Tips on tipping in Greece

I have written about restaurant tipping before but it was buried under another post, so I decided to make it a separate, more complete post with all the information concerning tipping in Greece (in restaurants, taxis, and anywhere else I may think of). I have also adjusted the indicative amounts a bit higher, to compensate for my cheapskate nature:) If you believe I have left something out let me know and I shall respond within the day.

Tipping in restaurants in Greece
1. Most often you just leave the tip on the table, unless your bill is brought in a leather or paper pocket, in which case you may leave the tip inside the pocket. In some countries (e.g. Germany) leaving money on the table is considered rude but in Greece this is standard practice except for a select few, very high-end establishments, which will again just provide a leather pocket for your convenience. On the contrary, trying to put the money into the waiter's hand will probably be considered rude and patronizing (unless you are leaving a huge tip and you don't want others to see...)
2.Waiters' salary is typically (but not always) included in the restaurant's bill, by law, so people don't normally tip big like in the U.S. For the same reason, there are no set rules on what one is expected to tip. Follow the guidelines below and don't sweat it much.

3. For smaller bills (in cafeterias) you usually just round up (leaving at least something like 30 cents). E.g. If your bill is Euros 6.70 you leave 7.00; if it is 5.50 you leave 30 to 50 cents (for a total of 5.80 to 6.00 Euros). 

4. If the total is more than 10 Euros you may leave something close to 2%-10% of the bill. i..e. for a total bill of 50 Euros something ranging from 1 to 5 euros, so essentially you round up to the higher integer and add a  few Euros on top. These are approximations and will/should depend on the level of service you receive.
5. In all cases, the waiter should bring you back the exact change from whatever you gave and you will leave the money on the table yourselves, afterwards. If you pay by credit card you may not be asked to write the tip on the credit card paper so you should again leave what you want on the table.

6. The bad news: Americans are known for being large tippers (since they carry the habit from back home) and may often be expected to tip more than Greeks. I don't know what tip is "expected" of people from other western countries but I bet it is somewhere between Greeks' and Americans' tips.

7. The good news: Since Americans (and perhaps most Western visitors) are expected to tip bigger than Greeks or Eastern Europeans, they usually receive better service and the occasional fleeting smile :) In this blog, I try to present restaurants that have a good level of service or -at least- a very good level of food to compensate for potentially average service.

Tipping in taxis in Greece

Overall, tipping is not expected by taxi-drivers but it is not denied either (Quite often, taxi-drivers are not the owners of the vehicle themselves so they may just be employees but you have no way of checking that out). My father-in-law is one of the few persons I know who occasionally "tips" taxi-drivers, that is, he just rounds up the amount to the higher integer.

Make sure you don't "tip" the taxi-driver unwillingly! During the day (05:00am-11:59pm) and within town limits you should be charged by Tariff 1 (lower tariff). A small "1" should appear in the running meter next to the running amount of the charge. There are some extra, mandatory charges, which are not considered tipping: charge for heavy baggage (>10kgs/piece), for calls/appointments and when departing from airports, ports, bus stations, rail stations or towards airports.

Tipping bus-tour companions or guides

Again, this should depend on each company's own rules. It's been a long time since I've been in a bus-tour inside Greece but from what I remember people always, voluntarily, collected a certain sum, gathering change from participants, and gave it to the tour guide or companion at the end of the day if they were happy with the services received.

Tipping in theaters

In the rare occasion you are going to watch a theatrical play: In most old-style theatres, ushers usually expect a couple of Euros as tip. A most distasteful habit I think, but the theater managers are the ones to blame for this. In most new / modern theaters such tipping is not expected or accepted as ushers are normally paid by management. What constitutes an old-style theatre? Hmmm... Perhaps one with oddly numbered seats, where you need ushers, who in return expect a tip?

Tipping in plays of the Greek Festival (i.e. Epidaurus Theatre and Herodes Atticus Theatre) is not permitted.

