From Skopelos to Athens

The Question:

On the 3rd November, we wish to travel from Skopelos to Athens by Dolphin boat and bus. We have a flight to catch at Athens Airport at 1.30 p.m. Will we make it? I believe the boat leaves Skopelos at 7 a.m. - is this correct?


The Answer:

Hey,

Dolphin schedules have not been announced yet. You can come back at http://www.fantasticgreece.com/ in a couple of months and check the timetables.
If we suppose that the boat leaves at 7.00 am you need at least 2-3 hours until Agios Konstantinos port and from there, there are frequent buses to Athens and it will take you approxematelly 1,5 hour. From Athens city centre you need 40 minutes to get to the airport... so I think you must stick to the timetables if you want to make it without risk! Maybe it is better to rent a car from Agios Konstantinos and drive all the way until Athesn Airport. View the road plan from ViaMichellin site.

Cheers!

-Stavros

From the Athens International Airport to Piraeus Port

The Question:

Hello!!I will be arriving in Athens airport mid-morning and want to go to the Piraeus Dream Hotel in Piraeus.How much would taxi fare be?Any other good options for 2 tired jet-lagged travelers with a couple suitcases each?


The Answer:

Hello!
The taxi transfer from the Athens International Airport to your hotel in Piraeus will cost you approximately 50 euros. I don't have any other suggestion, except the bus line X96 which departs from the Athens International Airport and arrives at the Piraeus port. From there you will need to catch a taxi and this is rather difficult if you arrive there at heavy traffic hours. The taxi transfer will certainly cost you no more than 10 euros though since the hotel is very close to the port.
Hope I have helped!

-Stavros

Buses from Agios Konstantinos to Athens

The Question:

What time do buses go from Agios Konstantinos to Athens?Do they stop at Athens airport?


The Answer:

Hello!
Since bus schedules are subject to change at any time and without notice, there is no official timetable. You can call the suburban bus station of KTEL in Liosio, Athens and get information regarding the timetables (+30 210 8317147).
The Athens International Airport is not a stop for these buses. You need to take the metro to reach the airport.
Hope this helps!

-Stavros

From Piraeus port to Athens International Airport

The Question:

Hello Stavros
We will be arriving in Piraeus Port Oct.25,2008 and staying at the Piraeus Dream Hotel.What is best way you would recommend?We would like to transfer to international airport by express bus for our 5:20 a.m flight to U.S.How would you recommend we proceed.
Thank You
Tony


The Answer:

Hello Tony!
From The Piraeus Dream Hotel you can catch the airport bus line X96 which departs from the metro station of Piraeus (green line). The bus departs at 00.30 and 01.00 and approximately takes 1 hour to reach the airport. As you need to take a transatlantic flight you need to be at the airport at least 3 hours in advance and this is why I am recommending this bus time. On the other hand, you can also take a taxi and even better reserve one to pick you up from the hotel. Since it is going to be in the night, traffic won't be an issue and you will arrive quite fast at the airport. The taxi cost won't exceed tha amoun of 55 euros. You can also ask at the hotel's reception to book you a taxi.
Hope this helps you!

-Stavros

From Athens International Airport to Aegina

The Question:

Dear Mr. Stavros,
How and how fast fast we could get from the Athens airport to Aegina?Our son is a musician on a theatre ship (Caravan Stage Co.) that will leave Aegina to go through the Corinth Canal to Kaito. He said we could ride with him. This will be sometime around the time we get to Athens, but right now, we do not know exactly when. In case we get to Athens in time to meet up with them for this adventure, we want to know how to move as quickly as possible through customs and head off to Aegina.
Thanks
CathyB

The Answer:

Hello Cathy!
As soon as you arrive at the Athens International Airport, then you have 2 options: either to take a taxi to the port of Piraeus and from there take the ferry to Aegina or to take the bus (X96) from the airport straight to the port of Piraeus and then take the ferry to Aegina. Depending on the day and the time of the day that you will arrive the traffic can be strong and it can take you up to 40-45 minutes to reach the port. From there the ferry route with a flying dolphin (highspeed ferry to Aegina) is 40 minutes.
Hope I have helped!

-Stavros

Travelling from Italy to Lefkada, Zante and Santorini

The Question:

hello I will be travelling from italy to greece and would like to visit santorini as well as lefkada and possibly zante and am having troubles connecting the pathways,
can you please assist me,
thanks Stavros!!


