Athens airport to Piraeus port: bus, metro, taxi compared
Piraeus is about 49 km from the airport, so the trip takes 60 to 90 minutes whichever way you go. The X96 bus at 5.50 euros is the cheapest and the only option that runs all night. The metro and suburban railway are quicker on paper but cost 9 euros, and a taxi is metered because the official flat fare covers only the city centre. Leave a long margin before a ship or ferry sails.
- Cheapest
- €5.50Express bus X96 · 1 h 45 min
- Fastest
- 75 minTaxi · €55–€70
- Taxi
- €55–€70Taxi · 75 min
Suburban railway (Proastiakos): €18 for the group, about 1 h 35 min. No booking needed.
Train
Suburban railway (Proastiakos)
1 h 35 min
For the group€18
Suburban railway (Proastiakos)
Hellenic Train · line A1 direct to Piraeus, hourly
- Per person
- €9
- Door to door
- 1 h 35 min
- Runs
- 06:07–23:07
- Frequency
- hourly
- Board at
- Same station as the metro, over the footbridge from arrivals
- Suitcases
- Fine
Bus
Express bus X96
1 h 45 min
For the group€11
Express bus X96
OASA · direct to Piraeus port, 24 hours
- Per person
- €5.50
- Door to door
- 1 h 45 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- every 20 to 25 min, day and night
- Board at
- OASA bus stop outside Arrivals, between Exits 4 and 5
- Suitcases
- Fine
Metro
Metro line 3
88 min
For the group€18
Metro line 3
STASY · direct to Piraeus on the airport ticket
- Per person
- €9
- Door to door
- 88 min
- Runs
- 06:10–23:34
- Frequency
- every 36 min
- Board at
- Airport metro station, 3 to 5 minutes' walk from arrivals over the footbridge
- Suitcases
- Awkward
Taxi
Taxi
75 min
For the group€55–€70estimate
Taxi
Metered · about 55 to 70 euros, higher between 00:00 and 05:00
- Per person
- €55–€70 per vehicle
- Door to door
- 75 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Rank outside arrivals
- Board at
- Taxi rank outside Exit 3 of Arrivals
- Suitcases
- Carried for you
Private car
Pre-booked private car
80 min
For the group€64estimateCheck price
Pre-booked private car
Meet and greet · price fixed when you book
- Per person
- €64 per vehicle
- Door to door
- 80 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Pre-booked
- Board at
- Driver waits in arrivals
- Suitcases
- Carried for you
Every option in detail
BusExpress bus X96
- €5.50
- 1 h 45 min
- 24 hours
- → Piraeus port, along Poseidonos Avenue with a link to metro line 1
The fare is 5.50 euros, paid by contactless card on board or with a ticket from the kiosks between Exits 4 and 5. The ride takes about 90 minutes and over two hours in heavy traffic, so allow more if you have a ferry to catch. It carries luggage on board and runs through the night. The bus goes direct, so there is no change with your cases. It is the one public service that works for a very late or very early landing.
MetroMetro line 3
- €9
- 88 min
- 06:10–23:34
- → Piraeus station, at the port gates
The airport ticket is 9 euros one way or 16 euros return, and a 1.20 euro city ticket is not valid on the airport section. Trains take about 63 minutes to Piraeus and run every 36 minutes from 06:10 to 23:34 from the airport. The airport says metro cars have no designated luggage space, so it is not recommended with big cases. Line 3 has been split by night works since September 2026, with the Piraeus side running only as far as Egaleo. After about 21:40 from Sunday to Thursday, airport trains stop at Syntagma and you must continue by another route. The published closure dates ran to 8 October, so check the STASY notice.
TrainSuburban railway (Proastiakos)
- €9
- 1 h 35 min
- 06:07–23:07
- → Piraeus railway station, at the port gates
Line A1 runs from the airport through Athens (Larissis) station to Piraeus in about an hour. The ticket is the same 9 euro airport ticket and is valid for 90 minutes. Trains leave hourly from 06:07 to about 23:07, so a missed train costs you up to an hour. It makes sense when the next train is about to leave, and the X96 is the better bet otherwise.
