Athens: Best Way to Piraeus?

[MrsMuir]

CC Friends, I'm getting excited about our Black Sea/Egypt cruise, which is just over a month away. I'm also getting happily nervous, having never been to that part of the world before. We will love it, I'm sure. I've been reading up on the Acropolis and ancient Greek history, though I must admit the language may be a bit hard to grasp. It's fun to try.

 

Back to the reason I'm posting. We're spending two nights in Athens, at the NJV Athens Plaza Hotel in Syntagma (Constitution) Square. Should I inform the hotel concierge that we need to get to Piraeus on Sept. 29 and have him/her arrange it? Do the main hotels have a shuttle to the port?

 

Our only experiences in getting to the ship from a hotel have been in Copenhagen, where the ports are minutes away from the city center, or San Diego, right across the street.

 

Any advice is welcome.

 

Linda

[world~citizen]

I would arrange for the hotel to order you a cab and ask what the fare should be.

 

Athen is spectacular. If your hotel can arrange for a tour to Delphi (which it can) please don't miss it.

 

Above all, enjoy yourselves.

 

Smooth sailing...

[Boreus]

Depending on how much you mind carrying your luggage a couple of blocks, and down a flight of stairs, you could take the Metro from the Syntagma Station to Piraeus with one change of train. From Syntagma you take the number 3 Metro line one stop to the Monastiraki Station. Get out and as I recall stay on the same platform for the number 1 train to Piraeus, which is the end of the line. Here is a map of the system: http://www.urbanrail.net/eu/ath/athens.htm From a little past Monastiraki Station to Pireus the train runs on the surface. There are plenty of cabs at the Piraeus station (which is at street level) and in my experience the drivers know where the ships are berthed. Even if the Piraeus cab driver overcharges (which happens) it will be a lot cheaper and I find more interesting than going by cab all the way.

[world~citizen]

...Even if the Piraeus cab driver overcharges (which happens) it will be a lot cheaper and I find more interesting than going by cab all the way.

 

In my experience Athens cab drivers can be counted on to overcharge. That is why I suggest the hotel arrange for one and to ask for an idea of what the fare should be. Often, an Athens cab driver will turn off his meter and then you have a mess when you get to your destination.

 

Also, a cabdriver is less likely (in my opinion) to cheat you if his company regularly serves the hotel.

 

Smooth sailing

[Cruising-along]

We were recently in Athens pre-cruise and used Athens Taxi www.athenstaxi.org. or you can contact the owner at paulkalomiris@hotmail.com. We had Thanasis as our driver twice, first from the airport to our hotel, and then from the hotel to the ship. We can highly recommend him, he was honest, friendly and informative.

 

We did the Black Sea/Egypt cruise 2 years ago and wish we were going again -- you will LOVE it! Have a great cruise!

[jrzebird]

It's been many years since our cruise of the Greek Islands, but even at that time, we arranged for a car service to take us to the port, at a fixed price (plus tip). I also know that some of the hotels provide this service. Not sure if yours does or not, but the concierge should be able to arrange it for you, if you have any trouble or questions.

 

Enjoy Greece. It is the most fascinating place I have ever been. Gives you a sense of just how what we do today may affect others many hundreds, or even thousands, of years later.

[InvestiGator]

It is a very short trip. Trust the hotel's suggestion or just catch a cab.

[world~citizen]

It is a very short trip. Trust the hotel's suggestion or just catch a cab.

 

I could not disagree more.

 

Athens city cab drivers are notorious for preying on tourists and it gives me no joy in saying so. Yes this happens in any city, but the reputation of Athens city cab drivers is not such that I would recommend you just "catch one" as I would in virtually anywhere USA, Canada, most of the rest of western Europe, Japan etc.

 

Ask the cab to be arranged by a reputable hotel and try to get an idea of what the fair should be (especially helpful should the driver turn the meter off), or as suggested above call a service and get a fixed price.

 

Smooth sailing...

[world~citizen]

It is a very short trip. Trust the hotel's suggestion or just catch a cab.

 

I could not disagree more.

 

Athens city cab drivers are notorious for preying on tourists and it gives me no joy in saying so. Yes this happens in any city, but the reputation of Athens city cab drivers is not such that I would recommend you just "catch one" as I would in virtually anywhere USA, Canada, most of the rest of western Europe, Japan etc.

 

Ask the cab to be arranged by a reputable hotel and try to get an idea of what the fair should be (especially helpful should the driver turn the meter off), or as suggested above call a service and get a fixed price.

 

Smooth sailing...

