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How to Get to Athens Greece

Coming from Far Away

Athens - see the Acropolis from the rooftop cafe of the Acropolis Museum

How to get to Athens Greece - for our fellow travellers coming to Greece from far away, we have prepared the following information so you can find great fares - with our tips for each journey.

By Plane from the USA

By Plane from Canada

By Plane from Australia

By Coach

Travelling from the USA

Statue of Liberty, New York (Image by Celso Flores)

Most routes are via New York. To find cheap flights from New York to Athens we suggest the routes below and to search for up-to-date fares using the codes NY and ATH.

Direct with Olympic Air or Delta Airlines
Via Zurich on Swiss Airlines
Via London on British Airways
Via Paris with Air France
Via Munich with Lufthansa

Travelling from Canada

Take flights from Toronto (YTO) and Montreal (YMQ) to Athens (ATH), Greece all year round, and also direct to Heraklion, Crete in summer.

Air Canada flies direct from Montreal to Athens with a duration of around 9 hours.
Air Transat offers summer flights direct from Montreal Pierre Elliot Trudeau Airport (YUL) to Athens (ATH) with low fares and similar flight duration

How to Get to Athens Greece
Travelling from Australia

Choose a comfortable stopover in Changi Airport en route from Australia

All sorts of airlines and options are available to get to Athens from Australia. You can use any European city as a hub, and fly that national airline.

Our Top Tips - make sure you check the stopover duration and ensure the total travel time is as low as possible. With short stopovers, you should be able to arrive in Athens in around 24-27 hours, depending on your Australian departure city.

KLM has some very good fares; this would mean a stopover in Amsterdam. Singapore airlines have some good fares with a stopover at the very comfortable Changi Airport in Singapore.

Via Amsterdam with KLM Dutch Airlines
Via Singapore with Singapore Airlines
Via Zurich on Swiss Airlines
Via Rome with Alitalia

After such a long haul flight and depending on the arrival time into Athens, consider booking at the Sofitel Athens Airport (see below) to rest before adventuring into the streets of down town Athens.

Arrive by Coach & Ferry from Europe

How to get to Athens Greece - Take a coach to Italy and from there take a ferry to Greece, into Patras. Patras port is linked to Brindisi, Bari, Ancona and Venice ports by boat. Then from Patras, it takes approximately 2 hours to get to Athens by coach.

Arrive by Ferry from Europe & Train to Athens

Arrive into Patras port, in the northern Peloponnese, and take a bus and train from there to Athens. The journey takes approx. 4 hours and cost is less than 20 Euro. The train goes via Corinth, where some services may end and a change of train may be required. Part of the journey between Patras and Kiato may be by coach, provided by the train company. Make sure to check when buying your ticket in Patras, as to the platforms where you will need to change.

Athens Airport Taxi

Transport strikes are common in Athens. Traffic can be hairy. The airport is 27 km from the city centre. You have the options of metro, bus, regional train and taxi from the airport.

For peace of mind, we suggest booking an Athens taxi ahead of time, so that you know you will be met at the airport, all your luggage looked after and delivered to your destination with a pre-set price. After a long flight, that is the least of your worries!

Pre-book Your Athens Taxi

Flights to Athens Greece
Accommodation

With views to the Acropolis - Adrian Hotel, Plaka, Athens

Athens Hotels - once you have saved on flights to Athens Greece, you will want good value for your hotel.

If this is your first time to Athens, we suggest choosing accommodation in the centre of Athens, in Plaka, at the base of the Acropolis. This area is within walking distance of all the historic sights and indeed, is an experience in itself, full of lane ways and atmosphere which will delight the first-time visitor.

If this is a short stay on the way to Crete or the Greek Islands, again we suggest making the most of your visit by staying in a small hotel in Plaka. We have chosen central small hotels with Acropolis views, perfect for a short stay and light on the wallet.

Athens Hotels

Athens Weather

More on the weather of Athens and what to expect in each season.

Long Stays and Business Travel

Kifissia - to the north of Athens

Business Travel - if you need to stay longer in Athens for a language course or business, we suggest the leafy, green suburb of Kifissia in the north. This quiet area is stylish, with pedestrian malls, fashion boutiques and cafes, as well as wonderful upmarket hotels.

Kifissia is roughly the same distance from Athens Airport as the city, however the travel time is reduced because the traffic and congestion is not as severe, cutting down your taxi time.

Athens Airport Accommodation

Sofitel Athens Airport - if you are looking for cheap flights to Athens Greece. How about convenient accommodation after that flight? This is a great way to travel through Athens on your way to Crete or the Greek islands without risking the journey in and out of the city.

A good choice if you are arriving on a long haul flight to Greece from Australia.

"Rates on this five star hotel are really competitive with the inner city hotels, add to that the money you save on taxis and you are way ahead, showered and rested!"Very nice hotel with everything you need to be comfortable. We had just finished a three-week excursion in Greece and stayed at the Sofitel the night before our flight back to the US. It was perfect for two weary travelers."

Check Rates & Availability at Sofitel Athens Airport

Flights to Crete

How to get to Athens Greece - after your long flight, transfer quickly within Athens airport for your connecting flight to Crete.

Choose Chania airport CHQ or Heraklion airport HER in Crete
How to choose an airport in Crete

The flight times to both are around 1 hour in duration. Prices vary depending on the season and there are many flights per day.

Check prices Athens ATH to Chania CHQ

Check prices Athens ATH to Heraklion HER

Ferries to Crete

How to get to Athens - after your long haul flights to Athens Greece, you may wish to rest in a hotel near the airport, then spend at least 3 days in Athens.

See our tips for a stopover or layover in Athens here

If you want to get on immediately with your Greek island hopping adventure, and not stop in the city, we have some tips for ferries right here.

Avoid busy Athens altogether by taking a ferry out of Rafina Port, west of Athens airport
From Rafina, sail via various Cycladic islands to Santorini then onto Crete
Or stay at the Sofitel airport hotel then take a taxi directly to Pireaus Port and catch your ferry to Crete
Book ferries from Pireaus to Chania here
Book ferries from Pireaus to Heraklion here
More information about getting to Crete here
Most ferries from Athens to Crete leave in the evening and the crossing takes at least 9 hours, as it is an overnight sailing it is best to pre-book a cabin