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Here’s how to get from Piraeus Port to Athens city centre (and back) by metro, bus or taxi…
Arriving into Athens by ferry or on a cruise? The port is actually in Piraeus, about 10km southwest of the city centre – so you’ll need to make your way into the centre to explore.
When I arrived into Piraeus port on my recent Aegean cruise, I took the metro into Athens city centre to spend the day exploring on my own. This is the cheapest option and it’s very easy – if you don’t mind a bit of a walk to the station. But you can also take a bus tour or taxi if you prefer an easier option.
Below, I’ve rounded up all the ways to get from the port to the centre (and the iconic Acropolis) – including step-by-step instructions for using the metro. If you’ve got any questions feel free to leave a comment at the end of the page. Enjoy!
How to Get from Piraeus Port to Athens City Centre
To get to Athens city centre from the cruise terminal you have three main options:
- Taxi or Uber: 20-25 minutes, €20-€25 each way.
- Bus Tour: an all-day, hop-on, hop-off bus tour connecting all the main tourist attractions, €25-€28pp. Click here for more details.
- Metro: 20-25 minutes (plus a 20-minute walk if coming from the cruise terminal), €4.10 return.
I’ll go into more details on each option below, including a step-by-step guide to taking the metro from Piraeus Port. You could also walk into the city centre if you really wanted, but this is inadvisable as it takes about 2 hours.
1. Taxi: €20-€25 each way
A taxi into the city centre from Piraeus Port takes 20-25 minutes and costs around €20 to €25 (as of July 2024).
There are usually plenty of taxis waiting right outside the cruise terminal, so this is probably the easiest option, but it’s also the most expensive.
Also – traffic can be bad in the city centre, so a taxi can take up to 40 minutes on busy days. In that case, it might be quicker to take a taxi to the nearest metro station and ride that to the city centre (see below for more info).
Taxis are metered so you shouldn’t have to haggle. However, unscrupulous drivers have been known to turn the meter off and charge whatever they like – so be sure to check it before setting off. You can also use Uber to hail a cab and pay via the app, this will eliminate any chance of being overcharged (see below).
Is there Uber in Athens?
Yes, there is Uber in Athens. It works pretty much the same as it does anywhere else, except that only licensed taxi drivers can be Uber drivers. So when you order an Uber you’ll be getting a local taxi, and can expect to pay a similar price as you do in a metered taxi.
I found Uber a much easier way to summon a taxi in Athens rather than trying to flag one down in the street.
2. Bus Tour: €25-€28pp
If you only have a day and want to see a lot of Athens, the hop-on hop-off bus tours can be a good option (but again, more expensive).
These bus tours will take you to most of the popular tourist sights in Athens, and you can get on and off as often as you like. They make an excellent sightseeing tour and usually include an audio guide to learn a little about what you’re looking at.
Make sure that you book the route that includes Piraeus, as the cheaper routes cover Athens city centre only. There are usually buses lined up outside Piraeus cruise terminals. You’ll find several companies to choose from, but the two I personally recommend are:
1. Big Bus Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing Tour – 48 hours €25pp (all routes). You can ride the purple Pireaus Route to the Acropolis from outside Cruise Terminal A or B. At the Acropolis, change for the grey Athens Route to explore the city centre. CLICK HERE FOR LATEST PRICES.
2. City Sightseeing Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour – 48 hours €28pp (Athens + Piraeus). The green Piraeus Route has stops at Terminals A and B and goes all the way to the Acropolis, where you can pick up the red Athens Route to explore the rest of the city. CLICK HERE FOR LATEST PRICES.
3. Metro: €4.10 day ticket
Walk to the Metro Station at Dimotiko Theatro (20 mins from Cruise Terminal A) then ride the M3 to Syntagma or Monastiraki Square. The ride takes around 20-25 minutes. I’ve put detailed instructions for this option below so you’ll know exactly what you’re doing.
The Metro in Athens is very easy to use and the M3 train has announcements and signs in English after the Greek, so it’s very good for tourists.
