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ATHENS AIRPORT
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The modern large
Eleftherios
Venizelos airport, at Spata, is
comfortable and well designed, equipped with the latest
technology available.
The new Athens airport has a vast
shopping mall, serving travelers, as well as local
residents in this well populated area.
Spata, situated on
the eastern side of Attica, together
with the upgraded port of Lavrion will
enable visitors to get to the islands by boats much
faster, as the distance from Lavrion, at the tip of the
Attica peninsula, is considerably shorter than the trip
from Piraeus port.
The new airport/website
www.aia.gr
at Spata opened on Wednesday
March 29th. Distance 35
km. from the centre of Athens, 45km.
from the port of Piraeus and 37 from Lavrion.
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Upon
arrival at the airport terminal, you have to go through passport
control, one line for EU Nationals and another one for everybody else.
Travelers from the US, Canada and Australia, no longer need a visa.
The
next stage, is baggage pickup and customs, all simple procedures.
Travelers who have arrived in Greece, via other European countries, do
not have to go through customs control.
If you have
a lot of luggage there are carts that you can use (1 euro each). There
is also a private service (Baggage handler) at 15 euro per cart.
Taxi:
A pre-arranged
chartered
taxi transfer
with escort, will cost more than hailing a
cab but the regular
taxi queue will start from Door 4 of the Arrivals Level
and extend up to Door 1,.so it needs
patience and after a long trip, this can be trying. A regular taxi should
cost you about 35 Euro to the centre, but you must take whichever one you
get when it is your turn (max. four persons - family sharing a taxi). They
charge extra 0,60 Euro per bag that you put into the trunk (European sedan
cars don't have big trunks), plus road tolls 3 Euro.
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Suggested methods for
Getting into Athens, Piraeus,
Lavrion or anywhere else from the Airport. |
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Buses: There are four bus
lines to and from the airport. All buses depart from the
designated area on the inner curb side of the arrivals
level of the Main Terminal Building exactly outside the
Exit (doors 4-5) website
www.oasa.gr
Line E94 connects the
Ethniki Amyna Metro Station with the Airport.
Passengers can transfer from the Metro line to
the Airport Bus at this departure point. This bus
stops running before the metro stops running
which is around midnight.
Line E 95 Syntagma
Square - Airport Express has its departure
point at the centre of Athens (Syntagma Square-Amalia
Ave.) and via Vas. Sofias Avenue, Mesogion Avenue
and Attica Odos terminate at the airport.
Line E96 Piraeus -
Airport Express starts from the centre of Piraeus
(Karaiskaki Square) and via Posidonos Avenue,
Varis-Varkizas, and Varis-Koropiou Roads
terminates at the airport.
Line E 97 Daphni/ Panagouli Metro Station
and via Vouliagmenis Avenue,
VarisVarkizas, and Varis-Koropiou Roads
terminates at the airport.
For Express Lines E94 - E95 - E96 * E97,
the ticket costs 3,50 Euro.
DO Validate your
ticket by inserting it into the validating machine as soon as you board the vehicle or
when you enter a metro station. Keep it safe till the end
of your trip. Otherwise, you are liable to an on-the spot- fine,
35 Euro. Arriving
buses disembark passengers at the designated area of the
departure level of the Main Terminal Building. Both the Syntagma and the
Piraeus buses run for 24 hours, generally every thirty minutes but every
50 minutes after
midnight. *
Every three hours
In Athens the public transport comprises of the blue buses and trolleys (tickets
1 Euro.
which must be purchased beforehand from blue or yellow kiosks). In Athens the
public transportation is not of the best, not because
the buses are not of the latest technology but because
the amount of people standing is usually triple the
amount of those seated. In other
countries only five people are allowed to stand whereas
in Greece it could be as many as seventy.
Metro-Proastiakos:
The Metro (Web Site:
http://www.ametro.gr/
has been in operation since
January 2000. More than 550.000 passengers rely on the Metro for their
daily transportation. A rail system comprising of two lines, Line 2 (
Ag. Antonios - Ag. Dimitrios - Alexandros Panagoulis) and Line 3 (Monastiraki
- Doukissis Plakentias - Airport ) and 23 stations of outstanding
technological and ergonomic design, aim to provide a modern, fast and
secure means of transport that has upgraded the way we view the city of
Athens. The metro ticket 1 euro are
sold only at the entrance of the metro stations - Ticket
prices to and from the Airport - Single 8, 00 euro. You must
validate your ticket prior to boarding the train at the installed
validating machines. There are continues checks conducted by authorized
personnel in order to ensure all passengers hold the equivalent of a
validated ticket. In case a passenger fails to demonstrate an
appropriate ticket a final equal to 40 times the price of the ticket,
will be imposed.
Baggage Storage
The new airport does
have a luggage storage facility. It is located on the
ground floor of the International Arrivals terminal. As
soon as you exit the luggage claim area you should turn
left and go all the way to the far end of the terminal
building. There you will find the "Luggage Storage"
facility. They are open from 6:00 AM to 2:00 AM every day
and they charge 3 Euro. per
day per suitcase.
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