Getting around the city
Athens' historic centre is best explored on foot. For everything else, the metro is fast, cheap and easy to work out. Just remember one thing: validate your ticket.
🚇 Metro, bus, tram and trolleybus
One ticket covers all city transport, except the airport journey:
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| 90 minutes, with transfers | €1.20 |
| 24 hours | €4.10 |
| 5 days | €8.20 |
| 3-day tourist (with an airport return) | €20 |
- ATH.ENA card: a reusable card from the metro ticket machines. Load the ticket you want and tap in when you enter.
- Contactless: you can also tap your bank card or phone on the validator to pay for a 90-minute ticket. Always use the same card.
- Tram: runs from Syntagma to the coast (Faliro, Glyfada, Voula). Slow, but perfect for a beach afternoon.
⚠️ Always validate: inspectors are common and the fine is many times the fare. An unvalidated ticket counts as no ticket.
🚕 Taxis and apps
- Yellow taxis: plentiful and reasonably priced. The meter should be on from the moment you get in; the night rate applies between 00:00 and 05:00.
- Apps: FREENOW and Uber both work with licensed taxis. You see the route and the driver, and avoid misunderstandings.
🛴 E-scooters and bikes
There are rental e-scooters around the centre, but between narrow pavements, potholes and traffic with a lot of personality, they're best for short hops and careful riders.
🚶 On foot
From Syntagma to the Acropolis, via Plaka and Monastiraki, everything is less than 20 minutes' walk away. Dionysiou Areopagitou, the pedestrian street that curves around the Acropolis, is one of the loveliest walks in Europe.
💡 GuideMapp tip: wear shoes with a good grip. The polished marble on the pavements and at the Acropolis is very slippery, especially after rain. Save the flip-flops for the beach.
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