The Athens Airport metro connects Athens International Airport with Athens city center using the blue line. Popular stops include Syntagma Square, Monastiraki, and Piraeus Port.
Athens International Airport Metro Station
After arriving at Athens Eleftherios Venizelos Airport in Athens, Greece, you can travel into the center of Athens or directly to Piraeus Port using the fast and efficient metro system.
Currently, the metro runs from the airport to downtown Athens every 36 minutes. It takes about 40 minutes to travel from Athens airport to central Athens using the metro service.
The metro station itself is located just outside of the main terminal. To get there from the airport, first make sure you have your luggage (!) and then exit the baggage collection area where you'll find yourself in the arrivals area.
Here, look up and find the signs which say to trains/buses. You'll be following the signs that say trains until you reach the metro station.
Athens Airport Metro Line Popular Destinations
The metro leaving from Athens Airport runs along what is known as the blue line. Some of the most popular stops in Athens are on the Blue metro line such as Syntagma Square, Monastiraki and Piraeus Port.
You can also transfer onto the green line and the red line via Syntagma station and Monastiraki station.
This means that you can reach all of the metro stations such as Acropolis on the Athens metro network from Athens airport with 90 minutes.
Coincidentally, this is how long an Athens metro ticket is valid for!
If you are staying in a hotel in Athens center, you can work out your metro route by finding the closest metro station to your hotel.
Athens International Airport Metro Ticket Costs And Options
You can buy tickets for the train either at the automatic machines in the Athens airport metro station or at the ticket office. I find it is easier to get it from the ticket office – and I've been living here for 8 years!
If you want to get your own ticket I suggest you read this guide first: How to take the Athens metro from the airport
There are various options available depending on how long you are staying in Athens, and if you need to return to the airport.
While the normal cost of a 90 minute metro ticket within the Athens metro system is 1.20 Euro, the Athens metro ticket is more expensive.
An airport return ticket (valid for 30 days) for one person is 16 Euro. A one way ticket to or from Athens airport for one person is 9 Euros.
There are also other options such as a 3 day tourist ticket, which includes an Athens airport return trip, and unlimited travel on the Athens metro system for 3 x 24 hour periods.
Like I said, maybe buy your tickets in the ticket office at the Athens airport metro station so you can find out which deal is best for you!
You can also find details here at the official website.
Using the Metro
Once you've got your ticket, you need to make your way to the platform from which the Athens airport metro departs for Athens. If you've bought your ticket from the ticket office, the seller will indicate which platform you need to be on.
An important note, is that once you get down to where the metro services leave from, there are two platforms. You will want the one which says ‘Metro'. You don't want to get on the one that says ‘Suburban Railway' if you intend to travel into Athens city center.
As the train will be empty when you board, you should find it relatively easy to get a seat. Don't let the quietness of the carriage fool you – This train will soon fill up with people when it stops at the metro stations along the way into the city centre.
Top Tip: Don't get separated from your luggage, and keep your valuables hidden at all times. You don't wander around with your wallet in your back pocket, do you?!
More info here: Is Athens safe to visit
Returning to the Airport
To take the Athens airport subway back, keep in mind that trains depart every 36 minutes from blue line stations. The front of the train says ‘Airport' on it, and there are also announcement boards easily viewable from metro platforms.
If you do get on the wrong train, the end station will be Doukissis Plakentias station. If you find yourself here, wait for the airport metro to take you all the way to the airport, but you may to swap platforms.
Important note: You will need a valid airport ticket to use the metro all the way to Athens International Airport. A regular ticket will not get you through the gates at the Airport metro station, and you'll have to buy another one or pay a fine. Or both!
Athens Metro Airport FAQ
Readers planning to use the metro system between Athens airport and the city often ask questions such as:
How do I get to Athens airport by Metro?
There are direct metros going to Athens airport on the Blue metro line also known as metro line 3. Airport trains run every 36 minutes, and popular stations to take the Athens airport metro include Syntagma and Monastiraki.
Does Athens airport have a metro station?
Yes, Athens International Airport has its own designated metro station. The metro station is accessible from both Arrivals and Departures. The metro station is connected to the main terminal building through covered bridge opposite the terminal.
How much is Metro Athens airport ticket?
A single ticket from the Athens airport to anywhere within the city metro system will cost you 9 Euros. If you need to return to the airport, the cost of a 30-day return ticket is 16 Euro.
How long does the Athens metro from the airport take?
The Athens metro from the airport takes approximately 35 to 45 minutes, depending on your destination and metro stop.
Does the metro to Athens airport run 24/7?
No, the Athens metro to the airport does not run 24/7. The first train departing the airport station departs at 06.10 and the last train departs at 23.34. If you need to travel to or from the airport after midnight, taking a bus or taxi are the only options.
Also read:
- Will inflation affect my trip to Greece?
- How to get from Athens airport to Piraeus Port
- Best hotels near Athens airport
- 7 Most important sites in Athens to visit
- How to get a taxi from Athens airport to the city center
- Athens Airport to Patras
– Dave BriggsDave is a travel writer who has been based in Athens, Greece since 2015. In addition to writing this blog post about using the metro at Athens airport, he's written hundreds of other insightful travel guides to Greek islands and destinations. Follow Dave and Dave's Travel Pages on social media for endless Greece travel ideas:
Hi Dave!
Thank you for this informative page!
Do you know where I can find the metro timetable? I am travelling from Syntagma station to the Airport, and I would like to know when the train runs.
Best regards, Jeanette
Hi Jeanette!
Athens airport metros leave every 36 minutes.
You can find a timetable here: Athens Airport Metro Timetable
Thank you 🙂
Dave, nice informative website, but you say nothing about discounted tickets for over-65 and for others who may be entitled. I can’t find a discount rate anywhere for the roundtrip (two-way) Airport>Monastiraki>Airport ticket, while I can find the discounted rate for the single trip (€4.50). Just wondering if the two-way tiket doesn’t get discounted? Do you know?
Hi Lorenz,
As far as I know, you can only get the discounted fares using a personalized Athena card.
Check out the website and see if you can make sense of it – probably there is a remote way for you to get it, but there will be a lot of hoops to jump through.
Effectively, discounted rates are really only for people living in Greece.
If you don’t apply for the card, you could always ask the teller when buying at the Athens airport metro station. I’ll be honest though, I don’t think they’ll give one.
However, it’s always nice to learn something new – so please come back and share your experiences during your trip to Greece!