getting thru Athens airport

[NoWhiners]

Hi All

 

After our cruise in october, we have a 7 am flight out of Athens. i know we will have to get up early, grab a cab to the airport but I was wondering if anyone has any recent experience on how long it takes to get from arrival at the airport to the gate? just trying to estimate how much time we should allow.

 

I am going to post this on Cruise Air thread too.

 

Thanks for any help

ML

[cruisemom42]

I've flown out of the Athens airport about once a year over the past 4 years. I always find it a pretty easy airport to get around. That could differ, I guess, if you are traveling at a peak time or during the height of the tourist season.

 

With an early flight and in October, 2 hours is probably enough time to allow once you arrive at the airport. That will let you get through the check-in line and security with no rushing.

 

When you get to the airport, large signs will indicate which desks are checking in passengers for your flight. Once you check in, you walk to your cluster of gates, where you will go through security. (In other words, there is no large, central security checkpoint but rather many smaller ones, which seems to work pretty well.) They often seem slow at these checkpoints, but again, there is usually not much of a line up.

 

If you want to do any shopping, get something to eat, etc. I would recommend doing it before going through security. Afterwards there is not much except the bare basics (gates, restrooms, perhaps a small news shop).

[NoWhiners]

cruisemom

 

thanks, this is exactly what I was looking for! I was sort of hoping it wouldn't take 2 hours but we will plan on being at the airport at 5 am--maybe we'll just stay up all night :D

 

I am also assuming it will take an hour to get to the airport. Maybe not, at that hour, but you never know what might happen. it will be a Tuesday, mid-october.

 

thanks again

ML

[NoWhiners]

oops--I forgot to ask--do we have to take off shoes and remove liquids like in the US? anything else unique or different at Athens security checkpoint?

 

Thanks

ML

[cruisemom42]

Are you leaving from the port or from the city? I think you'd need less time if going from the city. I usually have just asked my driver how much time to allow; they know far better than anyone what the traffic is like at a given time and day.

 

I don't think you have to remove shoes anywhere except the US, but I do recall them being very thorough -- sweaters and jackets off, computers out and in a separate bin, etc.

 

The 3-1-1 liquids rule is international. Everywhere I've been, I have to pull those out.

[NoWhiners]

Cruisemom

 

we are leaving from the city, east of Syntagma square (I think we are 3 metro stops east). I was assuming we would need an hour to get to the airport, but maybe a little less since it will be about 4 am when we leave the airport? We have a private tour booked for the day we disembark the ship, taking a tour of the areas outside Athens, so I will ask our driver how long he thinks it will take to get to the airport the next day. Maybe we can arrange for the same company to take us.

 

Thanks for the info on passing thru security.

 

ML

[MANURULES]

I have done the 4am taxi ride to the airport a few dozen times.

At that time of the night there is zero traffic any day of the year.

It will take you about 30 min to the airport from downtown Athens ( around and close to Synagma square).

The cost is 50 euro for the taxi load all inclusive, plus 3-5 euro for having the taxi coming to the hotel to get you.

Do not pay more than that under any circumstances.

The check in staff at the airport can be very slow some times , but even so I have never missed a flight,

even when I got there close to an hour before my flight (not recommended).

As others have said no shoes to take off, but all the other US rules apply at security.

At that time off the day ( and since you are connecting through another European airport if heading to the US,

its almost a certainty you will be bussed to the aircraft from the actual gate after you clear security).

A 4:30 am departure from the hotel is recommended for a stress free morning.

[NoWhiners]

I have done the 4am taxi ride to the airport a few dozen times.

At that time of the night there is zero traffic any day of the year.

It will take you about 30 min to the airport from downtown Athens ( around and close to Synagma square).

The cost is 50 euro for the taxi load all inclusive, plus 3-5 euro for having the taxi coming to the hotel to get you.

Do not pay more than that under any circumstances.

The check in staff at the airport can be very slow some times , but even so I have never missed a flight,

even when I got there close to an hour before my flight (not recommended).

As others have said no shoes to take off, but all the other US rules apply at security.

At that time off the day ( and since you are connecting through another European airport if heading to the US,

its almost a certainty you will be bussed to the aircraft from the actual gate after you clear security).

A 4:30 am departure from the hotel is recommended for a stress free morning.

 

manurules

 

thank you so much for this info. I knew the cab fare would be 50 euro and i thought that included the premium for early hours, so it is good to know it could be as much as 55 euro. If it costs 55 euro, do you typically tip too? I guess another 5 euro? Just not sure--and it is getting to be an expensive ride!!

