My husband and I are taking a Mediterranean cruise next month and do not want to take a ship excursion but just bum around the Plaka area and the archeological museum instead so just need transportation (without much walking) into Athens from the port. I'm reading conflicting reports on the cost of a taxi or if we could even get one to take us directly into town. I'd appreciate any and all suggestions.
Posted by
Reading, PA, USA
1637 posts
I read somewhere in this forum that there is now a metro for that route.
Posted by
Citizen of the World
2005 posts
From Piraeus you can take the M1 metro line ( the Green line) in 19 minutes from the ISAP metro
station to the Monastiraki station, which is in the Plaka. That puts you within walking distance of the Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum along with the National Archaeological Museum. It takes about 20 minutes to walk from cruise ship terminal A to the ISAP metro station. If your ship docks at terminal B , be sure to take the bus connecting it to terminal A because it’s about a 30-minute walk between the two terminals.
Taking the metro is a good idea because taxi drivers at the cruise terminal are mostly interested in giving overpriced tours around Athens.
Posted by
585 posts
I’d arrange for a company like Welcome Pickups to meet your ship and drop you off at the entrance to the Plaka area. Don’t forget to arrange for a pick up for the return trip. They quoted a price of 27€ one way day for two. You can check them out on their website. I have used them on my last two stays in Athens. Nice cars, usually Mercedes, immaculately clean and the drivers speak excellent English.
There are two great archaeological museums in Athens, the Acropolis Museum right by the Acropolis and the National Archaeological Museum which is away from the main tourist area and involves metro and/or bus. I ended getting the hop-on hop-off tourist bus which was easiest in the time I had.
Posted by
France Southwest
2318 posts
Unlike the ferry port, the cruise port in Piraeus is not located near metro line 1 (2.5 km walk to Piraeus metro station)
Since last week there is a new metro station "Dimotiko Theatro" on line M3 which is a little closer to the cruise port (about 1.5 km) and which will take you to Syntagma square (€ 1.20).
The X80 express bus that departs from the cruise port and stops at the Acropolis is only in service from March to October.
So the quickest way to get into Plaka, Acropolis, etc are an official taxi or a private service like Welcome Pickups.
The price will be approximately between €25 and €30
You can also take a Hop-On Hop-Off bus (red tourist bus) which runs from the cruise port to the center of Athens. (about 30€)
For your return to the port, if you take a taxi, do not forget to tell the driver that you are going to the cruise port and not the ferry port.
3 other things you need to know:
You didn't specify the exact date in November. Just in case note that every year on November 17, there are demonstrations in town to commemorate the 1973 student uprising against the military junta. This commemoration sometimes degenerates into riots.
In this case I advise you to stay in Piraeus where there are other interesting things to do or see (museums, marina, etc.)
The weekend of November 12 and 13 will take place the Athens Marathon. It passes through Syntagma Square. Car traffic may be disrupted in the city center this weekend.
Do not take a "City-Pass" including or not the Hop-On Hop-Off bus and the entrances to the sites. From November to March the official rates are half price (€10 instead of €20 for the Acropolis). This discount is generally not applied if you buy online a City-Pass
For sites and museums you won't need to book ahead in November, just buy tickets directly at the entrances. ,