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Transportation guide for Athens, Greece (UPDATED 2014-09-01)

A previous post listed all the transportation options for getting into and out of Athens. This part is strictly on getting around in Athens, i.e. transportation options within the Athens metropolitan area. Before getting into the details, a  warning and a valuable tip:
First, the warning / rule of caution: Pickpockets like to hang around in transport means, often in groups. Mind your bags, purses, etc. and keep them somewhere you can see them (not at your back) in a way that they cannot be snatched. I once saw a woman trying to open/grab a tourist's sports bag right in front of her eyes, as she was rushing out of the metro wagon. This may be an obvious, "all-weather" piece of advice, but when you travel in a foreign country you really don't want anything unfortunate like that happening and spoiling your vacation. 
Second, the tip: (you won't read this in any tourist guide but you will probably thank me for it): If you visit Athens in August ignore public transit (and everything I write below) and just get yourself a taxi-cab. Routes are traditionally curtailed during August, as many drivers and other personnel are on vacation, but this year (2013) things have really gotten out of hand. It's not unusual to wait 10-15 minutes for a Metro car and 30minutes or more for a bus or trolley (and then you have to wait for a connection once again...). Do yourself a favor and save your time and peace of mind by simply getting a cab. They're everywhere and if you're a group of 3-4 persons the price won't be much higher than the sum of the transit tickets. If you're alone and on a very tight budget consider walking, at least for part of your journey. [Check out my practical guide on walking in Athens].

Now, on to the various transport options for getting around in Athens:

2. Transportation guide for moving around in Athens

2.1 Athens Metro Network

2.2 Urban Buses and Trolley Buses

2.3 Tram

2.4 Taxis

2.5 Driving in Athens

2.6 Walking in Athens

Very briefly:

The ticket for most public transport options costs 1.40€ and can be used for 90 minutes, getting on and off in different transport means.

In detail:

2.1 Athens Metro Network

The Metro network has 3 lines. Green Line 1 (Piraeus – Kifissia), was the first line to operate, as a steam-powered train in 1869, and electricity-powered since 1904, albeit at a shorter length than today. Most of it is above the ground. After many years of works, Line 1 is again fully operational since Dec. 12, 2011.

Red Line 2 (Anthoupoli – Elliniko) and Blue Line 3 (Agia Marina - Doukissis Plakentias - Airport) started operating in the year 2000 and have expanded ever since. For this reason, sometimes Athenians refer to these lines as “the Metro” while old Line 1 is referred to as “to treno” (the train) or “o Elektrikos” (due to the fact that it was the first electricity powered train in Greece).

Hours of operation

First / last departure of the day for Line 1: 05.00. // 00:15

First / last departure of the day for Lines 2 & 3: 05:30 // aprox. midnight (detailed routes here)

On Friday and Saturday night, Lines 2 & 3 stay in operation for 2 more hours, till about 02:00am.

The last train of Line 3 going to the airport departs at around 11:00pm. Detailed schedule of trips to and from the Airport can be found here.

For the most current info on all Metro Lines go to: http://www.stasy.gr/

Tickets can be bought at counters in all stations or through "Automatic Ticket Vending Machines" that also return change (Directions in Greek, English). Tickets for the Proastiakos (suburban train) that goes to the airport (not part of the Metro system) can only be bought at Proastiakos stations (e.g Neratziotissa, Doukissis Plakentias, etc.).

The standard ticket is valid for 70 minutes and for all transport means (Metro, Buses, Tram, urban segment of the Proastiakos railway). You may transfer between lines (or to/from buses, trolley-buses and tram) with the same ticket within these 70 minutes.

You have to validate your ticket as you enter the corridors leading to the platforms. If the 90 minutes are about to expire and you still haven’t finished your journey but are inside a bus or metro wagon you have to re-validate your ticket, on the opposite site, in a validating machine and then continue the last leg of your journey.

Ticket prices

Standard 70-min ticket: 1.20€. You may buy a packet of 10 tickets which gives you an extra one for free (10+1). Reduced tariff 0.60€. Eligibility for reduced tariff: Seniors over 65 y.o. presenting a passport, children 7-12y.o., young people 13-18 y.o. presenting a passport, University students up to 25 y.o. presenting their University Student I.D. and a passport / National ID card.

Airport ticket: The only exception is that if you want to go beyond Doukissis Plakentias Station (towards the airport, in Line 3) the ticket costs 8€ (reduced tarrif: 4€). Discounts apply for airport return-tickets (14€) or combined ones for 2 or 3 persons (14€ and 20€ respectively).

