Making the most of Piraeus Athens
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Cruise ships dock at the New Passenger Terminal, one mile from the center of Piraeus and eight miles from Athens. The 3 terminals A- Miaoulos and B- Themistocles and C- Alkimos are less than a half kilometer apart.
Free shuttles, if you are docked further away will drop you off at the main cruise terminals buildings.
Cruise organized shuttles to Athens can run up to 18 euro and only are announced the night before.
Athens Hop-on Hop-off Tour starts at about 200 meters from the cruise terminal. Turn left from the cruise terminal building (lower level) and walk over the parking lot. There is also a little tourist train here, but only travels through Piraeus
Metered taxis are generally available just outside the terminal building. Prepare to negociate.
A new bus service from the cruise terminal to Acropolis and Syntagma is now in place. X80 is the number of the bus, it operates from 7 am to 9.30pm every 30 minutes on a daily basis, you can use the 4.50 euro daily (24 hr) tourist ticket or the 20 euro 3 day ticket that covers transport to the airport as well. There is an X80 bus stop/shelter and manned ticket booth just outside terminal B. Don't forget to validate your ticket on entry to the bus. One of the central Athens X80 bus stops for return to Piraeus is on the western side of Syntagma Square near McDonald’s.
A 20 - 30 minute walk will take you to the Metro, from where Line 1 will whisk you to the center of Athens. It is often faster than taking a taxi. buses to Athens are also available at the Port. A day-pass for public transportation is about 4 euros. A 90 minute ticket is 1.40 Euro. Bus 843 and 859 also will take you to the metro station. Tickets can be bought from the driver, or at the nearby kiosk which is slightly less expensive. Do not forget to validate your ticket onboard by time stamping your ticket in the machines
The Port of Piraeus is an important destination for cruise ships in the Mediterranean Sea. It has 12 places for the simultaneous berthing of vessels and can accommodate even the largest cruise ships.
The airport is connected to and from the city and Piraeus (change at Monastiraki station to Metro Line 1) by Metro Line 3.
If your cruise starts at the port of Piraeus, be sure to fly in a couple of days early. Instead of staying in an overpriced hotel in downtown Athens, you might want to consider booking a room in Piraeus.
Travel instructions from Athens or from the airport
Hotels in Athens and Piraeus.
Piraeus is the used cruise port of Greece. Corfu is second and Mykonos and Santorini in an equal third place.
The Acropolis of Athens Put the best of science, art and philosophy together in one creation and you have the definitive monument of human civilisation. UNESCO calls it the symbol of World Heritage. The world calls it the Athenian Acropolis!
Food and shopping
There are well priced tax-free shops in the Terminal behind customs, with competitive liquor prices and even better prices on tobacco products, better than the prices onboard. Only if your ship has stopped or will stop at a non EU port.
Upscale shopping is found in the Kolonaki and Monastiraki districts of Athens. Woven bags and worry beads in amber or silver make nice souvenirs. LaLaounis and Zolotas are well known for exquisitely designed gold jewelry. In Piraeus, near the port, you can find a variety of souvenir items.
Money
Euro
Staying connected
Greek spoken
At the cruise terminal building itself there is free, but slow WiFi. There are also a few internet terminals at the cafe inside the cruise terminal.
If there is only one ship docked it will likely be docked right at the terminal building, where you can pick up de signal at starboard pretty strongly.
Opening Hours and
Public Services: open Monday to Friday, 8.00am – 2.00pm. Retail Stores & Specialty Shops: Monday to Friday, 9am – 1.30pm and then again from 5pm – 9pm. Saturdays, 9am – 2pm. Supermarkets: Monday to Friday, 9am – 9pm, and Saturdays, 9am – 6pm. Tourist Shops and Convenience Stores: most of these do not have official opening hours and are usually open from dawn to well after midnight during the summer months.