Athens Train for Cruisers:
How to Get to Athens From the Port of Piraeus

"Athens train: Step-by-step instructions on how to walk from the Athens port to Piraeus train/metro station, and how to get to the main attractions."

If, after taking into account all the different means of Athens transport, you decide to use the Athens train/metro to get from the Port of Piraeus to central Athens, our tips and directions will help you with the whole process going as smoothly as possible.

First of all, here’s a few things you need to know about reaching the Piraeus metro train station:

How to get from Piraeus cruise port to the metro train station?

Can you take a taxi from the Piraeus cruise terminal to the metro train station?

I wish I could tell you the opposite but...

It WON'T be possible for you to take a taxi from the Piraeus cruise terminal to the Piraeus train station. All the taxi drivers that you will see at Athens port are interested exclusively in either taking you for a half-day tour around Athens or taking you to the Athens Acropolis at prices that are way too overpriced. In other words: walking is pretty much the only way you can reach the train station in Piraeus.

Athens train: How long does it take to walk from the cruise terminal to the metro train station?

Athens essentials:

Looking for some reliable, small-group shore excursions that would pick you up at Piraeus, get you skip-the-line tickets, take you to see the highlights of Athens, and bring you back to the ship? No problem: read about the Best Shared Athens Tours from Cruise Ship.

Before you head for your walk, it is very important that you know which terminal at Athens/Piraeus port your cruise ship will be docking at.
To understand what we mean by this, we suggest you read our article Port of Piraeus first. There, you will find out that Athens Port consists of two main terminals, Terminal A and Terminal B.

Terminal A is the main terminal and the one you want to depart from if you will be walking towards the Piraeus train station.

If your cruise ship docks at Terminal B, you can always use the free port bus that will depart from in front of your cruise ship approximately every 10-15 minutes and take you to Terminal A.

The walking distance from Piraeus Cruise Port Terminal A to the nearest metro station, Piraeus Metro Station, is approximately 1.2 kilometers (0.75 miles).

Exit the terminal building, go straight up the ramp winding to the left

Almost on the Piraeus waterfront! Turn left when you reach it

The exact time it takes to walk depends on the individual walking pace, but it usually takes around 15-20 minutes to cover this distance.

If you still want to make it easy for yourself by taking a taxi, think of taking a transfer from Piraeus to central Athens (not just to the train station).

Here's the best offer for that service...

As mentioned above, you must start your walk from Terminal A inside the Athens port. Terminal B is way too far and you will both add about 30 min extra to an already long walk and exhaust yourself for no need.

Once at Terminal A, walk through the halls and past the board that advertises official taxi prices to different destinations and attractions in Athens. Keep in mind that this board states prices that only locals would pay. In other words, taxi drivers don't normally stick to those prices if you are a tourist.

Taxi drivers on the left won't be willing to take you to the metro station

In front of the Athens cruise terminal, you will not find a taxi driver that will charge these lower prices, so you might as well disregard them and continue your walk if you’re not ready to pay double or triple the amount for a taxi.

IMPORTANT TIP:

Before you head for the walk keep in mind it will take you about 25-30 minutes of walking to reach the Piraeus train station.

The area is perfectly safe.

Protect yourself from the sun, and it’s a good idea to have a bottle of water with you.

Once you push through the barrier of taxi drivers attacking you with their offers to take you to the Athens Acropolis, carry on walking up the ramp towards the main road. Go towards your left and you will find yourself on Miaoulis Avenue.

Here you will still have a chance to change your mind: namely, you will be passing by Express Bus 080 which goes straight into Athens (stops a few minutes from the Acropolis).

Stay on the left-hand side of the road and keep walking with the port bay with the ferry terminal on your left and big buildings across the street on your right. Follow the main road along/around the bay.

After about 20-25 min of walking, at the intersection, you will take a turn up to your right. In the distance, you will see a pedestrian bridge or an overpass. This bridge will take you right in front of the big yellowish building, which is Piraeus train station.

