Athens – Cab vs Metro – Help to Compare

[nickatpsu]

Greetings all! Can anyone help me compare the cost, convenience and travel time required to travel from the Athens port to the Acropolis by the metro vs hiring a cab?

 

I’m sure I could handle doing Athens ‘on my own’ (thanks to the awesome info on CC), but my wife is pregnant and fatigue sets in much more rapidly now.

 

We’re going to focus the time in Athens wandering around the Acropolis and Agora (we’ll likely hire a guide). Is a weary traveller better off taking a cab there and back, or is the metro just as convenient?

 

Thanks! :D

 

- Nick

[marci22]

Here is a link that has a cost comparison plus additional Athens info. I think it depends on your wife's degree of pregnancy. I will be in Athens next week and I think the heat will be more of a factor than the walking. Combine them and your wife may get crabby.

 

http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/destinations/greece/athens.htm

[conandrob240]

The Metro service from the airport to Athens is shutting down for line expansion/repair as of end of Sept/early October. For this reason, we are just going with a cab and then will Metro from Athens to Piraeus port.

[nickatpsu]

Marci, I didn't know that you knew my wife!! ;)

 

Good points. I don't know what I was thinking. I think I'll suck it up and get a cab.

 

Thanks for the sanity check!

[ab0si]

Nick:

 

May I suggest you do the Ancient Agora before the Acropolis? This will be an easier walk as the entry to the Acropolis is downhill from the Agora. It's downhill whether you take the metro or taxi to/from the city. :)

 

 

Conan:

The rail link from the port to Athens is not affected by the work being done on the airport route.

[Fblack]

Last year we hired a taxi at the port for an hour to take us to the Acropolis for a viewing stop. I have a bad knee and did not want to walk up. Then he stopped by the Olympic Stadium and dropped us off at the Plaka. Cost, 50 Euros.

 

We walked around the Plakka and had lunch and took a second cab back to the ship. Cost 34 Euros. Not cheap, but we never wasted any time.

 

If you can share a taxi, it then is pretty affordable.

[nickatpsu]

A full-day private taxi looks to be over 200 euro, half-day at around 150. Cab there and cab back looks like it will be a realistic option.

 

Once at the major sites, it's all within walking distance, correct?

[Tina-Ann]

Just returned from Princess' med cruise a day ago. (thus the reason I'm up at 4:00 am posting replies). Everyone is different, but Athens was my favorite day due to Athens by Taxi. We paid 150 euros for a half day tour. But I had the driver meet us at the terminal at 7:00 am. Because we got an early start and went fast we saw: The first (modern) olympic stadium, a tour of the city, the acropolis (right when it opened and before it was either hot or crowded), we climbed the Hill of Lycabettous, stopped at a bakery to bring baklava back on the ship, the roman agoras, the greek agoras, the changing of the guards at the parliament bldg (very cool) and then were dropped off at the plaka to shop our hearts out. Had a great (quick) lunch from a recommendation of our driver and took a $10 taxi back the ship. It was my best day. All for 150 euros.

[nickatpsu]

Thanks a lot, Tina-Ann. That sounds perfect!!

 

How much walking did you do on that itinerary??

[nparmelee]

We shared a taxi to the Acropolis area with another couple and took the metro back. Both work well.

[Tina-Ann]

Thanks a lot, Tina-Ann. That sounds perfect!!

 

How much walking did you do on that itinerary??

__________________

 

I'm sure we walked a fair amount but it was intermittent - walk some, drive some, walk some, drive some. And then the variables are: you don't have to walk up to the top of the hill of lycabettous, you don't have to shop in the Plaka, carrying heavy bags of olive oil soap, jewelry, sweatshirts, hand made leather sandals, ouzo, etc, . Ha ha. Seriously, Athens was our best day, most bang for our buck, LOVED Athens because of Athens Taxi. I would not have done it any other way. We made the most of the port

[Tina-Ann]

it's all within walking distance, correct?

 

I'm not sure what you consider walking distance, but I would not consider all that we did within walking distance. And I think I'm in great shape. There is so much to see, it's a choice of how you spend your time. Getting to a place or being at a place.

[micruiser2002]

Does anyone know do the taxis use a meter or do you get the price before you get in? Thanks.

[mvbentley]

My husband and I took the metro. Don't remember the price, but would not recommend it, it's not worth the savings. It's a mile from the ship to the metro, most of which are not airconditioned. We had an unusually hot day in Athens (105 degrees in late June) and by the time we came back I was so exhausted, we took a cab from the metro to the ship, which cost us almost as much as if we had taken a cab from the museum to the ship.

 

PS there does not seem to be a set rate, so you can bargain with the cab drivers.