In & Around Athens
Everything you need to know.
All the information you need to get in and around Athens in one place.
From the Athens Metro to the famous greek yellow taxis, you can find everything here in detail.
Athens is just 3-3½ hours flight time from London. Daily scheduled direct flights from Heathrow, Gatwick and Luton airports ensure that you will find the right flight to suite your schedule.
We can make all the arrangements for you or you can book your flights on your own. Just let us know what you need and our affiliated travel agents will make all the necessary arrangements for you.
Whatever your travel arrangements you will be met at the airport by our private chauffer who will take you to your hotel. You will also be chauffeured to all your consultation appointments and clinic and hospital visits. Depending on your schedule we can arrange site seeing and short breaks for you through our affiliated travel agents, or you can shop in Athens and be pampered in our recommended hotels.
Athens Airport
Europe's new southern gateway to the world, the new Athens International Airport is the biggest infrastructure project in Greece, a project of strong entrepreneurial as well as social character. It has 144 check-in counters and two 4 kilometer (2.5 mile) runways. The airport can handle up to 65 landings and take-offs per hour, and an estimated 16 million passengers annually during the 1st phase. Athens international airport has a hotel, conference facilities, a post office, courier service, banks, currency exchanges, ATM's, and as many stores and restaurants as you could ever need.
Metro
The Athens Metro is the underground public transport system of Athens, consisting of 3 lines.
Metro Line 1 was inaugurated on February 27, 1869 as a steam train connecting Athens and Piraeus and was operated by Athens Piraeus Railway SA. The line was electrified in 1904 and the operating company renamed to Athens Piraeus Electric Railway SA in 1976. Today, Line 1 reaches the suburb of Kifisia and is also known as the green line and the electric railway.
Construction of Metro Lines 2 and 3 began in November 1991 to decrease traffic congestion and clean up the environment by reducing Athens' smog level.
In 1997 the line under contruction between the Syntagma and Panepistemiou stations developed a 5-meter-wide, 24-meter-deep hole. Fearing that Panepistemiou (University) Avenue and the tunnel would collapse, construction was suspended. Later that afternoon, cement trucks filled the hole with concrete to stabilize the ground and avoid closure of the avenue and the subway project. After the hole was entirely filled, construction resumed.
Taxis
In comparison to other international cities the rates in Athens are very cheap. Although be aware that after midnight the fares are double. Even so, they are still a bargain when compared to non-Greek destinations.
Bus Network
For further information please visit the Athens Urban Transport Organization website
Sight-seeing bus
Bus stops are blue and scattered along the route the bus takes. Tickets must be purchased from the driver and cost 5 euro. They are valid 24 hours for other forms of public transport, except for trips to and from Athens International Airport. The buses run every 30 minutes beginning at 7.30am and ending at 9pm.
