Public Transportation from Airport to City Center and Vice Versa

After Midnight you can take the Airport Express Bus X95 (€5 each, every 20 minutes 24/7/365) to Syntagma Square in Central Athens or you can take a taxi for €55, the late-night rate. The bus leaves from outside Door 5 in the Arrivals Hall. The ticket kiosk is also out that door.

and where would the taxi stand be located?

The most direct and easiest way is by taxi. Since there will be three of you the cost per person will not be that bad. Prices may vary on the time of day/night but still will be the easiest and most convenient. There will be a line of taxis outside the airport entrance/departure area. Just tell the driver you want to go to the Acropolis and he will drop you off. There are several different entrances. Just tell him you want the easiest way to get into the site which will be on the pedestrian side of the Acropolis. There are buses & metro which will be a lot cheaper. The Metro is across the street from the airport. You will have to climb stairs then walk a ways to get to the ticket area. I'm not sure about the buses but while the Metro/Bus will be the cheapest there is more involved with taking them.

Having said all that . . . since you arrive after midnight the Acropolis doesn't open until 8 a.m. so you may have a long wait in the airport.

I don't know exactly where the taxi stand is but if you go outside Door 5 you'll be able to find it nearby. Just look for a line of taxis or follow one as it arrives.

Sandra

The taxi rank is just outside door 5 before you get to the buses. You can't miss it.

The first metro from the airport leaves at 6.30 and takes 40 minutes to Monastiraki, right under the Acropolis. The fare for 3 would be about 20 euros and this would give you time for a bit of a walk and to be at the Acropolis for 8.

On Monastiraki Square there is a good traditional taverna, the Sigalas, which is open to 2 a.m. And then opens again at 7. Also just off the square the hotel A for Athens has a fairly pricey cocktail bar which is open until 3.30 but this still gives you quite a long gap.

Wandering around you'd probably find somewhere to sit for a coffee but it depends how happy you are to explore at that time of night. For example, Psyri, the area just across from the square, has a lot of late or all night clubs and bars but none I'd recommend to someone who doesn't know Athens, which I assume you don't?

Alan

Thanks everyone for your advice.

Alan, are you referring to Metro Line 3? Where do we take this? Would we get off at Monastiraki or Syntagma?

Is this the right ticket to purchase?
70-min group ticket for three (3) persons ticket valid for one trip Fare: 20,00€
- starting from any station of ISAP Line 1 and/or METRO Lines 2 & 3 to the Airport and or versa

Where do we purchase the return ticket to the airport? Does the time (70 min) start from the time the ticket was purchase? If not, can we just buy 2 sets of tickets at the airport and save the 2nd set for our return trip?

Once we are down at the Acropolis, are the major attraction sites in walking distance?

Thanks!

Sandra

There is a metro station at the airport. Come out of the arrivals area and across the road that has the taxis on. To the left of the large Sofitel there is a raised covered walkway which leads into the ticket office. The walkway is a floor above the arrival level so you will need to go up an escalator to get to it. As you say it's Line 3.

I've never bought a 3 person ticket but a 2 person is 14 euros so 20 euros for 3 people sounds about right. You can buy both the outward and return ticket at the airport and you need to validate them in a small orange machine at the start of each journey. The 70 minutes starts from the validation.

You have two choices once on the metro
a) take line 3 direct to Monastiraki. This is directly under the Acropolis and you can walk up to the entrance turning right out of the metro station. It's a few minutes fairly steep walk.
b) change at Syntagma onto line 2 and go one stop to Acropoli metro station. This is slightly further away but the climb is less steep.
I would take the first option as the it's a bit more direct, but either are fine.

You might find this timetable of the times of return trains useful

http://www.athensairporttaxi.com/metro/timetable-to-airport

The same site has the times going from the airport and various other details.

Alan

Thanks Alan for the detailed explanation :)