Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
1
BUS, METRO AND TRAM TICKETS
The easiest and least stressful way to travel is with a
pass
. A
one-day imerísio
costs €4 and
can be used on buses, trolleybuses, trams, metro and the suburban railway in central Athens
(everything except the airport route beyond Doukissis Plakentias and some long-distance bus
lines). You validate it once, on starting your first journey, and it is good for 24 hours from then.
A
weekly pass
costs €14, while
monthly
passes are €45 (less for versions that don't include
the metro). A single ticket, valid for 90 minutes on all forms of transport (and transfers between
them), is €1.40; a single ticket for one journey by bus or tram only is €1.20. Tickets must be
validated at the start of your journey - in the machines at the top of the stairs in metro
stations, on board buses, or on the platform or on board for trams.
Tickets and passes can be bought from any metro ticket o
ce, machines at tram stations,
blue-and-yellow bus ticket booths (near most major stops) and many newsstands - you can
buy several at once and then validate them as necessary.
stations are erratic. Trams don't automatically stop at every
station, so push the bell if you're on board, or wave it down
if you're on the platform. Details at
W
tramsa.gr.
them up at ranks in most of the major travel termini and
central squares, or phone one (or get your hotel to do it).
Taxi tips
Make sure the meter
is switched on when you
get in. If it's “not working”, find another taxi. One
legitimate way that taxi-drivers increase their income is
to pick up other passengers along the way. There is no
fare-sharing: each passenger (or group of passengers)
pays the full fare for their journey. So if you're picked up
by an already-occupied taxi, memorize the meter reading
at once; you'll pay from that point on, plus the €1.16
initial tariff. When hailing an occupied taxi, call out your
destination, so the driver can decide whether you suit
him or not.
TAXIS
Athenian taxis
can seem astonishingly cheap - trips
around the city centre will rarely run above €5, which
means for a group of three or four they cost little more than
the metro. Longer trips are also reasonable value: to Pireás,
for example, is €9-12 from the centre - the exact amount
determined by traffic and amount of luggage. All officially
licensed cars are yellow and have a red-on-white
numberplate. You can wave them down on the street, pick
ACCOMMODATION
Hotels
and
hostels
can be packed to the gills in midsummer - August especially - but for most of the year you'll have no
problem finding a bed. Having said that, many of the better hotels are busy all year round, so it makes sense to
book in
advance
. In the cheaper places especially, ask to see the room before booking in - standards vary greatly even within the
same building. Wherever you stay, rooms tend to be small, and noise can be a problem; you'll get slightly better value, and
a greater chance of peace, away from the centre.
hostel. Further south it merges into more earthy Koukáki,
where prices are significantly lower. Over in Pangráti there's
another good hostel with a much quieter atmosphere.
WHERE TO STAY
Though pricey and commercialized, Pláka
remains highly
atmospheric, and many hotels here have Acropolis views
from their roofs or upper storeys; they're also within easy
walking distance of the main sites. A generally better-value
alternative is Monastiráki, still well placed for the sights and
an equally short walk from the restaurants and nightlife of
Psyrrí. Platía Omonías is very much the city centre, with
dozens of characterless, high-rise hotels on busy streets;
south towards the bazaar are some more interesting
alternatives, though the area is a little sleazy, especially at
night. North of Omónia you are further out of the tourist
mainstream (though close to the archeological museum),
but benefit from good-value local restaurants and the
proximity of cinemas, clubs and bars. Immediately south of
the Acropolis, easily reached via the metro at Akrópoli,
Makriyiánni is a very upmarket residential neighbourhood
with a few good, if pricey, hotels and arguably the city's best
PLÁKA
HOTELS
Ì
Acropolis House
Kódhrou 6
T
210 322 2344,
W
acropolishouse.gr; Metro Sýndagma; map p.66.
A
rambling, slightly dilapidated 150-year-old mansion much
loved by its regulars - mostly students and academics,
many of whom leave behind books for other guests to read.
Furnishings are individual and some rooms have (sole use)
baths across the hall; there's a/c and free wi-fi throughout.
Variety of
pric
es, and discounts for longer stays. Breakfast
included.
€70
Ava Apartments & Suites
Lysikrátous 9-11
T
210
325 9000,
W
avahotel.gr; Metro Akrópoli; map p.66.
Between the Temple of Zeus and the Acropolis,
Ava
offers
