Piraeus Port

[Seininya]

Hi,

Just wondering, whatsinport website mentioned there may be a 18 euro shuttle bus that the cruiseships put out from Piraeus port to Athens, but they don't announce it until the night before, has anyone had experience with this elusive shuttle? I'm going on NCL Dawn and was debating between this shuttle and the day pass offered by Athens transportation.

[edinburgher]

12 hours ago, Seininya said:

I'm going on NCL Dawn and was debating between this shuttle and the day pass offered by Athens transportation.

if you get few or no responses, suggesting that as it is NCL specific, you try cross posting on the NCL Forum where others who may have used it this year may be more likely to see it and reply.

[Hlitner]

There are several, excellent options, for getting from Pireaus to Athens.  If there is a convenient shuttle bus that charges 18 Euros, round trip, it is a decent option.  But if no bus, you can simply grab a taxi (25-30 Euros one-way for the entire taxi).  Another option is to either walk or use the regular bus to get around the harbor to the train station where the Green Line trains (several an hour) will take you into Athens.  There is also the local X80 bus (these have a stop right outside the port) that will get you into Athens.

 

Hank

[Seininya]

Thank you! I was thinking of taking the local bus and metro if the ship won't have a shuttle. It is about 4 euros from what I read for a day pass. I do believe though that the local X80 bus stops running October 31. The disadvantages of going during off season.

[mar214]

Be careful with the price if you use one of the taxis parked outside your terminal. The price SHOULD be between 17 - 24 euros. The taxi drivers are very aggressive and encourage you to just get in and they will take you to your destination. We were quoted a price of 40 euros to go to the Athens Archaeological Museum by several taxi drivers. We ordered an Uber and the price was 20 euros, in morning rush hour traffic, to a destination a little further out than central Athens. 

[Milhouse]

2 hours ago, mar214 said:

The taxi drivers are very aggressive and encourage you to just get in and they will take you to your destination.

They also aren't above fibbing either.  Had one tell us while walking by them that the metro wasn't operating because it was on strike but of course it was running when we got there.  🙄

[CCJack]

On 11/8/2023 at 1:51 PM, mar214 said:

Be careful with the price if you use one of the taxis parked outside your terminal. The price SHOULD be between 17 - 24 euros. The taxi drivers are very aggressive and encourage you to just get in and they will take you to your destination. We were quoted a price of 40 euros to go to the Athens Archaeological Museum by several taxi drivers. We ordered an Uber and the price was 20 euros, in morning rush hour traffic, to a destination a little further out than central Athens. 

I am curious to learn more about your uber experience, at one time uber was not allowed in Athens but they now allow regular taxis to use the app.  But I have read that normal private uber vehicles are not allowed.   I don't know any of this for sure, I haven't been there yet.     Was your uber pickup a normal taxi ?  I guess it doesn't really matter as long as they honored the uber fare from the app.    Also, your trip to the museum was from the airport?   thanks.

 

[mar214]

Our 3 Uber rides booked through the Uber app in Pireaus and Athens were taxis, not private cars. Uber pricing was accurate and honored each time. The taxis were clean and we enjoyed chatting with our drivers. (We also had the same Uber experiences in Rome, by the way.) We Uber'd from Pireaus to the museum. It was at least a 1/2 hour drive and the charge was 20 euros. After dealing with the taxi drivers at the port, we were so happy with our Uber experience. 

[CCJack]

2 hours ago, mar214 said:

Our 3 Uber rides booked through the Uber app in Pireaus and Athens were taxis, not private cars. Uber pricing was accurate and honored each time. The taxis were clean and we enjoyed chatting with our drivers. (We also had the same Uber experiences in Rome, by the way.) We Uber'd from Pireaus to the museum. It was at least a 1/2 hour drive and the charge was 20 euros. After dealing with the taxi drivers at the port, we were so happy with our Uber experience. 

thanks, this is helpful.   Sounds like Uber is the way to go.

[mar214]

Happy to help!! Enjoy your trip!!

