Athens Airport: frequently asked questions

Two hours before a Schengen flight and three before a non-Schengen or long-haul flight, which adds passport control after security. Summer mornings and the evening long-haul wave are the busiest times.

The boards on this site update automatically with scheduled and estimated times, gates, baggage belts and status for every flight. Open a flight for its details or subscribe to alerts for a flight number.

Check the estimated time on the departures board here, then confirm with the airline. Under EU rules a delay over two hours entitles you to meals and over three hours on arrival possibly to compensation; keep boarding passes and receipts.

About 30 km east of Syntagma. The metro takes 40 minutes, a taxi 35–50 minutes depending on traffic, and the X95 bus 60–90 minutes.

A flat €40 between 05:00 and midnight and €55 from midnight to 05:00, tolls and luggage included, for any address inside the inner ring road. Other destinations are metered.

Yes. Line 3 (blue) runs between the airport and Syntagma every 30 minutes from about 06:30 to 23:30, continuing to Monastiraki and Piraeus. The airport ticket costs €9. The station is across the road from the terminal, over the pedestrian bridge.

The X96 express bus runs 24 hours a day straight to the passenger port for €5.50 and takes 60–90 minutes. Metro Line 3 also reaches Piraeus in about an hour. A taxi costs around €60.

Yes. The X95 to Syntagma and the X96 to Piraeus run around the clock, roughly every 20–40 minutes at night. The metro and suburban railway stop around 23:30.

P1 and P2 opposite the terminal for short stays (about €4.50 an hour, first 20 minutes free) and P3 for long stays (about €12 a day), reached by a free shuttle. Booking online is cheaper for a week or more.

No. The arrivals level has no waiting zone and the departures drop-off road allows only a brief stop. Park in P1 or P2, where the first 20 minutes are free, and meet in the arrivals hall.

Avis, Budget, Hertz, Thrifty, Sixt, Europcar, Enterprise, Alamo and National have desks in the arrivals hall, with the cars in the car park across the road. Many Greek companies in Spata and Artemida collect customers by shuttle.

For the city, no: the metro is faster and parking is nearly impossible in the centre. Rent a car for the Peloponnese, Delphi, Sounion or a road trip north, and pick it up at the airport so you can join the motorway without crossing the city.