The ticket costs €4.10 for 24 hours and you can use it to ride the metro all day. This is the cheapest way to reach the city centre from the cruise port – and it allows you maximum freedom.
From Cruise Terminal B: There is a free shuttle bus (every 10 to 15 minutes) from Terminal B to Terminal A.
Which Metro Station is best for visiting Athens City Centre?
Monastiraki Square is a good central spot, right next to Hadrian’s Library. It’s surrounded by a flea market and is a great spot for souvenir shopping. Nearby Psirri Square and the surrounding streets are great for street art hunting.
Syntagma Square is another good option. It’s the city’s main square, home to the palace – this is where you can watch the iconic changing of the guard every hour.
To get to the Acropolis, you can change at Syntagma Square station and ride the red M2 line one stop to the Acropolis entrance.
How to Take the Metro into Athens from Piraeus Port
You can buy an all-day metro ticket for €4.10. There are ticket machines inside the metro stations (available in multiple languages). If you get stuck, there’s also a ticket office in the Piraeus metro station.
The ticket you need is the 24-hour ticket for Athens only (you don’t need the ones that include the airport).
From Piraeus Ferry Port to the Metro Station
Piraeus Metro Station is almost directly opposite the main ferry port. It’s a big yellow building, so it’s easy to spot. Simply cross the pedestrian bridge over Avenue Posidonos to reach it.
Skip the next section to pick up more detailed instructions for taking the metro.
From the Cruise Terminals to the Metro Station
From the cruise terminals, it’s a little quicker to walk to the metro station at Dimotiko Theatro Square (ΔΗΜΟΤΙΚΟ ΘΕΑΤΡΟ) rather than Piraeus Metro Station.
If your cruise arrives at Terminal B, first take the free shuttle to Terminal A. This will save you an extra 20-30 minutes of walking.
From Terminal A, it’s about a 20-minute walk to the nearest metro station. However, Google Maps directions aren’t entirely accurate and may try to send you down along the docks. Thankfully, there are lots of signs pointing you towards the metro so follow these and stick to the main road.
Turn left out of the cruise terminal, walk past the tour buses and join onto the main road: Akti (Avenue) Miaoili. Follow this main road (see the photo below), with the water on your left, all the way to the end. I recommend crossing to walk in the shade when you reach the first pedestrian crossing.
Just before you reach the end of the road, you’ll see a big yellow church on your right with a park next to it: Themistokleous Square. Walk across the park towards the stunning Holy Trinity church (well worth a photo stop).
Facing the church with the park behind you, turn right to follow Leof. Vasileos Georgiou A two blocks until you reach the square in front of the Municipal Theater. Here, you’ll find the entrance to Dimotiko Theatro metro station (see photo below).
Metro from Piraeus to Athens City Centre
Don’t miss: Inside Dimotiko Theatro metro station, look out for a large piece of ancient architecture on display – part of an old water supply system discovered when they built the station. See photo below.
Once through the ticket barriers, follow signs for “airport” to get down to the platform. Hop aboard the M3 (blue line) train towards the airport. Simply ride it 10 stops and get off at Monastiraki Square, or 11 stops to Syntagma Square, depending on your chosen destination.
The stops are announced in both Greek and English well in advance of the train stopping, so you should be able to find your way easily. If you want to head straight to the Acropolis, change for the M2 (red line) at Syntagma and ride it one stop to the Acropolis.
Final Thoughts & Read More
So, that’s my guide on how to get from Piraeus Port and the cruise terminals to Athens city centre!
If you only have a day to explore the city centre and want to avoid too much walking, I highly recommend a hop-on hop-off bus tour. I’ve done lots of tours with City Sightseeing around the world and always found them brilliant. Click here to see routes and prices.
Check out my other posts about Athens and Greece below:
Cool & Unusual Things to do in Athens
If you have any questions (or tips) about how to get from Piraeus port to Athens city centre, scroll down to leave a comment!