Entrance to Piraeus train station to the right

Walk into the hall with the ticket booth and buy your train ticket at the booth or the machine.

How much is the metro train ticket from Piraeus to Athens?

The price of a one-way ticket to one destination (e.g. Thissio or Monastiraki) is 1,40 Euros.

It is valid for 90 minutes in all directions for both the metro and the buses (except for the airport bus and the X80 tourist bus).

Before you get on the train, make sure you validate your ticket in the machines at the entrance to the platform.

For the latest Athens Metro news, timetables, and ticket prices check the Athens Metro Official Site

Inside Piraeus metro train station

You can use either the train on the left or the right track, it makes no difference, they both go in the same direction.

Athens train: How to Get to Athens Acropolis by Metro Train

If you are going straight to the Acropolis you have two ways how to do it by Athens train.

1. The first option is getting off at the Thissio station which is on the green metro line, the one you embark on in Piraeus. You can get an Athens metro map here.

The ride from Piraeus metro station to Thissio is about 15 min long and it doesn’t involve any change of lines or trains.

From Thissio station, walk to the bottom of the Athens Acropolis for about 10 minutes, and from there climb up the steep hill to reach the top with the Athens Parthenon. That would be entering the Acropolis through the less busy entrance, the one by the Dionysus theatre.

2. The second option, if you’d like to enter the Athens Acropolis complex from its main entrance (not recommended, you could wait in line for hours), is to take the Green line to Omonia and then change to the Red line. Acropolis metro station will be the third stop on the red line from Omonia. The whole ride will take about 15 minutes more than getting off at Thissio.

The view from the Acropolis: Piraeus in the distance

If you have decided to visit Athens Acropolis by yourself, make sure you buy your skip-the-line tickets online! I can not stress enough how important this is! Read why and get a link to buying your skip-the-line ticket in my article Acropolis Greece: Tips and Tricks.

If all these instructions just seem too much, I feel you. It's not always easy to get around in a foreign country, especially when doing it for the first time.

That is why I understand many of our readers decide to go with with one of the hassle-free shore excursions that take you from the port of Piraeus to Athens Acropolis.

Here are the ones that they book most:

Athens train: How to get to Athens Plaka by Metro Train

If you have visited the Acropolis before and want to spend the whole day shopping and dining in the Plaka area only, you can simply stay on the Green line from Piraeus and get off at the Monastiraki station. Learn more about the Athens Plaka area and major shopping streets in our article on Athens Plaka.

If you wish to visit Athens Plaka after you visit the Athens Acropolis you will do the following:

Take the Athens train Red line from Acropolis metro station to Syntagma square (one stop only, about a 2 min ride). From there walk about 5-10 minutes to reach the Plaka.
If you used the Thissio stop to climb up to the Acropolis, take the Athens train Green line from the Thissio metro station to Monastiraki metro station (one stop) which is in the heart of the Plaka, or simply walk!

Athens train: returning from Athens to the port of Piraeus and your cruise terminal

If you used one of the tours or a private transfer to get into Athens but want to return to the ship using the metro train system, it is easiest to do it from the Monastiraki station at the bottom of the Plaka area.

Just keep in mind that from Piraeus metro station, where you will get off, you have at least a 30-minute walk to Terminal A at Athens port (Piraeus).

If your ship is at Terminal B, you can use the free port bus to give you a lift from Terminal A to Terminal B. The bus will stop in front of the Duty-free shops exit inside the terminal building. To find out more about Terminals A and B, read our article on Port of Piraeus.

If using the Athens train when returning to Piraeus port, allow at least one and a half hour for the whole procedure, just to be on the safe side.

You want to make sure you get there in time for the all-aboard time, which is generally 30 minutes before the ship departs the port.

For a fun and informative overview of the new Athens Metro, read Matt Barrett's Athens Guide: New Metro

If all this seems too much you can always book one of the transportation options online and have a smooth and worry-free day...Check our suggestions below: