Please sign in to post.

Airport Taxi: prearranged or from taxi stand?

We arrive in Athens at 4:40 pm on a weekday in mid-February and will have been traveling for close to 14 hours by then. Our Airbnb host suggested a taxi as public transportation at that time (probably around 6 - 6:30 pm) will still be crowded and take longer than driving. She suggested we just get one from the stand and said it should be €40 - 45. I have read about problems with tired, non-Greek speaking visitors being overcharged and while we are very experienced travelers we definitely fit the demographic.

So, I think we'd be smarter to arrange a pick up. Normally we'd use Uber but if there's a taxi strike we'd be out of luck. I understand pre-arranged taxis are exempt from striking. I'm looking for recommendations. I've contacted George's Taxi and was shocked to see they charged €60 to take us to Koukaki. I'm also considering Welcome Pickups but there seem to be more negative reviews than I'd like to see.

The most recent post on this topic in the Greece forum was almost a year ago, so I'm hoping for recent info, thanks!

Posted by
8 posts

Welcome pickups are very good.
If you do take a taxi from the stand be careful, there is a fixed rate (it includes everything, luggage, tolls etc) from the airport to the city centre ring & vice versa (so it depends exactly where your Airbnb is), I suggest screenshotting this page & either having the exact cash or better still pay by card & check the amount showing before proceeding, sadly there are still some who try to scam tourists, particularly first timers or exhausted travellers :( Take note of the taxi number plate just in case you have a problem. The fare info in the link should also be displayed on the dashboard of the taxi which you can point to,
https://www.aia.gr/en/traveller/transportation-airport/taxi-limousines-transfer?contentTabId=tab-4461

Posted by
3486 posts

Private drivers like Uber cannot operate as taxis in Greece. Only licensed taxi drivers are authorized. When you use the Uber app to book a taxi, you will get an official taxi with a driver using the Uber app, the same applies to Welcome Pickups and other apps like Freenow.

Consequently, if there is a taxi strike (as is the case today in Athens), no app will make it easier to get a taxi.

The exception during a strike is minivans for more than 4 passengers, which can be driven by drivers without a taxi license; they cost approximately twice the price of a regular taxi.

A trip from the airport to Athens costs €40, this is the fixed official taxi fare from 5:00 AM to midnight. This fare is clearly displayed in front of the taxi stand:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1b49-xQp9ulDH9ZdIEnkAhF7sbapukDsc/view?usp=sharing

If you're determined not to get ripped off and you let the driver know, I see no reason not to take a taxi.

I've sometimes used Welcome Pickups in Athens when it wasn't possible to use public transport, at night, or too far from a bus/metro stop. It works very well and it's only €3 or €4 more than the official fare. The drivers have always been very friendly and punctual. They speak English.

You can use the "Welcome Pickups" app, which is very convenient, and book a taxi two or three days in advance.
You can provide your flight number for a pre-booked taxi at the airport. Don't forget to let them know if your flight is delayed; otherwise, the driver won't wait more than an hour, and you risk being charged.

If you need to go to Koukaki, where I often go, there are other options using public transport. Take the metro or the X95 bus to Syntagma Square, then either a trolleybus or another metro line (M2) to the Sygrou-Fix station.

This transport map of Koukaki might be helpful:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/12MeYd_3T-SciS-tWSzixEv4i_O4hcjx7/view?usp=sharing

Posted by
18467 posts

I've used Welcome Pickups a couple of times for trips to and from the Athens airport. They are taxis but the drivers have all been English speaking, their cars clean, one even had a bottle of water for me. They were on time and I had no complaints.

I wouldn't hesitate to use them again in Athens.

Posted by
20 posts

Welcome pickups actually monitor your flight arrival and work around accordingly. Generally messaging you when flight lands to let you know where they are.

Posted by
144 posts

Thanks everyone! Thanks for the link salnav and the recommendations for Welcome pick-ups from expat-nomad and Frank II.

Yes, JoLui, that's what I meant about not wanting to plan on Uber in case there's a strike. We did consider public transport but the thought of cramming onto a train and then a bus with us each having one carry-on (a back pack & a soft tote bag) and a 24" medium sized suitcase while people are trying to get home from work seemed like a hassle for us and an annoyance for others. Plus we will be tired from a long overnight flight and then 2nd flight to Athens (no direct flight for us).

I had better double check with Welcome pick-ups about what happens if there's a strike and we've prearranged a pick up before we make a final decision. I'd rather not pay so much more for George's taxi but maybe the peace of mind is worth the gamble that it might be a strike day