It’s a common source of anxienty, when visiting a different place. Yeah, I arrived at the airport, I made it this far, now what?
In Athens, we have many means of transport: taxis, metro, suburban, buses, trolleys, trams and ktel. When arriving at the airport, in order to go towards the center or wherever your accommodation is, you will only find the taxis, the airport buses, the metro/suburban station and ktel. In the following paragraphs I will be explaining all means of transport.
Metro
The Lines 
The older trains 
On the left is one of the new trains. Those with the plane sign are usually the ones going to and from the airport 
The newest trains
The Athens metro consists of 3 lines (they are also building a 4th). Line 3 – blue line – (Airport/Doukissis Plakentias – Agia Marina) is the one connecting the airport with the city center. Now, you see the slash (/) over there? That’s the trap! There is a different train connecting the airport to Agia Marina and another one from Doukissis plakentias towards Agia Marina!
You must be thinking “She’s joking, right?”. No my dears, unfortunately I am not. And it gets even worse! It passes every 30min! (Now you see the necessity of this post 😛 ) And another thing! The first train from the airport is at 6:30 and the last one at 23:30! The first train from Agia Marina is at 5:30 and the last at 22:56.
Fortunately, those connecting Doukissis Plakentias to Agia Marina are more frequent, but the frequency varies depending on the time of the day or the day itself (during peak hours are every 1-3min, during the night and the weekend are more sparse). The first train from Doukissis Plakentias is at 5:30 and the last one is at 23:59 – except Fridays and Saturdays, which is at 1:59. The first train from Agia Marina is at 5:30 and the last is at 22:07 – except Fridays and Saturdays, which is at 2:07.
If you are planning to go to the center, you will probably get off at Syntagma or Monastiraki station.
Line 2 – red line – is the one connecting Anthoupoli and Elliniko. Some trains stop at Aghios Dimitrios station, while others continue towards Elliniko station. The first train from Anthoupoli is at 5:30 and the last one at 00:05 – except Fridays and Saturdays, which is at 2:05. The first train from Elliniko is at 5:30 and the last one at 00:01 – except Fridays and Saturdays, which is at 2:01.
Line 1 – green line – (aka Ilektrikos) is the one connecting the port of Piraeus and Kifisia. The first train from Kifisia is at 5:00 and the last one heading to Piraeus port is at 00:15, while the last one heading towards Omonia station is at 00:30. The first train from Piraeus port is at 5:00 and the last one heading to Kifisia is at 00:15, while the one heading to Omonia station is at 00:30. Many people don’t like this line, because there are a lot of weirdos on those trains.
Connections: Syntagma station connects lines 2 and 3 (red & blue), Monastiraki station connects lines 1 and 3 (green & blue), Omonia and Attiki stations connect lines, Doukissis Plakentias station connects line 3 (blue) with the suburban, Neratziotissa station connects line 1 (green) with the suburban and Larissa station connects line 2 (red) with the suburban. Outside of Sygrou-Fix and Neos Kosmos stations (line 2 – red), as well as Faliro station (line 1 – green) are connecting the metro with the tram. At Faliro the tram station’s name is Sef and is a terminal.
Useful links:
* http://www.oasa.gr/index.php?id=ind3ex&lang=en
* https://athensairporttaxi.com/metro/timetable-from-airport
* (greek) https://www.athenstransport.com/first-last/
* http://www.stasy.gr/index.php?id=67&L=1
* http://www.stasy.gr/index.php?id=69&L=1
Important info:
Always look after your stuff, because there are pickpockets, especially in line 1 (green – ilektrikos).
Suburban
The routes 
The train
Aka the bane of my existence…
The suburban is the train connecting the airport with various destinations.
One of the lines ends up at the port of Piraeus. There’s a train only every hour. The first train from the airport, heading to Piraeus, is at 6:09 and the last 22:09. There is also a train, heading to Athens (Larissa station), at 22:50. The first train from Piraeus, heading to the airport, is at 4:44 and the last is at 20:44 (that’s right people!). There is also a train heading to the airport, from Larissa station, at 4:30.
Another line is the one connecting the airport to Ano Liosia station. The previous station, named SKA, is where you can catch the trains heading to Northern Greece. (On the TrainOSE site – there will be a link below – you can also find the routes, timetables and prices for those trains). The first train from the airport, heading to Ano Liosia station is at 5:52 and the last one is at 20:52 (still not believing it, right?). The first train from Ano Liosia towards the airport is at 6:32, while the last one is at 21:32. Again there is a train every hour connecting those two places, but there is also a train connecting Ano Liosia station and Koropi station. This has a different timetable, there are only trains heading to Ano Liosia at 6:29, 7:29, 8:29, 9:29, 15:29, 16:29, 17:29 and 18:29. The trains heading to Koropi are at 5:59, 6:59, 7:59, 8:59, 14:59, 15:59, 16:59 and 17:59.
There is also one line connecting Larissa station to Chalkida, as well as one connecting it with Kiato. Since they are both destinations outside of Athens (and Attica), I won’t write anything about them, but you can find more information on TrainOSE website.
At the begining, I wrote that the suburban is the bane of my existence. That is because, sometimes (most of the time) there are delays, and there are also times when a train may not appear at all. Without any notice. No, seriously… You are waiting for it, usually in the cold when it’s winter, because the stations are outdoors, and it never comes! Surprise!
On the bright side, the heating system works perfectly!
Important info:
* You have to push the button for the doors to open.
* Usually the electronic labels don’t work, so if you are heading towards the airport, you should go to track 1.
Useful links:
* http://www.trainose.gr/en/passenger-activity/suburban-railway/
* http://www.trainose.gr/en/
* (greek) https://www.athenstransport.com/info/proastiakos/
* http://www.trainose.gr/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/%CE%91%CE%95%CE%A1%CE%9F%CE%94%CE%A1%CE%9F%CE%9C%CE%99%CE%9F-%CE%9A%CE%9F%CE%A1%CE%A9%CE%A0%CE%99-%CE%91.-%CE%9B%CE%99%CE%9F%CE%A3%CE%99%CE%91-%CE%91%CE%98%CE%97%CE%9D%CE%91-%CE%A0%CE%95%CE%99%CE%A1%CE%91%CE%99%CE%91%CE%A3-%CE%93%CE%99%CE%91-%CE%95%CE%A0%CE%99%CE%92%CE%91%CE%A4%CE%95%CE%A3_24-%CE%A6%CE%95%CE%92-2018.pdf
* http://www.trainose.gr/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/%CE%A0%CE%95%CE%99%CE%A1%CE%91%CE%99%CE%91%CE%A3-%CE%91%CE%98%CE%97%CE%9D%CE%91-%CE%91.-%CE%9B%CE%99%CE%9F%CE%A3%CE%99%CE%91-%CE%9A%CE%9F%CE%A1%CE%A9%CE%A0%CE%99-%CE%91%CE%95%CE%A1%CE%9F%CE%94%CE%A1%CE%9F%CE%9C%CE%99%CE%9F-%CE%93%CE%99%CE%91-%CE%95%CE%A0%CE%99%CE%92%CE%91%CE%A4%CE%95%CE%A3_24-%CE%A6%CE%95%CE%92-2018.pdf
I’m sorry for the long post, that’s the reason why this article is devided into three parts. I hope it was helpful so far. In the next one I will write about the tram, the buses, the trolleys and also the tickets and prices.
Till next time! 😉
xoxo, Myrto
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