Athens Metro questions...

We plan on heading to Athens from Piraeus Port via Bus #843 to the Metro to Omonia station to Akropoli station. 1) Are the station names written only in Greek, or will we be able to read them in English (Ex. Omonia)? We'd hate to pass our station due to being unable to understand the station names. 2) Is the Metro air conditioned? Many thanks.

We plan on heading to Athens from Piraeus Port via Bus #843 to the Metro to Omonia station to Akropoli station. 1) Are the station names written only in Greek, or will we be able to read them in English (Ex. Omonia)? We'd hate to pass our station due to being unable to understand the station names. 2) Is the Metro air conditioned? Many thanks.

1.

before entance:

in stations:

in trains:

board to other stations:

2. You don't have problem with hot in stations or trains...

Not only the metro, but the street signs in Athens are in English as well as Greek, so very easy to navigate.

Dont' forget to wear your money belt; the green line (from Piraeus to central Athens) has had a huge increase just this past year in pickpocketing incidents.

Enjoy your trip to this vibrant city!

How often does the #843 bus run please - just thinking about 3500 cruise passengers waiting for one to turn up

What is the nearest metro station to the port - is it Pireaus?

What is the cost of a metro ticket this year please?

Thank you.

Is the Metro air conditioned?

If it is air conditioned, you certainly couldn't feel it on the train cars we travelled in this past June.

Joe

How often does the #843 bus run please - just thinking about 3500 cruise passengers waiting for one to turn up

What is the nearest metro station to the port - is it Pireaus?

What is the cost of a metro ticket this year please?

Thank you.

the #843 bus run every 15-20 minutes... I believe the bus way know only in here:p you don't have problem..

Pireaus is the nearest metro station..

Ticket cost 1 euro and is valid for 1.5 hour.. you can use ta buses and metro.. there is and a 3 euro ticket valid for 24 hours..

When we come out of the port, is the bus stop directly across the street? Do we have to buy a ticket at a cigar shop or can we do it on the bus? I would like to get the 3 Euro ticket since we will be using the metro all day. How many stops from the port to the metro stop?

When we return to Pireaus, we will need to cross the street to the water side. Where is the bus stop there and will it still be #843 or a different number going back to port?

Thank you!

 

When we return to Pireaus, we will need to cross the street to the water side. Where is the bus stop there and will it still be #843 or a different number going back to port?

 

Thank you!

I can only speak to the return portion of your question. I walked to the metro station in the morning, but when I returned to Piraeus, I did take bus 843 from the Metro to the port.

When you exit the Metro station, you will see a large metal pedestrian bridge that crosses the street (pictured below --- the multi-storied yellow building you see to the right hand side is the Metro building). Cross the bridge. When you walk back down to street level (exit down the left hand side - though I think that's the only way to come back down to street level), you'll see a newspaper/tobacco kiosk right in front of you. If you look in the 2nd picture I've attached, you'll see a building just in front of the escalator (left hand side) that says "Pall Mall," that's the newspaper/tobacco kiosk. Just ahead of you (in the direction of the water) is the bus stop. It's a rather large bus stop. It'll be clearly labeled with the bus numbers that stop at this stop. You want bus #843 (you'll see a sign). Just wait for it to come around.

I don't remember exactly how many stops to get back to the port entrance. It was at least 3 (could have been more). Just keep an eye on the route. The bus will stop about 1 block before the port entrance, and then will stop again just past the port entrance. You can get off at either stop.

Good luck and have fun! Taking the metro into Athens on your own is very easy to do.

When we come out of the port, is the bus stop directly across the street? Do we have to buy a ticket at a cigar shop or can we do it on the bus? I would like to get the 3 Euro ticket since we will be using the metro all day. How many stops from the port to the metro stop?

The bus stop was close by, but, unfortunately, you cannot buy tickets on the bus. On our trip last September, the first two tobacco/magazine stands were out of metro tickets, so we had to keep walking towards the metro checking stands for tickets, then just watched the posted bus signs for an 843 bus stop. (BTW, yes, same bus number each way.) Cannot remember the number of stops, maybe three? Just look out your window; the cruise ship terminal is huge.

The bus stop was close by, but, unfortunately, you cannot buy tickets on the bus. On our trip last September, the first two tobacco/magazine stands were out of metro tickets, so we had to keep walking towards the metro checking stands for tickets, then just watched the posted bus signs for an 843 bus stop. (BTW, yes, same bus number each way.) Cannot remember the number of stops, maybe three? Just look out your window; the cruise ship terminal is huge.

The first 2 newspaper stands we found did not have tickets. Like CinitPam, we walked along the bus route for about 5 minutes before we found a stand with tickets. We were disappointed that he did not have all day ticketrs, but we actually did not need them. Tickets are good for 75 minutes after validation so one ticket sufficed for the bus, the train and the metro to get to the Acropoli station. We went to the new Acropolis Museum and then walked to the Plaka and from there to Syntagma Square. Finally we used a second ticket to go from the Acropoli station to the Osmonia station where our favorite gelato place is and then the same ticket for the train and bus back to the port.

I admire all you people who brave the metro in a foreign country! Being from South Louisiana it's a freightening concept to me.

Are taxi's readily available to and from the port? :D

Thanks

Trudy

I admire all you people who brave the metro in a foreign country! Being from South Louisiana it's a freightening concept to me.