The Answer:

Hello!
This sounds like a nice trip!
So, if you start from Italy then you will probably stop at either Igoumenitsa or Patras. From Patras you need to either rent a car or catch a bus to reach Zante or Lefkada. There is no direct ferry connection from Lefkada to Zante. To reach Zante you can take the bus from Patras which will take you to Killini and from there you will take the ferry to Zante. To reach Lefkada, you can take the bus from Patras and it will take you straight there, without having to take a ferry since the island is connected to the mainland by a bridge. Another interesting way to travel from Lefkada to Zante is to take the ferry from Vassiliki in Lefkada and go to Kefallonia and from the Kefallonia (southern part) take the ferry to Zante.
Santorini is on the other side of Greece and belongs to the Aegean Sea islands. To reach Santorini you need to take the ferry from the port of Athens (Piraeus) or take a plane from the Athens International Airport.
Hope I have helped!

-Stavros

To Alonissos via Athens International Airport or Volos Airport

The Question:

Hello Stavros;Lovely site. CongratulationsI want to travel from Spain to Alonyssos. Apparently I have 2 flight options: A) Via Athens or B)via Volos.
My questions (searching a cost effective solution)are:1) Can you give me the best way to connect straight from Venizelos airport to AG CONSTANTINOS and take the flying dolphin2) If option B is adviseable, what are the airlines flying in to try to connect via Aghialos (Volos) airport.
Thanks very very much for the help
Miguel

The Answer:

Hello Miguel and thanks for the compliment!
Unfortunately there is no direct way from the Athens International Airport to Agios Constantinos unless you take a taxi or rent a car. The Volos airport is only used by charter airlines and this happens mainly during the summer period. Maybe you should check some big online booking websites to find available itineraries, because these flights are few and change frequently...

-Stavros

From Athens International Airport to Piraeus Port by taxi

The Question:

Hi Stavros,
Thanks for speaking to the uninformed like the Oracle of Delphi!
1. Is the airport - port traffic heavy around 6h30 -7h30 on a Thursday morning? I have just one hour to collect the ticket and catch the ferry... or rebook and wait 10 hours.
2. Do you have the phone numbers of two regular taxi companies in Pireus that I can contact, please? (Any idea of what a reasonable fare would be?)
Thanks!
Celia Mendelsohn

The Answer:
Hello Celia and thank you for your kind words!
Regarding your first question, the traffic on Thursday morning is not heavy so you won't stuck anywhere for a long time and the journey should be easy by car or taxi. On the other hand, if you take the metro, then you won't stop anywhere so this won't be a problem too. By saying that you need to collect your tickets, where exactly do you mean? Because if you have to collect your tickets from the Piraeus port, then this should not be a problem, whereas if you need to pick them up from somewhere in the city center, then you may need more time!
As far as the price from the Athens International Airport to the port of Piraeus is concerned, then a reasonable price would be 58 euros and you can also check this online at www.taxireservations.gr!
Hope I have helped you!

-Stavros

From Piraeus Port to the City Center and the Athens International Airport

The Question:

Hello Stavros
We will be arriving at the Piraeus port Oct 1, 2008 and would like to get into Athens (Cecil Hotel).. What is the best way you would recommend.
We would also like to transfer from the Cecil Hotel to the international airport by express bus for our 6:40 am flight back to canada. How would you recommend we proceed????
Many thanks....Marc....friends from Canada

The Answer:

Hello Marc!
To reach the Cecil hotel in Athens from the Piraeus port, you can take the green line of the subway (station Piraeus right outside the port of Piraeus) and take of at Monastiraki station. From there it is a 4 minute walk up to your hotel walking on Athinas street.
Since you have a transatlantic flight, you need to ne at the airport at least 3 hours prior the departure of your flight, so you should be there until 03.30 am. The express bus from the city center to the Athens International Airport will make the journey in approximately 50 minutes. The Express bus line X95 which departs from Syntagma sqaure runs quite often 24 hours a day, but the most suitable itinerary for you would be the one at 02.25. To reach Syntagma square from your hotel you can take a taxi because there is no public transport at the time of the night and it is quite close, so the taxi driver should not charge you more than 8 euros (with your luggage). To check timetables and stops of the X95 express bus line to the airport, visit
http://www.oasa.gr/index.asp?asp=routes/bus_stop.asp&route_id=+%D795&rvariant_id=1&medium=0&s_t=16.
Hope I have helped!

-Stavros

Hotels in the Athens International Airport Area

The Question:

Hi Stavros,
Thanks for the info on the Thessaloniki airport bus. Here's another question. Are there any hotels near to Athens airport, apart from the expensive Sofitel and Holiday Inn?
Thanks again
Graham

The Answer:

Hello Graham!
Besides those two hotels that you have mentioned, there are no other hotels in the airport area. The closest regions to the airport, where you will find hotels to stay in, are Nea Makri and Rafina. These are approximately 20 minutes away from the airport by car. If you wish to check available hotels, take a look at www.fantasticgreece.com!

