Public Transportation in Athens: Tickets, Prices, Insider Tips

Guide to Athens transportation, routes and possible tickets for locals and travelers in Athens.

Getting around Athens by public transport is easy and inexpensive, as there is a dense network of metro lines, trams, buses and trolley buses.

On this page, learn about the different means of public transport, what tickets are available and which one you should buy for your trip, as well as other important details.

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Which City Pass is a Must-Have for Exploring Athens?

For those aiming to make the most out of their Athens adventure, a city pass stands as an excellent option. With just one ticket, it unlocks access to the city's top attractions and activities, all at discounted rates or even completely free of charge.

Moreover, these city passes frequently offer added perks, such as unrestricted rides on hop-on hop-off buses or even complimentary use of public transport. By conserving both your budget and precious time, you can finely tune your schedule while exploring the vibrant heart of Greece.

Comparison Table for City Pass Options in Athens


Athens Pass

Athens Mythology Pass

Athens Museum Pass

Athens Unlimited Attraction Pass

CITY PASSES

Athens Pass
Athens Mythology Pass
Athens Museum Pass
Athens Unlimited Attraction Pass-2

A CATEGORY ATTRACTIONS

B CATEGORY ATTRACTIONS

C CATEGORY ATTRACTIONS

ATTRACTIONS THAT INCLUDED

6 Archaeological Sites

3 Mythological Sites

+20

+30

VALIDITY PERIOD

5 Days

1 Day

2 Days

1, 2, 3 or 5 Days

DELIVERY METHOD

Digital Pass

Digital Pass

Digital Pass

Digital Pass

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

PRICE FOR ADULTS

From 59 €

From 98 €

From 79 €

From 99 €

Discover our top two recommendations:

1. Athens Unlimited Attraction Pass

This comprehensive pass grants you access to over 30 popular sites, excursions, and experiences, including iconic landmarks like the Acropolis, the Acropolis Museum, the Olympieion, Roman & Ancient Agora, Panathinaiko Stadium, and more. Enjoy some attractions with skip-the-line privileges for swift entry.

Effortlessly explore Athens using the complimentary hop-on, hop-off buses of Athens Open Tour. What's more, holders of the 3- and 5-day passes can choose a free full-day tour: Delphi, Epidaurus & Mycenae, or a Poros-Hydra-Aegina Cruise. With options of 1, 2, 3, or 5-day passes, you can unlock the finest of Athens in a way that suits your schedule. More details here.

2. Athens Pass

The Athens Pass is your key to seamless sightseeing, providing complimentary skip-the-line access to 6 pivotal archaeological sites in Athens: Acropolis, Roman Agora, Ancient Agora, Olympieion, Hadrian's Library, Kerameikos, and Lyceum. Moreover, you'll relish skip-the-line entry to the Acropolis Museum, along with access to an enlightening audio guide app.

Enjoy an array of benefits, including a 10% discount on a variety of attractions, such as the Hop-on Hop-off Bus, guided tours, dining establishments, shops, and entertainment venues.  The Athens Pass is valid for 5 days from the date of activation, ensuring ample time to uncover Athens' treasures at your own pace. For more details, click here or the button below.

How Does Public Transport Work?

Public transport in Athens consists of a network of metro, suburban streetcars, comparable to the suburban railroad, trams, buses and trolley buses. 

Tickets can be purchased at ticket machines located in all metro and streetcar stations. In some cases, there are ticket offices at the stops that also sell tickets. Furthermore, tickets can be purchased at the kiosks located near the stops.

The ticket machines are also labeled in English.

There are three different types of tickets. There is a paper ticket, the so-called Ath.ena Ticket, an anonymous chip card, the Ath.ena Card and chip cards issued to individuals, which is used by Athenians. All cards can be loaded with credit and subscriptions and are valid on all public transport.

Only for the trip to the airport, an extra ticket is needed.

There are rates for 24 and 72 hours, cards for 5 days, single trips and day passes. A day pass pays for four or more single trips.  

Tickets must be validated before starting the journey!

