Travel guide · 5 min read
How to Get from Athens Airport to Piraeus Cruise Port
Your options for crossing Athens between the airport and the cruise terminals, and how to time the journey around your sailing.
Athens International Airport sits east of the city; Piraeus is the port on the other side of it. Between them lies the whole of Athens, which is why this journey is the one cruise passengers worry about most. Here is how the options actually compare.
By metro
The metro connects the airport to Piraeus on Line 3 with no change of train. It is inexpensive and reliable, but the trains run at long intervals compared with a city like London, the journey takes well over an hour, and you will be standing with your suitcases for much of it. From Piraeus metro station you still have to reach your cruise terminal, which can mean a long walk or a shuttle.
By taxi from the rank
There is a taxi rank outside arrivals. You will get there, but the queue after a wave of arrivals can be long, luggage capacity varies with whatever car reaches the front, and there is no way to plan the timing in advance — which matters on embarkation day.
By pre-booked licensed Tesla taxi
T-RIDE is a licensed yellow Tesla Model Y taxi, pre-booked with your fare confirmed and your pickup planned around your flight. Your driver follows the flight number, waits if you are late through passport control, and drives directly to the terminal your ship is using rather than to the port entrance. For a family with four suitcases and a boarding deadline, this is usually the difference between a relaxed morning and a stressful one.
How long to allow
Traffic across Athens varies enormously by time of day. Mid-morning is usually straightforward; weekday rush hours can add a significant amount of time. Cruise lines normally ask you to be on board well before departure, so plan the transfer to arrive with a comfortable margin rather than the theoretical minimum.
What to have ready
- Your flight number and landing time
- Your cruise line and ship name
- The number of passengers and suitcases
- Your boarding deadline, not just the sailing time
We drive this route constantly. See Athens Airport transfers or Piraeus cruise port transfers for how we handle each end.