[world~citizen]

It is a very short trip. Trust the hotel's suggestion or just catch a cab.

 

I could not disagree more.

 

Athens city cab drivers are notorious for preying on tourists and it gives me no joy in saying so. Yes this happens in any city, but the reputation of Athens city cab drivers is not such that I would recommend you just "catch one" as I would in virtually anywhere USA, Canada, most of the rest of western Europe, Japan etc.

 

Ask the cab to be arranged by a reputable hotel and try to get an idea of what the fair should be (especially helpful should the driver turn the meter off), or as suggested above call a service and get a fixed price.

 

Smooth sailing...

[world~citizen]

It is a very short trip. Trust the hotel's suggestion or just catch a cab.

 

I could not disagree more.

 

Athens city cab drivers are notorious for preying on tourists and it gives me no joy in saying so. Yes this happens in any city, but the reputation of Athens city cab drivers is not such that I would recommend you just "catch one" as I would in virtually anywhere USA, Canada, most of the rest of western Europe, Japan etc.

 

Ask the cab to be arranged by a reputable hotel and try to get an idea of what the fair should be (especially helpful should the driver turn the meter off), or as suggested above call a service and get a fixed price.

 

Smooth sailing...

[world~citizen]

I did not multiple post for emphasis. :o

[Sir PMP]

CC Friends, I'm getting excited about our Black Sea/Egypt cruise, which is just over a month away. I'm also getting happily nervous, having never been to that part of the world before. We will love it, I'm sure. I've been reading up on the Acropolis and ancient Greek history, though I must admit the language may be a bit hard to grasp. It's fun to try.

 

Back to the reason I'm posting. We're spending two nights in Athens, at the NJV Athens Plaza Hotel in Syntagma (Constitution) Square. Should I inform the hotel concierge that we need to get to Piraeus on Sept. 29 and have him/her arrange it? Do the main hotels have a shuttle to the port?

 

Our only experiences in getting to the ship from a hotel have been in Copenhagen, where the ports are minutes away from the city center, or San Diego, right across the street.

 

Any advice is welcome.

 

Have the hotel arrange a taxi, ask for the cost in advance, do not take the metro, it's not that safe, you might be robbed, it's not the greeks who are the problem, there are a lot of North Africans and Albanians that will try to steal your belongings including your cc..

[Richard in Panama]

If you don't mind schlepping some luggage, take the train! It's cheap, a nice ride, and very convenient. If we're not doing a tour, we have taken the train to Athens. You can get a cab from the station in Pireaus to the ships easy enough.

 

Regards, Richard

[Cruising-along]

 

Ask the cab to be arranged by a reputable hotel and try to get an idea of what the fair should be (especially helpful should the driver turn the meter off), or as suggested above call a service and get a fixed price.

 

This is exactly what we did, we knew up front what Paul of Athens Taxi would charge. We arranged on our own to have him pick us up at the airport, and were quite surprised when the same driver (Thanasis) picked us up at the hotel (the service they called for us) at the end of our 3-day stay.

 

As for the metro, I agree -- watch out! We stopped some pickpockets this trip.

[MrsMuir]

Thank you all. You are so helpful. Carolyn, I just might get in touch with Paul to arrange an airport pickup, too. We'll stay out of the metro. I don't know about schlepping two suitcases to the train, because DH gets really cranky and tired from jet lag -- or from not being able to sleep all scrunched up on the plane.

 

I'll recommend that our roll call folks look at all this good advice, too.

 

Ef karisto poli! (Thank you, according to Lonely Planet's Greek Phrasebook).

[Cruising-along]

Paul has a good reputation on these boards, that's how I found him ;)

 

See if you can get Thanasis, great driver, great service!

 

Gosh, I wish I could go with you! :D :D

[DrTee]

As for the metro, my experience was very positive. The metro is clean, relatively safe, and fascinating (because they have exhibits of what they found when they excavated for it). One station has a glass wall that shows what is still remaining around the station.

 

At the same time, though, of course you exercise the same caution you would at any public place, and I'd avoid the metro at rush hours (but I do that anywhere). But please consider using it to get around town if you venture out of the area of your hotel.

 

As for getting to Piraeus, I personally don't like carrying my bags up and down stairs, so I wouldn't use trains, buses, and metro. All that luggage can also distract you, make you more visible, and thus make you more vulnerable to thievery. But mostly it's just a hassle.

 

I advise a cab or car service. Again, I had no problems with taxis either. I don't know if I'm just lucky or if they know seasoned travelers from rookies.

 

Athens is amazing--Have a great trip.