24-Hour Ticket: This can be very useful if you intend to make many trips. You validate it the moment you first enter the Metro/ bus / tram and then it’s valid for the next 24 hours. It costs 4 €. The 24-hour ticket is not valid for getting to the airport (only up to Koropi Station) or to the far end (Varkiza - Saronida) of the E22 coastal bus line.
3-Day Tourist Ticket: The so-called tourist ticket can be bought at the airport ticket issuing office. It covers the cost of getting from/to the airport once and it is also valid for all other means of public transit for 72hrs. It costs 20 €. 
5-Day Ticket: It covers all transit means except for getting to/from the airport and line X-80. It costs 10€.

Montly Pass: It covers all transit means from the 1st to the last day of each calendar month. It can be bought 1-4 days in advance, in major transit stations / stops. It costs 30€. 45€ if you want it to include the airport line as well.
You may read the latest official info about all types of tickets here.

2.2 Urban Buses and Trolley Buses

The bus network is rather user-unfriendly for the non-local. I remember it took me quite some time to get used to it when I first came to live in Athens years ago. Schedule maps are hard to find and the ones printed behind bus stops are usually hard to read (I have 20-20 vision!). You may download some .pdf maps here or get a free printed map at the OASA (Transport company) info/ticket-kiosk at the airport, located outside the Arrivals, between Exits 4 and 5. There are signs next to bus stops with the names of all bus stops for each bus-route, but lately they are often coverd with stickers and, either way, are only in (capital) Greek letters. Asking the staff at your hotel for directions is not a bad idea.

Buses are colored blue or green. The green-colored ones are natural gas powered. Athens has one of the largest natural gas bus fleets in Europe.

You buy tickets before riding the bus, from the counter of a Metro station or at a kiosk and you validate the ticket in the small, orange machine-box inside the bus. You may enter from all bus doors (not just the front one, as the driver has nothing to do with you and your ticket). In case a controller asks you for the ticket you have to show it to them (validated) or you pay a fine 60 times the price of the ticket.

Ask a fellow passenger about where you need to get off (younger people mostly speak English …and older people usually know the bus stops by their name!).

Buses run from about 6.00am to 11.00pm / midnight, depending on the route.

Tickets: Same as Metro above. Cost: 1.20 €. Reduced Tariff: 0.60€

Express Airport Lines Ticket: The ticket for the special airport lines (see previous post Transportation directions for getting into Athens, Greece) costs 5€ (reduced: 2.50€)

Trolley-buses: As far as you're concerned there is no difference between buses and trolley-buses, except for their color, which is yellow with blue stripes. Sometimes they are covered all over with multi-colored ads, but you can't miss them. They have long metallic bars (which locals sometimes refer to as "the horns") touching the electric cables over them.

2.3 Tram

Inaugurated just in time for the 2004 Olympics, the tram hasn’t yet won the hearts of Athenians as it is kind of slow and limited. My biggest pet peeve is with the ridiculous names given by authorities to the tram lines / routes. Instead of sticking with simple, functional names like Athens – Faliro, Athens - Voula, etc. tram routes have been “baptized” with the names of ancient thinkers (Plato, Aristotle, Thucydides!) [eye-roll…]. Gimme a break people!

Pet peeves aside, the tram is a handy, albeit rather slow means for traveling from center Athens (Syntagma Square) to the southern and coastal suburbs of Nea Smyrni, Faliro, Alimos, Elliniko, Glyfada, Voula and to get to the coastal promenade that is popular with locals and tourists during the summer.

There are three tram lines:

Line 3 (yes, “three”) “Thucydides” : Faliro (Peace & Friendship Stadium) – Voula (Asclepeion Hospital)

Line 4 (yes, “four”) “Aristotle”: Athens (Syntagma Square) - Faliro (Peace & Friendship Stadium)

Line 5 (yes, “five”) “Plato”: Athens (Syntagma Square) - Voula (Asclepeion Hospital)

There are no lines 1 and 2....!!!

Hours of operation
First trip: 05:30, Last trip: 01:00. Friday and Saturday nights have an extended schedule in the winter (05:30- 02:30) and 24hr-service from June 1 to September 30.

Tickets and their use are the same with the Metro (see section 2.1 above)

2.4 Taxis

Fairly cheap compared to other west European countries, they are viewed and used as an alternative to public transportation. Drivers’ behavior not always proper (occasional instances of fraud, with foreign tourists as victims), especially since there’s a great number of “fake”, unlicensed “taxis” operating during the weekend. Watch the meter! During the day (till midnight) you should be charged by "Tariff 1". From midnight to 5.00am, and for out-of-city transportation you are charged by "Tariff 2". The meter starts at around 1.19€ and the minimum charge for short distances is 2.80€. Extra charge for heavy baggage (> 10kgs/piece), for calls/appointments and when departing from airports, ports, bus and rail stations or towards airports. Flat fare to get to the airport from Athens city center is 35 Euros during the day and 50 Euros at night. Check airport site for details and indicative charges for other destinations from airport to Greater Athens area, here.

