Piraeus Port to Athens: metro, bus, taxi, transfer compared
Piraeus is about 12 km from Syntagma Square, and the metro is the obvious answer. A single ticket costs 1.20 euros, but the cruise berths are 15 to 30 minutes on foot from the stations, so the walk or a port shuttle decides the journey. A taxi at 15 to 25 euros removes it and costs little for a group.
- Cheapest
- €1.20Metro line 3 from Dimotiko Theatro · 50 min
- Fastest
- 30 minTaxi from the port rank · €15–€25
- Taxi
- €15–€25Taxi from the port rank · 30 min
Metro line 3 from Dimotiko Theatro: €2.40 for the group, about 50 min. No booking needed.
Metro
Metro line 3 from Dimotiko Theatro
50 min
For the group€2.40
Metro line 3 from Dimotiko Theatro
STASY · direct to Syntagma, no change
- Per person
- €1.20
- Door to door
- 50 min
- Runs
- 05:30–23:57
- Frequency
- every 4 to 9 min
- Board at
- Dimotiko Theatro station, about 15 min walk from Terminal A
- Suitcases
- Fine
Taxi
Taxi from the port rank
30 min
For the group€15–€25estimate
Taxi from the port rank
Yellow taxi · metered, about 15 to 25 euros
- Per person
- €15–€25 per vehicle
- Door to door
- 30 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Rank outside the terminals
- Board at
- Taxi rank at the cruise terminal exits
- Suitcases
- Carried for you
Bus
Express bus X80
45 min
For the group€8.20
Express bus X80
OASA · seasonal, May to October, needs a day ticket
- Per person
- €4.10
- Door to door
- 45 min
- Runs
- 07:00–21:15
- Frequency
- every 30 to 40 min
- Board at
- Cruise terminal stop, Akti Miaouli and Akti Xaveriou
- Suitcases
- Fine
Metro
Metro line 1 from Piraeus station
55 min
For the group€2.40
Metro line 1 from Piraeus station
STASY · Monastiraki, Omonia, Victoria
- Per person
- €1.20
- Door to door
- 55 min
- Runs
- 05:00–00:15
- Frequency
- every 7 to 10 min
- Board at
- Piraeus station, opposite the main port gates
- Suitcases
- Fine
Private car
Pre-booked private car
30 min
For the group€40estimateCheck price
Pre-booked private car
Meet at the terminal · price fixed when you book
- Per person
- €40 per vehicle
- Door to door
- 30 min
- Runs
- 24 hours
- Frequency
- Pre-booked
- Board at
- Driver waits at the cruise terminal
- Suitcases
- Carried for you
Every option in detail
MetroMetro line 3 from Dimotiko Theatro
- €1.20
- 50 min
- 05:30–23:57
- → Syntagma metro station
Line 3 starts at Dimotiko Theatro and runs straight to Syntagma in about 24 minutes. The fare is 1.20 euros for a 90-minute ticket, bought from the machines at the station or by tapping a contactless card at the gate. Trains leave every 4 minutes at the busiest times and every 9 minutes in the late evening. The airport branch trains also stop here, so any line 3 train toward Ambelokipi or the airport gets you to Syntagma.
MetroMetro line 1 from Piraeus station
- €1.20
- 55 min
- 05:00–00:15
- → Monastiraki, then line 3 one stop to Syntagma
The green line starts at Piraeus, across the road from the port gates between E5 and E6. It reaches Monastiraki in about 20 minutes on the same 1.20 euro ticket, and line 3 goes on from Monastiraki to Syntagma. Line 3 also calls at Piraeus station, so you can skip the change by taking line 3 from there. Line 1 runs from 05:00 to 00:15 and does not run later on Friday and Saturday.
BusExpress bus X80
- €4.10
- 45 min
- 07:00–21:15
- → Syntagma, via the Acropolis Museum area
The X80 starts at the cruise terminals and loops through the south of the city to Syntagma, about 27 km in a full circuit. It accepts only a 24-hour ticket at 4.10 euros or the tourist ticket, not the 1.20 euro single. OASA lists it from 07:00 to 21:15 or 21:30 depending on the page, so confirm the last departure at the stop. It runs only from May to October and ends for the season soon.
