Getting around Athens is easy and cheap with the modern metro, trams, buses, trolleybuses, taxis and plenty of walking, with a single ticket valid for 90 minutes across all modes. Plan your sightseeing with guided tours and skip-the-line tickets from My Greece Tours so you spend your time exploring, not figuring out logistics.
Knowing how to get around makes exploring easy in the Athens travel guide. The sections below cover the metro, trams, buses, tickets and airport links in full.
How do you get around Athens?
You get around Athens easily and cheaply using the modern metro, the fastest option, plus an extensive network of buses, trolleybuses and trams, along with taxis and ride-hailing apps. The compact historic centre is also very walkable. A single ticket is valid for 90 minutes across the metro, buses and trams, making public transport simple and affordable.
Athens is a straightforward and affordable city to get around, with a comprehensive, integrated public transport system complemented by taxis and easy walking. The backbone is the modern, clean and efficient metro, which is the fastest way to cross the city and links the airport, the port of Piraeus and all the main sights. Above ground, an extensive network of buses, electric trolleybuses and a coastal tram fills in the gaps and reaches the suburbs and beaches. Taxis are plentiful and inexpensive by European standards, and ride-hailing apps operate in the city. Best of all, the compact historic centre, where most of the major attractions cluster, is very walkable, and many of the top sights, from the Acropolis to Plaka, Monastiraki and Syntagma, are within easy strolling distance of each other. A single ticket is valid for 90 minutes on the metro, buses, trolleybuses and trams, so you can transfer between modes on one fare. With this easy, well-connected system, getting around Athens is simple for visitors, set out alongside the guide to things to do in Athens. The metro is the best place to start.
How does the Athens metro work?
The Athens metro has three lines: Line 1 (green), Line 2 (red) and Line 3 (blue), which also connects to the airport. It runs daily from around 5am to midnight, with trains every few minutes at peak times, and links the airport, Piraeus port and key sights like the Acropolis, Syntagma and Monastiraki. It is the fastest, easiest way to travel.
The Athens metro is the fastest, most reliable and most visitor-friendly way to get around the city, and it conveniently serves nearly all the places travellers want to reach. The system has three lines, identified by colour: Line 1, the green line, the oldest, running from Piraeus through the centre to the northern suburbs; Line 2, the red line, crossing the city and serving the Acropolis (Acropoli station) and Syntagma; and Line 3, the blue line, which links the centre to the international airport and also reaches Monastiraki and Piraeus. The lines interconnect at central stations such as Syntagma, Monastiraki and Omonia, making transfers easy. The metro runs daily from around 5am until midnight, with extended hours on Friday and Saturday nights, and at peak times trains arrive every five to six minutes. Several central stations, such as Syntagma and Acropoli, double as mini-museums, displaying ancient artefacts uncovered during construction. Clean, air-conditioned and signposted in English, the metro is ideal for visitors. It is the heart of getting around Athens, set out alongside the guide to getting to the Acropolis. Trams and buses extend the network.
What about trams, buses and trolleybuses in Athens?
Athens has a coastal tram linking the centre at Syntagma with the seaside suburbs and beaches of the Athens Riviera, taking about an hour to the coast, plus an extensive network of buses and electric trolleybuses covering the whole city. Most run from around 5am to midnight, on the same ticket as the metro, useful for reaching areas the metro does not serve.
Beyond the metro, Athens has trams, buses and trolleybuses that extend public transport across the city and to the coast, all using the same integrated ticket. The tram is particularly useful for visitors wanting to reach the sea: the coastal tram network connects central Athens, around Syntagma, with the seaside suburbs and beaches of the Athens Riviera, such as Faliro, Glyfada and Voula, taking roughly an hour to reach the coast, a pleasant, scenic ride to the beach. The bus and electric trolleybus network is very extensive, covering virtually the whole city and its suburbs, and is handy for reaching specific destinations, such as the National Archaeological Museum or Lycabettus area, that are not directly on the metro, as well as for trips like Cape Sounion via the KTEL regional buses. Most buses, trolleybuses and trams run daily from around 5am to midnight, with a few all-night routes on Saturdays. While buses can be slower and more confusing than the metro for visitors, the OASA Telematics app and online maps show routes and real-time arrivals. These services round out the network, set out alongside the guide to Cape Sounion. Tickets and fares are simple and cheap.
What are the Athens transport tickets and fares?
A standard Athens transport ticket costs around 1.20 euros and is valid for 90 minutes across the metro, buses, trolleybuses and trams (except airport services). A 24-hour day pass costs about 4.10 euros. Airport journeys cost more, around 9 euros for the metro and 5.50 euros for the airport bus. Buy tickets at metro machines and validate them.