2.5 Driving in Athens

Driving is on the right side of the road (like in the rest of the continent and the U.S.) and distances are in kilometers (1 kilometer = 0.6 miles, 1 mile = 1.6 kilometers). Most cars, including rented ones, have manual transmission (stick-shift). Ask your rent-a-car service beforehand about the possibility of getting a car with an automatic gear box.

Also, Athens has two ring limits (not to be confused with the Attiki Odos peripheral ring-road) which were instituted some 30 years ago for air pollution reasons. The one mostly of concern is the small ring (mikros daktylios). Cars with odd-numbered plates may enter the small ring on odd date week-days, while even-numbered ones may enter on even date week-days. On weekends, city centre is open to all.

I don’t want to freighten you but you should be very careful driving in Greece and, even more, in Athens. On the other hand, the Greek countryside is the best part of the country and having a car will greatly liberate you if you want to travel around. Here’s the situation concerning Athens: Most streets are narrow, with potholes as a bonus, cars parked everywhere except for main thoroughfares, often blocking the view in intersections. Drivers are stressed and aggressive, with little patience. Honking should be expected… I wouldn’t  recommend driving in Athens, but you can’t completely avoid it either if you plan on renting a car for your vacation in Greece. I've had friends from the US drive in Athens and they didn't have a problem, but be careful (i.e. expect the unexpected). Recently, the financial crisis has "removed" a good number of cars from Athens streets (and sidewalks...) as people are getting rid of their second or third family car.

Tips for driving in Athens:

-It is not unusual for Athenian drivers to “ignore” the yellow / orange light at intersections, so get the habit of looking both ahead and at your rear-view mirror when the light turns yellow. The driver behind you may not intend to stop!

-Also, expect to encounter drivers who do not use the turn light (blinker). Lots of them…

-Greeks use the alarm signal to tell the driver behind them that they intend to park, at an empty, in-street, parking spot. Make sure you leave enough room for the car ahead of you to back up and park if you see their alarm lights blinking.

-Parking spots are scarce: many are reserved for permanent residents (marked with blue lines) while some, mainly in the center, are paid parking spots (marked with white lines). You have to buy parking vouchers from kiosks, scratch the date and time you parked the car and place them under your windshield, at a visible spot.  Duration is for 3hrs maximum and 1hr = 1.00Euro voucher. Click here for details.

-It's best to make sure your hotel has a parking lot or a partnership with a garage if you intend to drive.

-Road signage and the quality of the road surface are just as bad (or good…) as most Greek drivers.

-US residents: You should always stop on the red light (no “turn on red”).

If you want to rent a car, many options are available, including at the airport and near ports.

2.6 Walking in Athens

Athens may not be the most pedestrian-friendly city in the world but progress has been made in the last 10-15 years with wider sidewalks in the main streets of the city center. The Plaka neighborhood, north-east of the Acropolis, is all pedestrianized since about 1980, making it a perennial favorite for tourists and locals alike. Before the 2004 Olympics, the former Dionysiou Areopagitou St. and Apostolou Pavlou St., below the Acropolis (on the southwest side) were turned into a major pedestrian walk that connects some of the city’s major archeological sites and provides some very nice views towards the Acropolis. However, as you get out of the city center and into the back streets, walking can be a pain if you are old or have mobility problems. You often need to get off and on the sidewalk as pavements are very narrow and sometimes occupied by cars / motorbikes and all kinds of… stuff. However, if your schedule permits you may get a truer glimpse of life in Athens by walking in these back streets and out of center neighborhoods. They lack the archeological findings or other sights that may appeal to tourists but they are often just as lively, or even more, than the city center.
When crossing the street:
a) Double-check that cars have actually stopped at the traffic light
b) All pedestrian crossings are marked as zebra tracks but they do not necessarily give pedestrians the right of way, nor are they acknowledged when they actually should be. Wait for the green light, and better be safe than sorry.
Also, see my practical advice for walking in Athens.

