Planning to spend a few days sightseeing in Athens?
Tourists may choose from two all-inclusive tickets, which have been relaunched and repriced for 2013.
- 3 days for 20 euros
- 7 days for 50 euros
What tickets include
Each tourist ticket is valid for:
- One round-trip (return trip) to/from the Athens airport by metro or express ‘X’ bus;
and - Unlimited in-city travel on all lines of the metro/ISAP (1, 2, 3 or red/blue/green), suburban railway/proastiakos, tram, trolley and bus.
Where to buy
Tickets are only available at the Athens airport metro station, as most people interested in purchasing this ticket will arrive and depart via Eleftherios Venizelos International.It is not sold at other popular points of entry, such as the port of Piraeus, suburban railway stations or Syntagma Square.
© Copyrighted image from Greece: Instructions for Use
How to use
As with all public transport tickets, the three-day and seven-day ticket must be validated in a brightly colored machine at the entrance or platform of the metro, suburban railway or tram, or upon boarding a bus or trolley. The 72-hour or 168-hour countdown begins once the ticket is stamped, and there is no need to validate it again.Passengers must keep tickets handy for random checks by agents. Those who cannot show a valid ticket will be requested to disembark and receive a fine. Immediate payment, or payment within 10 days at the relevant office, cuts the fine in half.
Price of other Athens transport tickets
To determine if tourist tickets are cost-effective options, estimate and multiply the number of rides by normal prices below to compare.Athens, in-city transport
Single ticket for all modes, 90-minute validity, one direction: €1.40*
One-day ticket, all modes: €4.00
One-week ticket, all modes: €14.00
There is also a single ticket for €1.20*, but it’s only good on city buses, trolleys and the tram and is limited to one ride in one direction on one mode.
*Buy a pack of 10, get one free as of January 1, 2013
Athens airport transport
Express ‘X’ buses: €5.00 one way
Metro: €8.00 one way, €14.00 return/round-trip; €14.00 one-way, two people; €20.00 one way, three people
Suburban railway/proastiakos: €8.00 one way, €14.00 return/round-trip
For many travelers, these tickets do not present an obvious cost savings or convenience due to the small discount and limited availability.
The transport authority also announced the comeback and price of tickets on December 5, 2012 before they were for sale and has done little since to promote them or inform the public.
info by: http://livingingreece.gr
Previous to 2013
*For informational and archival purposes only.A tourist ticket for unlimited travel on all modes of Athens transport including the Athens airport is no longer available as of February 1, 2011 due to ticket fare increases and the discontinuation of Athens Sightseeing Bus 400 on June 1, 2010.
Tourists and residents can purchase a three-day ticket for only 15 euros, which is valid for unlimited travel in Athens on the suburban railway (proastiakos), metro, and ‘X’ buses to/from the airport, the Athens Sightseeing Bus in the city center (line 400) and all lines of the metro, tram, trolley and bus.
A three-day ticket is perfect for those who plan to see the town and may be on their way to another destination within Greece, or are coming from a Greek island by ferry and want to spend a couple of days in Athens before heading to the airport.
The normal 24-hour (€3) and weekly tickets (€10) do not include the Athens Sightseeing Bus (€5) or transport to/from the airport (round trip €6.40-12.00). So the three-day ticket is versatile and convenient but may no longer be cost-efficient now that the Athens Sightseeing Bus 400 has been permanently discontinued as of June 1, 2010. It depends on your needs.
Where to buy tickets
Tickets are available at locations where visitors to Athens are most likely to begin their travels, including:
1. Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport of Athens: Airport ‘X’ buses or nearby kiosk
2. Suburban Railway (Proastiakos) Stations, “Larissis” and “Piraeus”
3. Athens Metro Station “Syntagma”
4. Athens Metro Stations (Green Line or ISAP) “Piraeus” and “Omonia”
The Athens Urban Transport Authority is distributing brochures from four information stands in the Arrivals Hall of the Athens airport and a booth in suburban railway stations, where tourists are most likely to start their travels in Athens.