[Hollyann]

On 11/12/2023 at 6:24 AM, mar214 said:

Our 3 Uber rides booked through the Uber app in Pireaus and Athens were taxis, not private cars. Uber pricing was accurate and honored each time. The taxis were clean and we enjoyed chatting with our drivers. (We also had the same Uber experiences in Rome, by the way.) We Uber'd from Pireaus to the museum. It was at least a 1/2 hour drive and the charge was 20 euros. After dealing with the taxi drivers at the port, we were so happy with our Uber experience. 

This may be a silly question, but do you need to do anything special to use Uber in Athens or Rome vs the United States?  Or is it all the same app? Thanks!

[mar214]

It's the same Uber app you use at home. Very easy!!

[luv2travel90266]

Does Uber pick you up at the ship or do you need to take the port bus to a central location within the port for pickup?

[sheshe01]

On 11/7/2023 at 5:51 AM, Hlitner said:

There are several, excellent options, for getting from Pireaus to Athens.  If there is a convenient shuttle bus that charges 18 Euros, round trip, it is a decent option.  But if no bus, you can simply grab a taxi (25-30 Euros one-way for the entire taxi).  Another option is to either walk or use the regular bus to get around the harbor to the train station where the Green Line trains (several an hour) will take you into Athens.  There is also the local X80 bus (these have a stop right outside the port) that will get you into Athens.

 

Hank

 Other than taxi are the other public transports baggage friendly? We will both have a large piece of luggage plus backpack

[Hlitner]

28 minutes ago, sheshe01 said:

 Other than taxi are the other public transports baggage friendly? We will both have a large piece of luggage plus backpack

Guess that leaves public buses and the local trains/metro.  Keep in mind that personal crime (i.e. pickpockets, purse snatching, etc) are a problem in Greece and public transit is a place where some of these thieves like to work.  Having baggage can make you an easier target.  I do not think it is normal for anyone to drag luggage onto public buses.  I do not think anyone would stop you from dragging luggage onto the metro lines, but these trains can sometimes get quite crowded and having your hands dealing with luggage would logically make you an easier pickpocket target. 

 

If it were me, we would spend the extra money on a taxi if moving luggage.  It will be interesting to see if some other posters have a different opinion.  

 

Hank

[sheshe01]

This matches what I have been previously thinking. I was planning the only bus/train type option I would do with luggage is the bus from the Airport. My thinking being if it picks up at the airport and goes straight to Athens bags would be pretty common. I also thought maybe less likely for pick pockets as no stops until Athens. Sound correct?

[luv2travel90266]

From what I have read the Uber app is used in Athens however they use regular taxis and not private cars like in our local. Cost from the airport to central Athens is flat fee of 40 Euros.

Uber/Taxi  ATH to central Athens

 

Edited July 3 by luv2travel90266

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, sheshe01 said:

This matches what I have been previously thinking. I was planning the only bus/train type option I would do with luggage is the bus from the Airport. My thinking being if it picks up at the airport and goes straight to Athens bags would be pretty common. I also thought maybe less likely for pick pockets as no stops until Athens. Sound correct?

We have never taken an airport bus in Athens, so others will need to help.  However, we have used airport buses, elsewhere in Europe, and most had luggage storage (often underneath the passenger compartment).  As to pickpockets, DW and I have learned (over 50 years of extensive travel) to always take precautions.   Just following a few basic rules will make anyone less of a target, although nothing is perfect.  For example, I never carry anything in a back pocket.  When I put anything of value in a front pocket, I secure that pocket with a large diaper pin.  DW carried her purse cross-shoulder and uses a large pin to further secure its zippers.  

 

When we are carrying luggage on trains, I carry a cable luggage lock (like a smaller bicycle lock) that we can use to secure our luggage to a train rack or some other fixed object.  That makes it difficult for somebody to simply snatch a bag and hop off the train.  Another simple idea, taught to me by a retired US Secret Service Agent, is to put a couple of wide rubber bands around my wallet before putting it in my pocket.  It makes sliding it out of a pocket much more difficult.

 

In all of our years of extensive travel we have only had 3 attempted pickpocket attacks and foiled them all, by these simple precautions and being aware of our surrounding,  If anyone is curious where these attempts happened, they were in Arles, France: Bologna, Italy; and Istanbul.

 

Hank

[Flygirl1999]

There is also an App called FreeNow which is similar to Uber which we’ve used in multiple European countries including the city of Athens.  Here is the link.

 https://www.free-now.com/uk/