TaxiTaxi
- €55–€70 per vehicle (estimate)
- 75 min
- 24 hours
- → Door to door at your berth or terminal
The official flat fare of 50 euros by day and 65 euros at night, raised in September 2026, covers only trips to the city centre. Piraeus is metered, and the airport's own page quotes 57 euros by day and 72 euros at night, about 70 to 80 minutes. A trip of 49 km on the meter with the airport supplement is likely to land between 55 and 70 euros, which makes it an estimate. Tolls may be added. Check that the meter is running, ask for a receipt and tell the driver which terminal you need.
Private carPre-booked private car
- €64 per vehicle (estimate)
- 80 min
- 24 hours
- → Your cruise terminal or ferry gate
A standard sedan for up to three passengers starts at about 64 euros on the platform we checked, and the price is fixed at booking. The driver tracks your flight and takes you to the terminal named in your booking. It costs a little less than the top of the metered taxi range and removes the uncertainty about the final fare.
The same trip in a different situation
Arriving late at night
The X96 is the answer for a 00:30 landing, because it runs 24 hours at the same 5.50 euro fare and leaves every 20 to 25 minutes. The last metro leaves the airport at 23:34 and the last suburban train at about 23:07, so both have gone. Line 3 is also split on Sunday to Thursday nights while the works run. Taxis wait at the rank around the clock, and the airport quotes 72 euros at night, from 00:00 to 05:00. A pre-booked car will wait for a delayed flight.
See the comparison →4 people, 4 suitcasesTravelling as a group of four
Four people on the X96 pay 22 euros, the cheapest option by far but 90 to 105 minutes door to door. Four on the metro or train pay 36 euros. One taxi at about 55 to 70 euros takes all four with the luggage in 70 to 80 minutes, so it is 14 to 17 euros each. If time matters or the cases are heavy the taxi is justified. A sedan at about 64 euros seats three, so four people need a second car or the taxi.
See the comparison →Practical tips
- Leave a margin before the ship sails. Cruise lines usually close check-in 90 to 120 minutes before departure, so a flight that lands at least five hours before sailing is a sensible target. Your cruise line sets the all-aboard time, so check it.
- The metro and train stop at Piraeus station by the port gates, and the X96 at the port, not at the ship. The Piraeus berths can be 15 to 30 minutes on foot from the stations, so add time for the walk or the port shuttle.
- The 9 euro airport ticket works on both the metro and the suburban railway. A 1.20 euro city ticket is not valid on the airport line.
- Check STASY for line 3 works notices on the day you land. This autumn the line has been split on some Sunday to Thursday nights after 21:40.
- The X96 stop is between Exits 4 and 5 on the Arrivals level. The taxi rank is at Exit 3.
Questions travellers ask
How do I get from Athens airport to Piraeus port?
The X96 express bus runs direct, 24 hours a day, for 5.50 euros and takes about 90 minutes. Metro line 3 and the suburban railway also go to Piraeus on the 9 euro airport ticket, about an hour.
How much is a taxi from Athens airport to Piraeus?
It is metered, because the flat fare of 50 euros applies only to the city centre. Expect about 55 to 70 euros by day, and the airport quotes 72 euros at night. The ride takes 70 to 80 minutes.
Does the metro go from Athens airport to Piraeus?
Yes, line 3 runs direct for 9 euros and takes about 63 minutes, with a train every 36 minutes from 06:10 to 23:34. On some Sunday to Thursday nights after 21:40 the line is split at Syntagma, so check STASY.
Is there a bus from Athens airport to Piraeus at night?
Yes. The X96 runs 24 hours a day at 5.50 euros, every 20 to 25 minutes, and takes about 90 minutes.
How long does it take to get from Athens airport to Piraeus?
About 75 minutes by taxi, 80 by pre-booked car, 88 by metro, 95 by suburban train and 105 by X96, counting the walk to the stop. Add the walk from the port gates to your ship.
