The Athens tram is the scenic, cheap way to reach the Athens Riviera, running along the coast to the beaches of Glyfada and Voula and linking Syntagma and Piraeus. Pair an easy beach day with skip-the-line city sightseeing tickets and tours from My Greece Tours for the best of Athens and its coast.
The tram is a handy part of getting around in the Athens travel guide. The sections below cover what the tram is, the lines and route, tickets and fares, how to use it, the hours, the coastal highlights and tips.
What is the Athens tram?
The Athens tram is a modern light-rail system mainly serving the southern coast of the city, the Athens Riviera. It runs from central Syntagma down to the seaside and along the coastline, linking the city with the beaches of Faliro, Glyfada and Voula and the port of Piraeus. Clean, cheap and scenic, it is the easiest way for visitors to reach the Riviera beaches from the centre.
While the metro is the backbone of Athens public transport, the tram is a charming and useful complement, especially for visitors wanting to reach the coast. The Athens tram is a modern, comfortable light-rail network that mainly serves the southern part of the city and, above all, the beautiful coastline known as the Athenian Riviera. Its great appeal for travellers is that it runs from the centre of the city right down to the sea and then glides along the coast, connecting central Athens with the seaside suburbs and the popular beaches of Faliro, Glyfada and Voula, as well as linking through to the great port of Piraeus. The trams themselves are clean, quiet, air-conditioned and pleasant to ride, and the coastal stretch offers lovely views over the Saronic Gulf. Because it is inexpensive, easy to use and traffic-free, the tram is by far the simplest and most enjoyable way for visitors to escape the city to the Riviera beaches on a hot day, or to explore the seaside suburbs. For the coast, it beats taxis and buses on both cost and reliability. It complements the metro detailed in the Athens metro guide. Its lines are simple to follow.
What are the tram lines and route?
The Athens tram has two main lines. Line T6 runs from Syntagma in the centre down to the coast at Faliro (Pikrodafni). Line T7 runs along the entire coastline from Voula in the south, through Glyfada and Faliro, to the port of Piraeus. The two lines meet at the Pikrodafni stop. Together they link the city centre, the Riviera beaches and Piraeus along a scenic coastal route.
The Athens tram network is straightforward, organised around two main lines that share a coastal section, making it easy for visitors to navigate. Line T6 connects the city centre to the sea, running from Syntagma Square in the heart of Athens down toward the coast and ending at Faliro, at the Pikrodafni stop on the shoreline. Line T7 is the great coastal line, running the entire length of the Riviera from the southern suburb of Voula, at the Asklipeio Voulas stop, northward along the coast through fashionable Glyfada and Faliro all the way to the port of Piraeus, ending at the Akti Posidonos stop. The crucial point for journey planning is that the two lines meet and connect at the Pikrodafni stop near Faliro, so to travel from central Syntagma to the Glyfada or Voula beaches you ride line T6 to Pikrodafni and change there onto line T7 heading south. The combined network thus links the city centre, the seaside suburbs, the Riviera beaches and Piraeus along one scenic coastal corridor. Knowing this simple structure makes using the tram easy. The route hugs the beautiful coast. Buying a ticket is the next step.
How much do tram tickets cost?
A standard integrated ticket costs €1.20 and is valid for 90 minutes across the tram, metro and buses, allowing transfers, which is ideal for the metro-to-tram or T6-to-T7 connection. Day passes and multi-day tourist tickets offer further value. You can also pay contactlessly with a bank card or phone directly at the tram validators using the Tap2Ride system, convenient for visitors.
The Athens tram is excellent value and uses the same integrated ticketing as the rest of the city’s public transport, so a single fare can cover a whole journey including connections. The standard single ticket costs around €1.20 and is valid for 90 minutes from the moment you validate it, crucially allowing unlimited transfers across the tram, metro, buses and trolleybuses within that time; this is perfect for the typical visitor journey, where you might ride the metro into the centre and then the tram to the coast, or change between tram lines T6 and T7 at Pikrodafni, all on one ticket. For those travelling more, a day pass and multi-day tourist tickets offer unlimited travel and further savings. A particularly convenient option for visitors is the Tap2Ride system: rather than buying a paper ticket, you can simply tap a contactless Visa or Mastercard, physical or digital via Apple Pay or Google Pay, directly at the validators on board the tram, paying the fare automatically without needing to visit a machine first. With such cheap, flexible fares, the tram is a budget-friendly way to reach the coast. The budget angle appears in the Athens on a budget guide. Using the tram correctly matters.
