How to get to Athens
By Air
The new Athens International Airport, "Eleftherios Venizelos", has been serving Greece's capital since opening to the public on March 28th, 2001. Flights from major airport hubs in Geneva, London, Berlin, Paris, Frankfurt, Zurich, Rome, Milan and Munich come in daily and frequently.
Arrivals/Departures: (+30) 210-353-0000
General Information: (+30) 210-353-1000
www.aia.gr
By Sea
There are daily ferryboat connections from Italy (Ancona, Bari and Brindisi, Venice and Trieste) to Patras, the second largest port of entry to Greece which is approximately 220 km (135 miles) from Athens. You may reach Athens from Patra by taking the suburban bus service (KTEL) which takes 3 hours and costs 16.20 euro. Please consult the Public Transport section for more information on the suburban bus service. Superfast Ferries and Minoan Lines have scheduled ferries from Italy to Patras and vice versa. Please consult Greek Ferry Contacts for detailed timetables and price list information. If you are thinking of visiting one of the many Greek islands, Piraeus Port is the closest port to the conference venue, serving domestic ferry schedules. The Middle East is accessible via the port of Volos. Piraeus Port is Greece's main port with a year-round service to international destinations as well as to the Argosaronic (Hydra, Spetses, Poros, Aegina and Salamina), Dodecanese, Ionian and Cycladic islands. Please note that Piraeus does not service the islands of the Sporades.
Greek Port Contacts
Piraeus Port: (+30) 210-414-7800
Agios Konstantinos Port: (+30) 22350-31759
Lavrio Port: (+30) 22920-25249, (+30) 22920-22920
Lavrio port has a year-round service to Kea, Kithnos, Syros, Tinos, Andros, Ios, Sikinos, Folegandros, Milos, Paros, Naxos, Limnos, Agios Efstratios and Kavala
Rafina: (+30) 22940-22300
Year-round service to Andros, Tinos, Mykonos, Marmari, Evoia.
By Train
In general, in Greece, train ticket prices are similar to those of suburban buses. The main railway network of Greece currently provides links between Athens, Northern and Southern Greece and the rest of Europe through the Western Balkan countries and Bulgaria. In order to travel to Athens from other European countries, you must change at Thessalonica station (contact tel.No: +30 2310 598120), located in the North of Greece. The journey time from Thessalonica to Athens is 4hrs and 15mins and the cost is 48.40 euro (one-way) with the Intercity Express line. Some of the destinations served by Thessalonica station include Sofia, Constantinople, Vienna and Moscow.
Hellenic Railways Organization (OSE)
Peloponnisou (+30) 210-513-1601 (serves southern Greece)
Larisis (+30) 210-529-7777 (serves northern Greece and international routes)
For more information dial 1110 (from Greece) or visit www.ose.gr.
Information regarding disabled access: 210 5298838
How to get to the town center (Syntagma Square)
To and from the airport by Metro (Updated)
There is a terminal right in front of the airport and it goes straight to Syntagma station. It is about half an hour ride and the cost of a single ticket is 6 euros for one person, and 10 euros for two persons.
Some useful links:
Ticket Fare information
Attiko Metro S.A.
Metro Timetable
To and from the airport by Bus
Express bus X95 operates 24 hours between the airport and Syntagma Square, with services approximately every 30 minutes. The bus stop is at Othonos street, on the eastern side of Syntagma Square. The journey takes between an hour and 90 minutes, depending on traffic. Tickets cost 3.20€. The tickets are valid for 24 hours, and can be used on all forms of public transport in Athens - buses, trolleybuses and the metro.
By Taxi
A taxi from the airport to the town center costs 20-25€, depending on traffic.
Getting around the town
By Bus
Other than for travel to and from the airport, visitors have little reason to acquaint themselves with the town's overcrowded bus system. A flat fare of 0.80€ applies throughout the town. Tickets must be bought in advance, either from a special ticket kiosk or from one of the many regular kiosks that dot the streets. Tickets must be validated as you board using the orange ticket machines and you can use them for all Mass Transit Modes (buses, trolleybuses and metro) for 1.30 hours.
More Information can be acquired at oasa.gr.
By Metro
The Metro (with trains running about every 5 minutes, 5:00-24:30 Sunday till Thursday and 5:00-2:00 Friday and Saturday) is the best way to travel around central Athens. Buy 0.80€ tickets at machines or from ticket window. Be sure to validate your ticket in the machine before boarding. Those riding without a ticket or with a ticket not validated are subject to stiff fines (60 times the ticket price). Tickets can be used for all Mass Transit Modes (buses, trolleybuses and metro) for 1.30 hours.
More Information can be acquired at amel.gr.
Metro Line 1, marked in green, runs from the port of Piraeus to the northern suburbs. Important stops include Monastiraki (town centre), Victoria (National Archaeological Museum) and Irini (Olympic Stadium). Omonia is a transfer station for Line 2; change at Monastiraki for Line 3.
Metro Line 2, marked in red, runs from Agios Antonios in the north-west to Agios Dimitrios in the south-east. Important stops include Syntagma (town centre) and Akropolis (Acropolis and Makrigianni). Change at Omonia for Line 1, and at Syntagma for Line 3. It also connects with the Tram network. Tram connects town centre, from Syntagma Square with Faliron (change for Line 1) and Voula suburbs.
Metro Line 3, marked in blue, runs from Egaleo to Ethniki Amyna. Important stops are Syntagma and Evangelismos (Byzantine and War museums). Change at Syntagma for Line 2.
By Taxi
Athens is a great taxi town. Its yellow taxis are cheap and helpful (1.05 drop charge, 0.36€/km, 0.60€ surcharge from ports and train and bus stations, and a 1€ surcharge from the airport). While the day rate (tariff 1 on the meter) is 0.37€/km, the rate doubles between midnight and 5am (tariff 2 on the meter). Baggage costs 0.30€ for each item over 10 kg. The minimum fare of 3€ covers most journeys in central Athens.
Athens' cabbies double up, picking up more customers heading the same way, so there's no guarantee that you'll have the cab to yourself. Unfortunately, sharing the cab doesn't mean sharing the fare. The cabbie makes more and the passengers save nothing. Still, this makes it easier to find an available cab. You can simply hail any empty cab, or wave at a cab with a customer going your way and tell them where you're going. (If your destination works for the cabbie, he'll welcome you in.) Hotels routinely call cabs for guests (3€ surcharge).
Public Transport Means
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