Piraeus Train to Athens

Getting From Piraeus Port To Athens by Train

Taking the train is considered to be among the cheapest ways to get from Piraeus to Athens, so if you’re looking for the most cost-conscious traveling option then you might want to choose this.

Unfortunately there is not a train station located within the Cruise port, so you will have to walk roughly a mile from the port to get to the station. So if you and any of your fellow travelers have disabilities or mobility problems then this might not be a good option for you.

Because of the short distance between the port and the Piraeus train station it will be practically impossible to convince any of the taxi drivers waiting around the port to take you to the station because financially the trip is not worth their time. They are looking for the valuable tourist trips to Athens, leaving you no option other than to walk to the train station.

If you decide to take the train, once your cruise ship arrives at Piraeus the first thing you need to do is find out which of the two port terminals you have arrived at. If you have arrived at Terminal B then you are much further away from the train station than Terminal A. Walking from Terminal B to the train station can add as much as an extra half hour to your travel time, so you would be wasting about 30 minutes that could instead be spent sightseeing in Athens. Thankfully the port operates a free shuttle bus that transports passengers between Terminal A and B. These pick up between every 10 and 15 minutes so you won’t have to wait long for one.

Once you’re at Cruise Terminal A, whether by shuttle bus from Cruise Terminal B or because your ship has arrived at Terminal A, walk out of the port complex and past the taxi stands until you reach the street. Once here, take a left and you should be on Miaoulis Avenue. Walk along this avenue past the port and its facilities for roughly 20 minutes, at which point you should see a large intersection and a bridge for pedestrians to talk over. Simply walk over the bridge and at the end you will see the train station, which is a large building painted in a shade of yellow.

Inside the Piraeus train station you can purchase your ticket to Athens using either a machine or by talking to someone manning one of the ticket windows. Train tickets will cost you €1.40 for a one-way journey to a single destination within Athens. You can use the ticket for 90 minutes before it expires, but before getting on the train you must put the ticket in a validation machine located by the platform entrance. After doing this you can board the train that will be waiting either on the left or right platform; the trains all go in the same direction to Athens.

Many people visiting Athens — particularly those visiting for the first time — will want to see the most instantly recognizable landmarks, among them the Acropolis that is home to remains of buildings from Ancient Greece such as the Parthenon. To get to this area of Athens, you need to take the Green train line from Piraeus and disembark once you reach the Thissio station. This ride should take you roughly 15 minutes and does not require any transfers. Then walk for roughly 10 minutes and you will reach the base of the Acropolis, but note that if you want to see the top of the historical site then you will have to walk up the hill which is quite steep.

Alternatively, if you want to avoid having to climb the hill then you can take a different train route. At Piraeus, board the Green line but instead of getting off at Thissio station you should disembark at Omonia station and transfer to the Red line. Ride the Red line for three stops and then get off the train, and you will be at the main entrance to the Acropolis. This journey takes slightly longer at 15 minutes, but avoids the exertion of climbing the hill to the Acropolis.

Another options is to take the train to Plaka, which is a picturesque village area located near the Acropolis in Athens. This charming location has winding cobbled streets with plenty of local owned shops and cafes where you can enjoy a leisurely day out. To get to this location, ride the Green line train from the Piraeus station and leave the train at the Monastiraki station.

For the return leg of your journey from Athens to Piraeus, the easiest option is to go to the Monastiraki station in Athens located by Plaka. Just be sure to give yourself plenty of time to get back to the cruise ship so that you don’t miss its departure. Generally it’s recommended to allow for up to 90 minutes from Athens to being back on your ship. But remember that if you’re leaving from Terminal B you need to allot more time to board the shuttle bus from Terminal A, so plan ahead and don’t make the return leg too tight time-wise.