Athens public transport is inexpensive and the ticketing is straightforward, making it easy for visitors to travel on a budget. A standard single ticket costs around 1.20 euros and is valid for 90 minutes from validation, during which you can travel and transfer freely across the metro, buses, trolleybuses and trams, except for the special airport services. For those making several journeys in a day, a 24-hour day pass offers unlimited travel for around 4.10 euros, again excluding airport services, and multi-day passes are also available, offering good value for a stay. Journeys to and from the airport cost more: the metro to the airport is around 9 euros, while the dedicated express airport buses cost about 5.50 euros. You can buy tickets and passes from automated machines and ticket offices at metro stations, as well as some kiosks, using the rechargeable Athena Ticket smart card. Crucially, you must validate your ticket at the machines or gates before or as you start your journey, as travelling without a valid, validated ticket risks a fine in inspections. With these cheap, simple fares, getting around is affordable, set out alongside the guide to budget travel tips. Airport and port links are well covered.
How do you get from the airport and port, and what tips help?
From Athens airport, take Line 3 (blue) metro to the centre in about 40 minutes, the express airport bus, or a flat-fare taxi. From Piraeus port, Line 1 (green) metro reaches the centre in around 20-30 minutes. For getting around, use the metro for speed, walk the compact centre, keep an eye on belongings in crowds, and download a transport app.
Reaching the city from the airport and port, and a few practical tips, complete the picture for getting around Athens. From Athens International Airport, the easiest options are the metro on Line 3, the blue line, which runs into the city centre in around 40 minutes for about 9 euros, the cheaper express airport buses that run day and night, or a taxi, which charges a fixed flat fare to the centre and takes around 40 minutes to an hour depending on traffic. From the port of Piraeus, where ferries and cruise ships dock, the metro on Line 1, the green line, reaches the central stations in around 20 to 30 minutes, with buses and taxis also available. For getting around day to day, rely on the fast metro for longer hops, walk the compact historic centre where most sights cluster, and use taxis or ride-hailing for convenience or late nights. Keep an eye on your belongings in crowded stations, trains and tourist areas, as pickpocketing can occur. Downloading a transport app for routes and live times is helpful. With the metro, walking and the odd taxi, Athens is wonderfully easy to navigate, set out alongside the guides to a first-timer’s itinerary and the best time to visit. The questions below cover the points visitors ask most.
Should you rent a car or use taxis in Athens?
You generally do not need a rental car in central Athens, where the metro, walking and taxis cover everything and parking and traffic are difficult. Use taxis or ride-hailing apps for convenience, late nights and luggage, as they are cheap. A rental car only makes sense for day trips like Cape Sounion, Delphi or the Peloponnese.
A common question for visitors is whether to rent a car or rely on taxis in Athens, and for most the answer is clear. Within the city, a rental car is more of a hindrance than a help: central Athens has heavy traffic, confusing one-way systems, restricted zones and very limited, expensive parking, while the excellent metro, trams, buses and your own feet reach all the main sights quickly and cheaply, so a car would mostly sit unused and cause stress. For door-to-door convenience, late nights when the metro has stopped, trips with luggage, or simply to save time and energy, taxis are the better choice: they are plentiful and inexpensive by European standards, and ride-hailing apps operate widely, letting you book and pay easily. Always use official taxis or the apps, and expect a small surcharge from the airport or at night. The one situation where a rental car genuinely helps is for independent day trips beyond the city, such as Cape Sounion along the coast, Delphi in the mountains, or touring the Peloponnese, where having your own vehicle gives flexibility the buses cannot match, though organised tours are an easy alternative. So skip the car in town and lean on the metro, walking and taxis, renting only for out-of-town excursions, set out alongside the guides to Cape Sounion and a Delphi day trip. The questions below cover the points visitors ask most.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best way to get around Athens?
The best way to get around Athens is the modern metro, which is fast, cheap and links the airport, port and main sights, combined with walking the compact historic centre where most attractions cluster. Trams, buses, trolleybuses, taxis and ride-hailing apps fill in the rest, with a single ticket valid for 90 minutes across all modes.
How much is a metro ticket in Athens?
A standard Athens transport ticket costs around 1.20 euros and is valid for 90 minutes across the metro, buses, trolleybuses and trams, except airport services. A 24-hour day pass costs about 4.10 euros. Airport journeys cost more, around 9 euros for the metro and 5.50 euros for the express airport bus.
How do you get from Athens airport to the city centre?
From Athens airport, take the Line 3 (blue) metro into the city centre in about 40 minutes for around 9 euros, the express airport bus for about 5.50 euros, or a taxi with a fixed flat fare to the centre, taking around 40 minutes to an hour. The metro also connects the airport directly to Syntagma and Monastiraki.