How do I get from the airport to Athens?

Athens International Airport sits 33 km east of the city center in Spata, and the best way into town is Metro Line 3. Board at the airport station on the lower level of the terminal, follow signs past baggage claim, and 40 minutes later you're standing in Syntagma Square, steps from the Parliament building and within walking distance of Plaka, Monastiraki, and most central hotels. A single ticket costs €9 (about $10). Trains depart every 30 minutes from 6:30am to 11:30pm. If you're traveling with 2-3 people, buy the €22 group ticket, which covers the whole party and saves roughly €5 per head. The metro car will likely be air-conditioned and quiet at most hours, though the 8am to 9:30am weekday runs fill with commuters heading to offices around Ethniki Amyna and Megaro Moussikis. One stop past Syntagma is Monastiraki, which might suit you better if your hotel is in Psyrri or near the flea market.

The X95 express bus is your lifeline after midnight. It runs 24 hours, every 20-30 minutes, from a marked stop outside arrivals near exit doors 4 and 5. The fare is €5.50, paid at the kiosk beside the stop or on the bus. It terminates at Syntagma Square, the same destination as the metro, and the ride takes 60-90 minutes depending on Attiki Odos traffic. At 2am on a Tuesday, expect closer to 50 minutes. At 5pm on a Friday, closer to 90. The seats are hard plastic and the suspension is stiff, so it's not a comfortable ride with heavy luggage. But at 3am with a dead phone and a rolling suitcase, you'll be grateful it exists. Worth noting, there's also the X96 bus to Piraeus port, same price, same 24-hour service, if you're catching a morning ferry to the islands.

Taxis from ATH operate on a fixed fare set by the city. Between 5am and midnight, the rate is €40 (about $46) to any address within the Athens ring. Between midnight and 5am, it rises to €55 ($63). These prices are non-negotiable and printed on a sign at the taxi rank outside arrivals. The queue moves fast, typically 5-10 minutes even in peak summer. One thing to watch. Some drivers will claim the meter is broken or try to negotiate a flat rate above the fixed fare. Don't engage. The fixed fare is the fixed fare, enforced by the airport police station 100 meters from the taxi stand. If a driver refuses, step out and take the next car. Beat, the Greek ride-hailing app now part of FreeNow, tends to quote €38-45 for the same route during daytime hours. But surge pricing after midnight can push it to €60-70, which makes the regulated taxi rank the better deal for late arrivals.

A few things that catch first-timers off guard at ATH. The terminal is a single building, arrivals on the ground floor. ATMs cluster near exit doors 2 and 3, and they dispense euros without the heavy conversion fees you'll get at the exchange counters. Avoid the Euronet machines, which tend to charge a 5-7% markup. Use any bank-branded ATM instead. The free airport Wi-Fi lasts 45 minutes per session, enough to download an offline Google Maps of Attica or message your hotel. If you land in June or July, step outside and the 35°C dry heat hits like opening an oven door. The airport's polished stone floors stay cool underfoot, but the taxi rank and bus stop have zero shade. Grab a 500ml water bottle from the Everest kiosk past customs for €0.80 before you head out. The metro platform, by contrast, sits underground and stays air-conditioned, which is one more reason it's the right call for a summer arrival.