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Transportation directions for getting into Athens, Greece

Getting to Athens – Traveling to Athens (Last update: 2012-August-19)

Athens has a transportation network that is miles ahead of where it was just 10 years ago. However, traveling in a foreign country can be a bit of a hassle no matter what the circumstances. I have tried to take away all the needless anxiety for you by writing this mega-post on transportation options and details for getting into Athens (can be used for the opposite direction as well!). It may not be as dry as a practical guide should, but believe me I did my best... I shall update this accordingly when major changes take place. Save it and use it as a guide for planning your trip and while you’re here. Last but not least, remember that most Greeks will be more than willing to help you find your way or explain things to you. Younger people especially, usually speak at least some basic English and often an extra language as well. For transportation options inside the Athens metropolitan area see this concise, practical guide: Transportation Guide for Athens, Greece.

1. Coming into Athens

1.1 From Italy (via the port of Patra)

1.2 From the Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos

1.3 From Thessaloniki (Northern Greece)

1.4 From an island (via Piraeus port)

1.5 From an island (via Rafina port)

1.6 From an island (via Lavrio port)

2. Transportation in Athens (See here - separate post) 

1. Going to Athens (or getting out)

There are mainly 6 ways to get into Athens and I describe each one of them below, with all the sub-options available. The goal is not to give you a headache but to let you use the one most suitable for your situation. If you're a planning freak like I am, I'm sure it'll come in handy at some point.

1.1 Getting to Athens from Italy (via the port of Patra)

Most ferries coming from Italy reach the port of Patra as their final destination, 214kms (130miles) west of Athens. Ninety nine percent of tourists just get out of town and head to Athens or whatever other destination they have in mind even though you could spend a fairly interesting and relaxing day in this busy, coastal town and acclimate yourselves with the country. Contact me for advice on what you could do in and around Patra.

To go from Patra to Athens you basically have three options:

a) Board an inter-city bus. The inter-city bus station for Athens (there are different ones for other destinations) is located at Othonos–Amalias Avenue & Zaimi St. Buses leave about every half hour and you  may either just buy a ticket before boarding the bus or pre-purchase it for a later time (up to 3 months from moment of purchase). Current one-way price: 18.90€ (March 2011).

Two-and-a-half to three hours later you will reach the Kifissos Inter-City Bus Station right outside Athens. From there you

(i)           ...either wait in line to get a taxi cab (cab drivers often try to “fill-in” their vehicle with more passengers going to destinations near you. You have a right to protest this, which won’t make you friends with the taxi-driver, and you also have the right to… remain silent and try to see this as a cultural experience of your journeyJ. At least make sure that your other “co-passengers” are truly going in the same direction as you.)

(ii)                 …or take urban bus No. 051 which operates from 05:00 to midnight (buy a ticket from the kiosk next to the bus, before boarding and make sure you validate it). The bus takes you to the center of Athens in a rather seedy area so make sure any valuables are well protected and within your view. You get off Bus 051 at either Socratous bus stop (one before last) or Zenonos bus stop (last one). Both stops are close (2-4 blocks) to Omonia Square and Omonia Metro Station to where you will have to walk.

There is also an Express bus line (X-93) which rides around the clock, from Kifissos Bus Station to the Athens International Airport (timetable here).

b) Rent a car from one of several companies located in the streets near the port of Patra. The roadway from Patra to Korinthos (Corinth) is currently (and up until 2015 more or less) under re-construction, so you should expect to see lots of road work and one-lane-only segments. From Corinth (about midway) to Athens things get much better though you will encounter traffic as you enter Athens. I suggest you do not drive much inside Athens (Greek drivers are kind of aggressive and unpredictable ...and so are the roads), but if you do, make sure there’s a parking lot close to your hotel. The trip from Patra to Athens takes about 3-3.5 hours under normal conditions but can be longer, e.g. on Sunday afternoons when people return to Athens from the weekend.

If you have time you may want to make a detour for the Corinth Canal / Isthmus and check this 19^th century engineering marvel and the bridges built over it.
Directions for Corinth Canal detour: As you are driving from Patra to Athens via the main highway ("New National Road"), 78kms before Athens, exit the highway to the right, following the sign towards Epidavros & Loutraki. 

Drive down the ramp staying on the left lane. Turn left and go straight for 400 meters / yards and then

turn right again at the traffic light to enter the Old National Road.

You will see some old, tired restaurants and snack places. Drive another 200yards/metres and park your car. 

