Not willing to exploit 40-50 euros for a taxi to Athens? Consider taking the Athens airport bus.
Most of these buses tend to run 24 hours a day, although service on some lines may be almost non-existent between midnight and dawn. They pick up passengers directly in front of the arrivals hall through gates 3 and 4.
Even when open, the Metro station at the airport is less convenient and requires more towing of your luggage than the airport buses, and is twice as expensive.
Your ticket will also include a transfer to any other public transport in Athens if used within 90 minutes.
X95 Bus
This bus runs to and from the airport and ends at Syntagma Square in central Athens. Many hotels are close to Syntagma Square, and it is generally easy to hail a taxi. Some hotels, like the Athens Intercontinental, also offer complimentary shuttle services to Syntagma Square, so you can connect there directly. The trip to Athens takes a little over an hour. This bus runs no less than three times an hour.
X96 Bus
The X96 runs to Piraeus, a convenient way to connect with many ferries to the Greek islands. The trip takes about an hour and a half. It runs at least every half hour. While most arriving tourists will find the X95 or X96 more useful, there are several additional routes that may meet the needs of some travelers.
X92 Bus
To and from Kifissia (see X93 below for a similar name but different location) in the northern suburbs of Athens to the airport. It runs every 45-60 minutes from 5 am to 11:45 pm; every 90 to 120 minutes during the early morning.
X93 Bus
Look at the similar name on this one – they sound the same and are easy to mispronounce, so the ticket taker thinks they want the wrong one. The X93 runs from the Kifisos station in Athens, where intercity buses connect. It runs to and from Athens airport, generally on a 40 minute schedule, except between midnight and 4:15 am, when it runs roughly every 60-70 minutes.
X97 Bus
From Dafni metro station to and from the airport. Every 40-60 minutes from 6 am to 10 pm, then up to 90 minutes between buses.
Any recent changes are posted on the Airport Bus Lines official page, as well as on a diagram of where the buses are at the airport.
Secrets of the airport bus
- Look for the new departure screens showing bus schedules in the arrivals area of the airport. These show when the next bus is due.
- Tickets for the Athens Airport Bus are sold at a small curbside kiosk near Gate 3 of the Athens International Airport. This kiosk can be unmanned until shortly before the bus arrives. If all else fails, the bus driver can take your money, but they avoid doing so if possible and will send you off the bus with all your luggage to fetch a ticket from the suddenly reopened kiosk. The kiosk itself will strongly prefer the appropriate amount of euro coins to large bills.
- Luggage areas on buses can fill up quickly, so you may end up without a seat and straddling your luggage for the 70-minute drive to the heart of Athens or the 90-minute drive to Piraeus.
- If you don’t know where you are going and you want the bus to stop near your hotel, please inform the driver that you need to stop in a particular area and give the name of your hotel. Your hotel or reservation service can give you instructions on what area you are in and what to say to a bus or taxi driver; keep this with you and follow these instructions closely. Sit close to the driver. Is there a Greek nearby on the bus? Ask them for help and tell them where you want to get off as well. If the driver forgets, this can be a lifesaver.
Buses not for you? Consider directly booking pre-arranged airport transfers. For small groups this is basically a private taxi and for two or more, if you are priced per person rather than per car it can be more expensive than just hailing a taxi at the airport. But it can be worth it if you want to be complied with and don’t have to worry about negotiating prices. They can also operate during strikes when regular taxis will not be available.