-Stavros

How long is it from Athens International Airport to Agios Konstantinos port

The Question:

Hi Stavros:
How long is the bus trip from Athens to Agios Konstantinos (Sept 4)? Our flight arrives in Athens at 14:00 and the ferry to Skiathos is at 19:00. Do we need to be there an hour ahead of departure?Which would be faster, the bus or taxi shuttle from Athens to Agios K?
Regards,
M. Tom

The Answer:

Hello Tom!
You don't need to be an hour prior departure for the ferry. Even 15 minutes is enough. The bus from Athens Liosion station (city center) to Agios Konstantinos will take you approximately 2 to 2,5 hours but you need to also consider the time from the airport to the Liosion bus station which is 1 hour and 15 minutes if you take public means of transportation. It is certainly much faster if you take a taxi to Agios Konstantinos but it also more expensive.

-Stavros

Travelling to Eretria in Evia

The Question:

Dear Stavros,
What is the easiest and best way to get from Athens Airport to Eretria on Evvia? I arrive in the late afternoon, until how late do the ferries go? On which website do i find information on buses and ferries in Greece (not only for Evvia).
Thanx a lot, Stavros!
Greetz from Brussels!
A.

The Answer:

Hello there!
To reach Eretria in Evia it is better to either rent a car from the Athens International Airport or take the suburban bus KTEL from the Liosion station. There are no ferries going to Eretria from Athens and since it is very close to Chalkida (the capital of Evia) it is much quicker to reach it like mentioned above. A website where you can find all scheduled ferry itineraries is www.fantasticgreece.com.

-Stavros

From Athens to Milina Road Sights

The Question:

Yiasou Stavros,
How long does it take to drive from the Athens Airport to Milina in the Pelion area? Is there anything beautiful to see on the ride up?We are deciding on a late night flight from Athens to Skiathosor driving up.

Efxharisto!
Teri(Eleftheria)


The Answer:

Yiassou Teri!
The drive from Athens International Airport to Milina is approximately 3.5 hours. There a re plenty of small villages, cities as well as beaches to explore on your way up to Milina. I would suggest a visit to Pilion andthe surrouding area which is absolutely astonishing. If you do have time, then you could also visit Trikala and Meteora. Trikala is a very beautiful city west of Volos and Meteora is a complex of monasteries built on high and steep cliffs with an astonishing view. Volos is also worth visiting.

Parakalo! ("You're welcome!")

-Stavros

Best way to reach Athens Airport from Volos or Agios Konstantinos

The Question:

Best way to reach Athens Air port from Volos or from Ag. Konstantinos by bus or by train.
Thank you

The Answer:

Hello there!
I would suggest the train because as soon as you arrive in Athens you will be able to easily change to the Suburban railway which will take you straight to the Athens International Airport. From the bus station of Liosion in Athens you will have to change at least 2 different means of transport to finally reach the airport.

-Stavros

Taxi from Athens International Airport to Milina

The Question:

How much will it cost to hire a taxi to go from Athens airport to Milina and how long does it take.
Thanks

The Answer:

Always glad to help you out whenever I can!
The taxi from the Athens International Airport to Milina will take you approximately 4 hours. But since this is a mini-trip, taxis should be booked in advance. Taxis waiting at the airport will not take you to Milina unless you have previously made arrangements with them. So it is advisable to call a greek taxi company and ask them regarding the destination and the price (since there is no specific price list for destinations like that) and arrange with them your pick up from the airport!

-Stavros

Transportation to and from Volos

The Question:

Best way to get to port of pireaus from volos?
Best way to get from Athens international airport to Volos?

The Answer:

Thank you for the question!
So, if you are already in Volos, then you need to take the suburban bus (KTEL) which will take you to Athens. As soon as the bus arrives in Athens you will be at the Liosion Suburban Bus Station (KTEL Liosion). From there you can take a bus that goes straight to the metro (green line) and the station's name is "Kato Patisia". By using the metro and taking off at Piraeus (last station) you will have arrives right outside the port of Piraeus.
From the Athens International Airport it is better to take the metro (blue line) and change at Monastiraki to the green line and then take off at Kato Patisia station. From there you can take a bus that will take you to the Liosion Suburban Bus Station (KTEL Liosion) and from there take the suburban bus to Volos.
There are more than one bus lines that can take you from the Kato Patisia station to the Liosion Suburban Bus station. It is better check the bus itineraries first before boarding on one or just ask at the metro station!
I hope this has helped you!

-Stavros

Taking the bus from Piraeus port to Athens airport

The Question:

Please could you advise how long the bus trip is from Pireaus port to Athens Airport and what the journey time is.
Thank you!

The Answer:

Thank you for sending me questions!
The bus from the port of Piraeus to Athens International airport is the X96 and it takes approximately 50 minutes or even an hour in case there is heavy traffic.
Feel free to e-mail or contact me in case you need any further information!

-Stavros