The Canal is 100m / yards further and you can walk over it and take pictures. After you check it out you may drive over it and re-join the New National Road to Athens (with or without toll). There is also a parking lot and a fast-food place right after you cross the bridge, so you may drive over the bridge first and park there).

The cost (gas + toll), for driving from Patra to Athens is about 32€ (March 2011).


c) Now, there’s a third option for getting from Patra to Athens and that is the railroad, but I cannot recommend it in good conscience. The Greek Railroads (OSE) are in a state of financial and operational disarray, plagued by bad management, strikes, etc. A restructuring plan is being implemented, as in the past 20 years or so (hint: sarcasm) and that naturally causes friction while some routes are being eliminated to make savings. On top, there are works along the network and some segments are being serviced by buses belonging to OSE. To make a long story short, the train station in Patra is located at Othonos-Amalias Ave., opposite  Trion Symmachon Square.
You have 2 sub-options: (i) get a… railroad company bus (!) from Patra straight to Athens. The bus (3 routes per day) arrives at Stathmos Larissis Station in Athens, which also has a Metro Station (Line 2), or (ii) go by OSE bus from Patra till Kiato (4 routes per day) where you change to an Athens Suburban Railway train that will take you up to Neratziotissa Metro Station and Plakentias Metro Station in the greater Athens area. The price of the combined ticket (from Patra to Athens) is 18€, almost as much as the regular bus ticket. The first bus from Patra leaves at 06:50 in the morning.

-If you want to go to the port of Piraeus instead of Athens city center there’s a train leaving Kiato station every hour, from 05:36 till 22:36. This journey lasts 1hr 46min. Students, minors (<18) and seniors (>65) pay a reduced tariff (50%) in train tickets.

1.2 Getting to Athens from Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos”

Several options available to get into town:

a) Board one of the express urban buses taking you into town:

Bus X-93 takes you to Kifissos Inter-City Bus Station if you want to bypass Athens and go elsewhere in most of mainland Greece(timetable here - click on "Backward Direction")

Bus X-95 takes you to Syntagma Square and Metro Station (Athens center) in about an hour, (timetable here - click on "Backward Direction") 

Bus X-96 takes you to the port of Piraeus from where you can catch ships to most islands (timetable here - click on "Backward Direction") 

Bus X-97 takes you to the southern suburb and Metro Station of Dafne (timetable here - click on "Backward Direction").
Ticket price for airport lines is 5 Euros (reduced half tariff for seniors >65, college students w/ Student Card and ID/Passport, children under 12)

b) Metro & Suburban Rail: As you get out of the airport's arrivals hall, walk across the street and go up the rolling stairs towards the Parking lots and the Metro / Train (there are signs, easy to follow). Walk inside the long corridor, above the highway, to reach the ticket counters for both the Metro and the Suburban Railway. Both options will then take you to Plakentias Station but after that they split. The Metro (Line 3) takes you to center town (Syntagma Square) while the suburban railway takes you west to Neratziotissa Station and then further out to the towns of Corinth and Kiato in the Peloponissos. If you want to go to Piraeus port do not take Metro Line 1 from Neratziotissa Station as there are works and excavations in progress and Line 1 is closed at some points. Instead, take Metro Line 3 from Plakentias Metro Station and get off at Monastiraki Metro Station, changing to Line 1 towards Piraeus at that point. 

Small note for back in the airport: Make sure you inquire in both ticket counters (Metro and suburban rail), as the communication between them is not always optimal, from what I’ve heard. Also, in both cases, make sure you validate your ticket before entering the train / metro platform. Detailed schedule of trips to and from the Airport can be found here. 

c) Get a taxi cab, right outside the arrivals hall. Current, all-inclusive, flat fare to get to Athens city center is 35 Euros during the day and 50 Euros at night. Check airport site here, for details and indicative charges to other destinations in the greater Athens area. 

Starting July 2011, Olympic Air will be offering an online taxi-booking service at competitive prices, for getting to or from the airport. Details here.

d) Rent a car from one of the companies operating at the airport, inside the arrivals hall:  Check airport site here.

e) There is also a limo service which can be pre-booked or booked in place. Again, check airport site here. 