How do you use the Athens tram?
To use the tram, buy a ticket from machines at the stops or tap a contactless card on board, then board and immediately validate your ticket at the electronic validators inside the vehicle. Failing to validate risks a fine. The tram is step-free and easy to board, with stops along the route; check the line and direction, and change at Pikrodafni between lines T6 and T7 for the coast.
Using the Athens tram is simple once you know the basic steps, which mirror the rest of the city’s transport. First, obtain your fare: you can buy a paper or smart-card ticket from the automatic ticket machines located at the tram stops, or, more conveniently for visitors, simply use the Tap2Ride contactless payment by tapping your bank card or phone at the validators on board. The single most important rule is validation: whether you carry a paper ticket or tap a card, you must stamp it at the orange validators positioned by the doors as soon as you board, since the ninety-minute window opens from that moment, and riding without a stamped fare risks an on-the-spot penalty should an inspector board. The penalty is set at sixty times the basic fare, so a one-euro saving can become a costly mistake, and inspectors do work the line, particularly on the busy summer beach runs. The trams are modern and step-free, making boarding easy, including for those with luggage, bicycles or buggies, and they stop at clearly marked platforms along the route, each showing the line number, direction and a map. Before boarding, check that you are on the correct line and heading in the right direction, and remember that to travel between the city centre and the southern Riviera beaches you will usually change at the Pikrodafni stop between lines T6 and T7, a quick same-platform interchange. Doors open automatically at every stop, and an onboard display and announcements name the next halt, so it is hard to miss yours. With these simple habits, riding the tram is effortless. The system is genuinely visitor-friendly. Knowing the hours helps with planning.
What are the tram hours, and what coastal highlights can you reach?
The Athens tram generally runs from around 5.30am to 1am, with later service at weekends, when trams run until about 2.15am on Friday and Saturday nights. Along the coast you can reach the beaches and nightlife of Glyfada and Voula, the seaside promenades, the SNFCC cultural centre near Faliro, marinas, and the long sandy and organised beaches of the Athens Riviera, all with sea views from the tram.
The Athens tram keeps convenient hours and opens up the whole coast to visitors. Trams generally operate daily from around 5.30am until about 1am, with extended service at weekends, when the last trams typically depart Syntagma around 2.15am on Friday and Saturday nights, making the tram useful for evenings out on the coast as well as daytime beach trips. The real reward of the tram is the string of coastal highlights it puts within easy, cheap reach. Riding south along the Riviera, you can step off at the fashionable suburb of Glyfada, the unofficial capital of the coast, with its beaches, beach clubs, designer shopping, restaurants and nightlife, or continue to upscale Voula for more beaches. Along the way the tram serves seaside promenades, marinas and a series of sandy and organised beaches perfect for swimming on a hot day, while near Faliro it provides handy access to the spectacular Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Centre and its park. Throughout the coastal section, the tram glides beside the Saronic Gulf with lovely sea views, and on a clear day you can see across the water to the islands of Aegina and Salamis. A particularly rewarding ride is to time your return for the early evening, when the sun sinks over the gulf and the coast glows gold, turning an ordinary commute into a scenic highlight. Many visitors combine the tram with a swim and a seafood lunch at a beachside taverna, then ride back refreshed, all for the price of a single ticket. For escaping to the beach or the seaside suburbs, it is unbeatable. The coast is detailed in the Athens Riviera beaches guide. The questions below cover the points visitors ask most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the Athens tram go?
The Athens tram mainly serves the southern coast, the Athens Riviera. Line T6 runs from Syntagma in the centre to the coast at Faliro, while line T7 runs the length of the coastline from Voula through Glyfada and Faliro to the port of Piraeus. The lines connect at Pikrodafni, linking the city to the beaches.
How much is the Athens tram?
A standard integrated ticket for the Athens tram costs around €1.20 and is valid for 90 minutes across the tram, metro and buses, allowing transfers. Day and multi-day passes offer further value, and you can also tap a contactless bank card or phone at the validators on board using the Tap2Ride system.
How do you get from Athens to the Riviera beaches by tram?
To reach the Riviera beaches by tram, take line T6 from Syntagma down to the coast at Pikrodafni, then change onto line T7 heading south toward Glyfada and Voula, stepping off at the beach of your choice. The journey is cheap, traffic-free and scenic, with sea views along the coastal route.