Athens Airport to the centre: metro, bus, taxi compared
Athens Airport is about 38 km from Syntagma Square. Metro line 3 and the 24-hour X95 bus are the cheap routes, and the taxi is a flat fare by day and a higher flat fare from midnight to 05:00. The taxi fare was raised in September 2026, which narrows the gap with a pre-booked car.
- Cheapest
- €5.50Express bus X95 · 75 min
- Fastest
- 45 minFlat-fare taxi · €50
- Taxi
- €50Flat-fare taxi · 45 min
Metro line 3: €18 for the group, about 65 min. No booking needed.
Metro
Metro line 3
65 min
For the group€18
Metro line 3
STASY · direct to Syntagma, airport ticket needed
- Per person
- €9
- Door to door
- 65 min
- Runs
- 06:10–23:34
- Frequency
- every 36 min
- Board at
- Airport metro station at departures level, 3 to 5 min walk from arrivals
- Suitcases
- Fine
Bus
Express bus X95
75 min
For the group€11
Express bus X95
OASA · non-stop to Syntagma, 24 hours
- Per person
- €5.50
- Door to door
- 75 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- about every 30 min by day, less often overnight
- Board at
- Bus stops outside arrivals, ground floor
- Suitcases
- Fine
Train
Suburban railway
85 min
For the group€18
Suburban railway
Hellenic Train · to Larissis station, change for Syntagma
- Per person
- €9
- Door to door
- 85 min
- Runs
- 06:07–23:07
- Frequency
- hourly
- Board at
- Same station as the metro, reached over the footbridge from arrivals
- Suitcases
- Fine
Taxi
Flat-fare taxi
45 min
For the group€50estimate
Flat-fare taxi
Yellow taxi · 50 euros day, 65 euros midnight to 05:00
- Per person
- €50 per vehicle
- Door to door
- 45 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Rank outside arrivals
- Board at
- Taxi rank outside arrivals
- Suitcases
- Carried for you
Private car
Pre-booked private car
50 min
For the group€46estimateCheck price
Pre-booked private car
Meet-and-greet · price fixed when you book
- Per person
- €46 per vehicle
- Door to door
- 50 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Pre-booked
- Board at
- Driver waits in arrivals
- Suitcases
- Carried for you
Every option in detail
MetroMetro line 3
- €9
- 65 min
- 06:10–23:34
- → Syntagma metro station
Buy the 9 euro airport ticket at the machines or ticket desk in the station. A 1.20 euro city ticket is not valid on the airport section. The ticket works for 90 minutes on other city transport, and a return is 16 euros. Trains run direct to Syntagma in about 40 minutes. The same airport ticket is also valid on the suburban railway. Inspectors check tickets on this line, so keep it until you leave the station.
TrainSuburban railway
- €9
- 85 min
- 06:07–23:07
- → Larissis station, then metro line 2 to Syntagma
The airport ticket costs 9 euros and is valid for 90 minutes on the metro, so you can ride to Larissis in about 44 minutes and change to metro line 2 for Syntagma on the same ticket. Trains run once an hour, which makes this slower than the metro unless your train is about to leave. It suits a hotel near Larissis station or a connection to a regional train.
BusExpress bus X95
- €5.50
- 75 min
- 24 hours
- → Syntagma Square, Amalias Avenue
The fare is 5.50 euros, paid with a contactless card on board or with an OASA ticket from the kiosk. It is the cheapest option and the only public service that runs all night. The ride is about 60 minutes and longer at rush hour, so allow more if you have a ferry or train to catch. The X96 goes to Piraeus port on the same fare, about 90 minutes.
TaxiFlat-fare taxi
- €50 per vehicle (estimate)
- 45 min
- 24 hours
- → Any address inside the city ring
The flat fare to the city centre is 50 euros from 05:00 to midnight and 65 euros from 00:00 to 05:00, per taxi and not per person. Both were raised from 40 and 55 euros in a ministry announcement on 16 September 2026, and old guidebook prices are out of date. If the gazette notice has not yet reached a driver, check the posted fare before you set off. Ask for a receipt.
Private carPre-booked private car
- €46 per vehicle (estimate)
- 50 min
- 24 hours
- → Your hotel door
A pre-booked sedan for up to three passengers starts at about 46 euros, which is now less than the day taxi fare. The driver tracks your flight and the price is fixed when you book. Night arrivals usually cost more, so check the quote for a 00:30 landing.
The same trip in a different situation
Arriving late at night
For a 00:30 arrival the metro has gone, because the last airport departure on line 3 is at 23:34. The last suburban train leaves at 23:07. The X95 runs all night, hourly or so after midnight, and costs 5.50 euros. Taxis queue at the night flat fare of 65 euros between 00:00 and 05:00. A pre-booked car is fixed in advance and avoids the rank. Sunday to Thursday evenings, line 3 has been split by rail-replacement works since summer 2026, so check STASY for the night's timetable if you land before 23:30.
See the comparison →4 people, 4 suitcasesTravelling as a group of four
Four people on the metro pay 36 euros in total, and four on the X95 pay 22 euros. A taxi at 50 euros is 12.50 each and takes about 45 minutes door to door, against about 65 on the metro. A sedan seats three, so for four people the taxi is the single vehicle that fits everyone with luggage. After midnight the taxi at 65 euros is 16.25 each, still reasonable against a one-hour wait for the X95.
See the comparison →Practical tips
- Buy the 9 euro airport ticket, not the 1.20 euro city ticket. The city ticket is not valid on the airport section.
- Taxi fares were raised in September 2026 to 50 and 65 euros. Printed guides still show 40 and 55.
- Metro line 3 leaves the airport every 36 minutes, so look at the platform board before running for it.
- The airport metro and train station is a 3 to 5 minute walk from arrivals, following the train signs over the footbridge.
- For Piraeus cruise port take the X96 bus, or metro line 3 straight through to Piraeus station on the 9 euro airport ticket.
- The X95 is the only public option after about 23:34, and it leaves from outside arrivals.
Questions travellers ask
How much is the metro from Athens Airport to the centre?
The airport ticket is 9 euros one way, or 16 euros return. It takes about 40 minutes to Syntagma on line 3, with a train every 36 minutes.
How much is a taxi from Athens Airport to the centre?
The flat fare is 50 euros from 05:00 to midnight and 65 euros from midnight to 05:00, raised from 40 and 55 euros in September 2026. It is per taxi, not per person, and the ride takes 35 to 50 minutes.
Does the X95 bus run at night?
Yes. The X95 to Syntagma runs 24 hours a day and costs 5.50 euros. It is the cheapest way in after the last metro, which leaves the airport at 23:34.
What time is the last metro from Athens Airport?
The last line 3 train leaves the airport at 23:34, and the first at 06:10. The suburban train runs from 06:07 to 23:07, hourly.
How do I get from Athens Airport to Piraeus port?
Metro line 3 runs through to Piraeus station on the 9 euro airport ticket, about 63 minutes with a train every 36 minutes. The X96 bus also goes to the port, runs 24 hours at 5.50 euros and takes about 90 minutes.