1.3 Getting to Athens from Thessaloniki (Northern Greece)

a) By Airplane: If you just want to get to Athens without visiting any other areas between the two cities, air travel is probably your best option. There are 2 main domestic airlines: Olympic Air (formerly Olympic Airways & Olympic Airlines) (http://www.olympicair.com/) and Aegean Airlines (http://www.aegeanair.gr/) Some foreign airlines occasionally cover the Thessaloniki-Athens route on their way to and from Greece and may have empty seats.

b) By bus: The KTEL (intercity) bus station at Thessaloniki is located at 69, Monastiriou St., opposite the train station and the bus arrives at the Kifissos intercity bus station outside Athens. You may pre-book a ticket by calling +30-2310-500.111 and be there half an hour before departure to pay for and pick up your ticket otherwise you may loose your booking (one-way ticket: 42€ since Jan. 2011). Duration: 6-6.5 hours. To go from Kifissos Bus Station to Athens city center or to the Athens airport see section 1.1 a) above.

c) By car: Expect to stop at many toll posts and pay a good sum of money in both toll fare and gas. (100€ would be a conservative estimate, in March 2011). The trip should last 5-6.5 hours with one stop and depending on where in Athens you want to go.

d) By train: Despite the troubles of the Greek Railroads (OSE) I mentioned above, the Athens-Thessaloniki route will be the last one to be affected as it forms the backbone of the country’s railroad network. There are currently (March 2011) nine direct routes per day connecting Thessaloniki to Athens, incl. the option of taking an InterCity Express train (ICE), as this is the only half-modernized segment of the Greek Railroad network. Duration: 4.5 – 7 hours (depending on train). The InterCity (IC) ticket costs 36.30€ (March 2011). You will arrive at Stathmos Larissis Train Station in Athens, which also hosts a Metro Station. From there you get a taxi or the Metro to reach your exact destination and you have the option of getting on a suburban train  (Proastiakos), once an hour, to reach the port of Piraeus for an additional 1.50€. OSE information number is 1110 but currently only in Greek.

1.4 Getting to Athens from an island (via Piraeus port)

Pireas aka Piraeus is the largest port of Greece and one of the largest in the Mediterranean. Most of you will be using this port to get to and back from the islands.
a) The Metro Station (Line 1) at the port of Piraeus is located right across the port, along the coast. The whole port area does not win points for beauty but getting to the Metro Station is easy. Depending on where your boat docks you may either walk to the Metro Station or get the free, in-port, mini-bus that will drive you there. A pedestrian bridge over the coastal road is the landmark to look for. It is located across port Gate E6 and is right next to the Metro Station). The Metro ticket costs 1.40€ (as of March 2011).
b) The Suburban Rail Station is one block next to the Metro Station. You can catch a train to Athens (Stathmos Larissis) every hour, at hh:44 (cost 1.50€).

c) Getting a taxi is an option for people who are loaded with suitcases, have mobility problems or are just plain tired, but that will set you back quite a bit, especially when compared to the Metro (10-20€ for Athens). There will be plenty of taxis waiting just as you exit the boat.

1.5 Getting to Athens from an island (via Rafina port)

There is a local, Attiki KTEL bus running from Rafina port (bus-stop inside port) to Athens center from 06:00 till 22:30. Price: 2.40€, Duration: 1hr, Terminal stop: Pedion Areos, Mavromataion St., Athens.

There is also a direct line from Rafina port to the Athens International Airport from 05:15 till 21:15. Check timetable here (.pdf file, in Greek! - last section)

1.6 Getting to Athens from an island (via Lavrio port)

The port of Lavrio services a number of islands as well as several cruise-ships. 

a) There is a taxi-cab station at Lavrio (Tel: 22920-25871) and the taxis may take you to either downtown Athens or to the nearby Sounio archeological site.

b) -A KTEL bus goes from Lavrio to downtown Athens every 30min. Mon-Fri: From 05:30 and every half hour till 21:00 , Sat-Sun: 05:30, 06:00, 07:00 and every hour till 21:00.

-A KTEL bus also goes to Sounio archeological site (05:45 and every hour till 16:45, daily), but you may need a taxi to get back to Lavrio if that’s where you want to return. Otherwise, there are also KTEL buses from Sounio to downtown Athens from 08:00 till 19:30, every half hour.

-Finally, there’s a KTEL bus from the port of Lavrio to the Markopoulo suburban railway station and from there to the Athens International Airport (or elsewhere in the greater Athens area). Mon-Fri: 06:00, 06:30, 07:30, 08:00 and every hour till 19:00. Sat-Sun: 06:00 and every hour till 20:00 with two additional weekend-only buses straight to the airport at 05:30 and 21:00.

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