 

Thanks for the note about leaving as late as 4:30, that could be a big help

ML

[MANURULES]

No no extra tip from me.

4:30 am means being in the taxi driving away from the hotel.

I noticed you are staying 3 metro stops away from syndagma.

I am assuming you mean NNE of syndagma sq, if so this will put you at the very edge of the set price area to the airport.

Ambelokipi metro station is on Alexandra's ave, which is the outer edge of the set price area.

If your hotel is not inside this area then you will be on the meter to the airport.

The set price does not include the radio call for the taxi.

This is universal to any taxi called to pick you up in Athens regardless of destination.

They usually charge 3 to 5 euro.

I usually ask the call cented operator what the radio upcharge is.

*******

[NoWhiners]

No no extra tip from me.

4:30 am means being in the taxi driving away from the hotel.

I noticed you are staying 3 metro stops away from syndagma.

I am assuming you mean NNE of syndagma sq, if so this will put you at the very edge of the set price area to the airport.

Ambelokipi metro station is on Alexandra's ave, which is the outer edge of the set price area.

If your hotel is not inside this area then you will be on the meter to the airport.

The set price does not include the radio call for the taxi.

This is universal to any taxi called to pick you up in Athens regardless of destination.

They usually charge 3 to 5 euro.

I usually ask the call cented operator what the radio upcharge is.

*******

 

manurules

 

Got overwhelmed with stuff so I haven't checked this lately. thanks so much for the additional info. Our hotel is less than 100 mterers from Metaxourghio metro stop. Is this within the set price area? if not, how much do you think a metered fare will be to the airport? Now I am concerned that it will cost a lot more to take a cab to the airport and i am wondering if there are any ways to avoid having to pay too much.

 

Any ideas? What if we resevre with a cab company--would that be less? We are taking an all day tour with Nikos Loukas of private greece tours. Do you think they can take us to the airport? I think I will email Nikos and ask him.

 

thank you for all your help

ML

[MANURULES]

I took a look at a map and Hotels : Rio,Stanley, Katerina, Athens Imperial,Pigal, Albion, Nafsika,Minoa,Astoria and Stalis

are inside the set price area( Rio is prob 20 yards outside of it but it should be ok).

My best guess is that you should pay no more than 65 euro if outside the area,

and includes radio call charge and luggage charge and all other charges, tolls and airport fees(.25 -.50 a piece ).

This is on the high side.

Arrange with your touring company to drop you off at the hotel .

The area is one of the Athens lesser neighborhoods.

Lots of drugs and seedy characters around,especialy at night.

It is not any more dangerous than any other impoverished area in any major city in the world,but you should be careful.

Unless you cannot change the reservation I would look for a hotel closer to Syndagma sq.

especially if you are planing to go out for dinner or a stroll after your tour.

You should be able to find something comparable if not better for 90-120 US even this late.

Lastly, if this Nick guy offers you a rate 60 euro or under to the airport from where you are staying now, grab it.

[NoWhiners]

I took a look at a map and Hotels : Rio,Stanley, Katerina, Athens Imperial,Pigal, Albion, Nafsika,Minoa,Astoria and Stalis

are inside the set price area( Rio is prob 20 yards outside of it but it should be ok).

My best guess is that you should pay no more than 65 euro if outside the area,

and includes radio call charge and luggage charge and all other charges, tolls and airport fees(.25 -.50 a piece ).

This is on the high side.

Arrange with your touring company to drop you off at the hotel .

The area is one of the Athens lesser neighborhoods.

Lots of drugs and seedy characters around,especialy at night.

It is not any more dangerous than any other impoverished area in any major city in the world,but you should be careful.

Unless you cannot change the reservation I would look for a hotel closer to Syndagma sq.

especially if you are planing to go out for dinner or a stroll after your tour.

You should be able to find something comparable if not better for 90-120 US even this late.

Lastly, if this Nick guy offers you a rate 60 euro or under to the airport from where you are staying now, grab it.

 

Thanks for the info, we booked with Nikos for 50 euros--he made it part of the package we booked for the previous day tour.

 

ML

[dreamcruising1]

For anyone leaving for the airport or arriving from it in the early hours there are 2 night buses that go through the centre of Athens to and from the airport. They are the number X93 which goes to the ktel bus station at kiffisou 100 and also the X95 which runs from Syndagma Square to and from the the airport.

 

They both cost only 5 euro one way and would be very fast and also empty at those times. They are also very frequent, running about every 30 minutes or so.

 

I know Metaxourgio or Omonia are not the best places at night but catching the one from Syndagma is perfectly safe as this is the main square of Athens and there would be plenty of police around for safety.