TaxiTaxi from the port rank
- €15–€25 per vehicle (estimate)
- 30 min
- 24 hours
- → Any address in central Athens
There is no flat fare from Piraeus to Athens. Athens taxis use a meter with a 4 euro minimum, and a trip to the centre typically reads 15 to 25 euros depending on traffic, which makes this an estimate. Check that the meter is running before you leave the kerb. Between 00:00 and 05:00 the higher night tariff applies.
Private carPre-booked private car
- €40 per vehicle (estimate)
- 30 min
- 24 hours
- → Your hotel door
A pre-booked sedan starts at about 40 euros for up to three passengers, and the price is fixed when you book. The drive takes about 30 minutes in normal traffic. It costs roughly double a metered taxi, and buys a driver who is waiting at the terminal and a known price.
The same trip in a different situation
Arriving late at night
Count back from the all-aboard time, which is usually 30 to 60 minutes before sailing. Line 1 leaves Piraeus for the city until 00:15. Line 3 from Dimotiko Theatro runs until 23:57 from Sunday to Thursday and until about 01:34 on Friday nights. The X80 stops by 21:30. After the metro closes, the metered taxi is the only simple route back, and the night tariff applies from 00:00 to 05:00. Sunday to Thursday evenings line 3 has been split by works since summer 2026, so confirm the last train on the STASY site.
See the comparison →4 people, 4 suitcasesTravelling as a group of four
Four people on the metro pay 4.80 euros in total. A metered taxi at 15 to 25 euros is about 4 to 6 euros each, and a sedan at about 40 euros for three is more than 13 euros each. The metro is cheapest by a wide margin, but the walk from the berth is 15 to 30 minutes with bags. If you are four with luggage or time is short, the taxi is the sensible vehicle, and it fits everyone.
See the comparison →Practical tips
- To get from the cruise port to the airport, take metro line 3 from Piraeus on the 9 euro airport ticket, about 63 minutes, or the X96 bus at 5.50 euros, about 90 minutes.
- The free port shuttle moves passengers between ships and terminals, and it does not go to the metro station.
- Terminal A is about 15 minutes on foot from Dimotiko Theatro. Terminals B and C are around 30 minutes, so a shuttle or a taxi is easier there.
- The X80 needs a 24-hour ticket at 4.10 euros. A 1.20 euro single is not accepted.
- Keep your ticket until you exit the metro station. Inspectors fine passengers who cannot show one.
- Dimotiko Theatro and Piraeus are neighbouring stations on line 3. Trains from Dimotiko Theatro also call at Piraeus, so pick whichever is nearer your berth.
Questions travellers ask
How do I get from Piraeus cruise port to Athens by metro?
Walk to Piraeus or Dimotiko Theatro station and take line 3 to Syntagma for 1.20 euros, about 24 minutes. Line 1 reaches Monastiraki in about 20 minutes on the same ticket.
How much is a taxi from Piraeus port to Athens centre?
It is metered, not fixed, and a trip to the centre typically costs 15 to 25 euros. The legal minimum is 4 euros, and the night tariff applies between midnight and 05:00.
Is the X80 bus running?
The X80 is a seasonal service from May to October, so it is running now but will stop for the winter. It needs a 4.10 euro 24-hour ticket and leaves the cruise terminals every 30 to 40 minutes.
How do I get from Piraeus cruise port to Athens airport?
Take metro line 3 from Piraeus station straight to the airport on the 9 euro airport ticket, about 63 minutes. The X96 bus runs 24 hours at 5.50 euros and takes about 90 minutes.
When does the last metro leave Piraeus?
The last line 1 train leaves Piraeus at 00:15. The last line 3 train from Dimotiko Theatro leaves at 23:57 from Sunday to Thursday and 01:34 on Friday nights.