Are taxi's readily available to and from the port? :D

 

Thanks

 

Trudy

Yes.

The fare to central Athens should be no more than 20 Euros. If you have any difficulty with the taxi driver at the port wanting to give you a tour or charging more, tell him you will summon the tourist police from inside the terminal. (Yes, some indeed are stationed there.)

Also, although they are supposed to use the meter, I have yet in my two visits in the past year (both spending time in Athens not on board) found a driver willing to use his meter for the port-central Athens trip. (It's only seven miles to central Athens.) If anyone does use his meter, make sure it is the day rate, not the much higher midnight to 5 AM rate.

One final suggestion: if you have luggage with you, do not allow the driver to put any of it (or you) in the taxi until you have established the price for the trip!

I admire all you people who brave the metro in a foreign country! Being from South Louisiana it's a freightening concept to me.

Are taxi's readily available to and from the port? :D

I think you have to be braver to use a taxi!

Metro is the best and effective way to travel in Athens. There are three main lines: green, red, and blue, all can be connected to one another.

The green line or Line 1 takes you from and to Piraeus with stops at Monastiraki, which is only a short walk to Plaka and Acropolis. The red line or Line 2 takes you from and to the Bus Terminal with a stop at Syntagma Square. The blue line or Line 3 takes you from and to the airport, with stops at Monastiraki and Syntagma Square.

BTW, the metro line (blue) from the airport to central Athens re-opened this past week.

I admire all you people who brave the metro in a foreign country! Being from South Louisiana it's a freightening concept to me.

Are taxi's readily available to and from the port? :D

 

Thanks

 

Trudy

I happen to like South Louisiana so I offer this advice based on a lot of experience. When it comes to Athens (and many other places in Europe) I would be a lot more frightened (not to mention ripped off) by taxis than the metro. Why you would trust a stranger driving a car in a country where taxis routinely cheat tourists (not to mention the rate of auto accidents) over an excellent metro system where you only need to take a few reasonable precautions against pickpockets is beyond me. But, I guess that is only my opinion. Just take a lot of extra Euros before you get into a taxi, because you may need them.

Hank

Okay, let me get this straight please.....

We will be able to take the metro from the Athens airport to the Hilton Hotel ? We've been on several websites that are not totally clear on the contruction work being finished.

thanks

Okay, let me get this straight please.....

We will be able to take the metro from the Athens airport to the Hilton Hotel ? We've been on several websites that are not totally clear on the contruction work being finished.

thanks

The line from the airport re-opened in late August.

I happen to like South Louisiana so I offer this advice based on a lot of experience. When it comes to Athens (and many other places in Europe) I would be a lot more frightened (not to mention ripped off) by taxis than the metro. Why you would trust a stranger driving a car in a country where taxis routinely cheat tourists (not to mention the rate of auto accidents) over an excellent metro system where you only need to take a few reasonable precautions against pickpockets is beyond me. But, I guess that is only my opinion. Just take a lot of extra Euros before you get into a taxi, because you may need them.

 

 

Hank

We took a taxi from the port to the Acropolis and had no issues. The taxi driver couldn't have been nicer. He even offered to stop and get us bottled water to take with us. The fare was 18 euros.

We had planned to take the metro but didn't realize how far the station was from where we docked. Pireaus is a huge port. We did take the metro back to Pireaus and then a taxi from the metro to the ship. The fare was 4 euros and worth every penny!

We had planned to take the metro from Piraeus into Athens, and we were walking just ahead of another couple from the ship who were also walking to the metro station. We looked up to see a taxi coming down the street, so we turned around and asked the other couple if they wanted to share a taxi. It only cost us 5 euros per person and was very quick to the Acropolis.

It was so easy on the way in that my husband and I decided to grab a taxi back to Piraeus. Well, that wasn't so smooth. The Plaka was jam packed with people and the taxi had to navigate not only the people but also the labyrinth of one-way streets. Horrendous traffic on the way back to the ship. Next time (next month :D), we'll use the metro.

How far is the walk from the port to the Pireaus Metro station? I've heard about 30 minutes, which probably isn't too bad when you start out, but after a day of schlepping up and down the Acropolis, it wouldn't be such an attractive proposition on the way back?

How far is the walk from the port to the Pireaus Metro station? I've heard about 30 minutes, which probably isn't too bad when you start out, but after a day of schlepping up and down the Acropolis, it wouldn't be such an attractive proposition on the way back?

Closer to about 20 minutes for the average couch potato like me. You also can take the 843 bus, but they run only every 15 minutes. A taxi from the central historical area directly to the cruiseport, about seven miles and 20 minutes non-rush hour, should total 20 Euros max. No Athens taxi driver will be willing to use the meter for a tourist, unless he wants to cheat you using the double-fare night meter.

Coming from the airport to Syntagma Square, do you have to change

trains? How much is the fare? How long does it take?

Coming from the airport to Syntagma Square, do you have to change

trains? How much is the fare? How long does it take?

No, the blue line from the airport runs right to Syntagma Square. The fare is six Euros.

Sorry, I do not know how long the ride is (I assume around 20 minutes) because the metro from the airport just re-opened at the end of August after a long closure. On our two visits, one last September and one in June, we took a taxi once (about 35 to 40 Euros in the daytime) and the X95 express bus once (3.20 Euros per person).

Thank you Cintipam for the metro info. It sounds like the metro is the way to go in order to arrive in Athens.