sightseeing world wide and at all times discovered them sensible. Click on right here to see routes and costs.
Take a look at my different posts about Athens and Greece beneath:
Cool & Uncommon Issues to do in Athens
Enjoyable Issues to do in Lesvos
When you have any questions (or ideas) about the way to get from Piraeus port to Athens metropolis centre, scroll down to go away a remark!