Athens Transportation

  • Metro: There are 3 metro lines, marked with different colors: green -> line 1, red -> line 2 and blue -> line 3
  • Suburban railway/railwayalso called Proastiakos. The lines are above ground, connecting Athens with the surrounding countryside while providing intra-city connections.
  • Streetcar and bus: 3 streetcar and 450 bus lines operate daily in Athens.
  • Trolley Bus: A total of 366 trolley buses operate on 22 lines in Athens and Piraeus.

Fare: A single trip costs 1.40 euros. The ticket is valid for 90 minutes, you can change trains as often as you like, even between the different means of transport, or interrupt the journey. For the trip to the airport you need an extra ticket.  A day ticket costs 4.50 euros and is valid for 24 hours. A reduced fare applies to children between 7 and 18 years of age. Children up to 6 years of age do not need a ticket.

Which Tickets are Available?

Here is an overview of the most important tickets.

  1. 1
    90 Minutes Single Trip: The ticket is valid for 90 minutes. During this period, you may change trains as often as you like, interrupt your journey or change means of transport. The ticket costs 1.40 euros.
  2. 2
    Day Ticket: The ticket is valid for 24 hours from the time of validation and is valid for all public transport in Athens, except for trips to the airport. Any number of trips and transfers are allowed. The ticket costs 4.50 euros.
  3. 3
    3-Day Tourist Ticket: Tickets are valid for 72 hours from the time of validation. Any number of trips is possible, you are allowed to change and interrupt the trip. The ticket is valid on all Athens lines and includes a round trip to the airport. A 3-day ticket costs 22,-- euros.
  4. 4
    5-Day Ticket: The tickets are valid for 120 hours from the time of validation. Any number of trips is possible, you are allowed to change and interrupt the trip. The ticket is valid on all Athens lines except for the trip to the airport. A 5-day ticket costs 9 euros.

An additional overview is the current Athens Public Transportation price sheet with all special fares. The prices are usually increased annually on January 1.


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Special Tickets

Here is an overview of special tickets for public transport in Athens. These include, for example, annual tickets, student tickets and senior tickets. 

  1. 1
    Monthly Ticket: The ticket is valid for all public transport in Athens and costs about 30 euros. The trip to the airport is not included.
  2. 2
    Annual Ticket: An annual ticket for the metro costs 300,-- Euro, an annual ticket for bus, trolley and streetcar costs 150,--, but then the metro may not be used. An annual pass for all means of transport costs 350,-- Euro.
  3. 3
    Reduced Tickets: These include youth tickets, senior tickets, semester tickets and tax-deductible company tickets.

More information on the price of individual tickets can be found in the Athens Public Transport price list. It also contains an overview of tickets for subsidized groups of people. 

Athens Transportation Network

The inner area in Athens is served by bus and metro, all major sights can be reached this way. Streetcars run from the city to the port of Piraeus and connect the outskirts of Athens.

An overview of the main line networks can be found on the following page of the Athens Transport Authority.

Contact the Transport Companies

  • Attiko Metro: responsible for the metro lines, the subsidiary TramSA operates the streetcars.
  • Call center: +30 210-6792399   //  Website: Ametro.gr
  • Oasa: responsible for the bus and trolley bus lines.
  • Call center: +30 210-82 00 999 // Website: Oasa.gr/en
  •  Trainose: responsible for the suburban railroad
  • Call center: +30 213 0 121 121 // Website: Trainose.gr/en

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Publıc Transport Faq

WHERE CAN I FIND THE TIMETABLE OF THE ATHENS LINES?

You can find the Athens Public Transport timetable at the following link: Athens Public Transport Company

IS THERE A DAY TICKET IN ATHENS?

Yes. There is a separate day ticket for riding the metro, streetcar, suburban train and buses in Athens. It pays off from four trips on public transport in one day. 

IS THERE A SEPARATE TICKET FOR TOURISTS IN ATHENS?

Yes, there is a 3-day ticket for tourists. The tickets are valid for 72 hours from the time of validation. Any number of trips is possible, you are allowed to change and interrupt the trip. The ticket is valid on all Athens lines and includes a round trip to the airport. A 3-day ticket costs 22 euros.

FROM HOW MANY JOURNEYS DOES A DAY TICKET PAY OFF?

A day ticket pays off in Athens from 4 single trips in the regular fare. 

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