Athens runs on one integrated ticket system across a metro, a tram, city buses and trolleybuses, and a suburban railway — buy or tap once, and the same fare works across almost everything. The metro is modern and easy to navigate, and one line runs directly from the international airport into the city center.
The basics
STASY operates the rail side of the network:
- Metro — three lines. Line 1 (green) is the oldest, running mostly at street level and elevated between Piraeus and the northern suburbs. Line 2 (red) and Line 3 (blue) are the newer underground lines through the center; Line 3 continues out to Athens International Airport.
- Tram — two lines connecting the city center (Syntagma area) to the southern coast, including Piraeus and the beaches toward Voula. A scenic, slower way to reach the sea.
OSY runs the city’s buses and trolleybuses, including a network of express airport lines and some 24-hour routes.
Hellenic Train operates the Proastiakos suburban railway, which links the airport to Ano Liosia and Piraeus and continues on to destinations outside Attica.
How to pay
Athens uses the ATH.ena ticketing system, with a few ways to pay:
- Tap a contactless bank card or phone (Tap2Ride) — touch a Visa or Mastercard, or Apple Pay/Google Pay, directly on the validator. It charges the standard fare and automatically caps your daily spending at the price of a 24-hour ticket (€4.10). Only Visa and Mastercard are accepted, and it doesn’t support discounted fares — always tap the same card or device each time, or you risk being charged twice.
- The TfA Tickets app — buy and store tickets on your phone for any mode.
- A paper ATH.ena Ticket or reloadable ATH.ena Card — from automatic machines at every station and stop, staffed ticket offices, or OASA’s points of sale.
Validation is different depending on the mode. On the metro, validate at the station gate reader once when you enter and again when you exit — these are proper fare gates. On buses, trolleybuses, and the tram, there are no gates; instead, validate once at the blue onboard reader when you board. Fare inspectors do spot checks throughout the network, and riding without a validated ticket gets you fined a multiple of the ticket price.
Fares
| Ticket | Full price | Discounted |
|---|---|---|
| 90-minute single (bus/trolley/tram/metro) | €1.20 | €0.50 |
| 24-hour | €4.10 | — |
| 5-day | €8.20 | — |
| 3-day tourist (includes round-trip airport travel) | €20.00 | — |
The 90-minute ticket covers unlimited transfers across buses, trolleybuses, trams, and Metro Lines 1–3 — it just doesn’t cover the airport-specific tickets below. Single tickets are also sold in discounted packs of 2 (€2.30), 5 (€5.70), or 10+1 (€12.00), cheaper per ride than buying one at a time.
Getting from the airport
Metro Line 3 (Blue Line) runs directly between Athens International Airport and the city center, continuing on toward Piraeus. Airport trains run every 36 minutes, every day of the week, within the metro’s normal operating hours (see When it runs, below).
- Metro Airport ticket: €9.00 one-way (€4.50 discounted), or €16.00 for a round trip valid for 30 days. It’s good for 180 minutes of travel, so it also covers a connecting bus, tram, or metro ride once you arrive. A cheaper €5.50 (€2.70 discounted) version covers the shorter hop between the airport and the nearby Pallini, Kantza, or Koropi stations.
- Airport Express buses — four routes run around the clock: X95 to Syntagma Square, X96 to Piraeus port, X93 to the Kifissos and Liossion intercity bus terminals, and X97 to Elliniko Metro station (Dafni at night). Each costs €5.50 one-way (€2.70 discounted).
- The Proastiakos suburban railway also calls at the airport, on its way to Ano Liosia and Piraeus — the same Metro Airport ticket covers that stretch of the line.
All of these accept a tap of a Visa or Mastercard bank card as well as a paper ticket.
Apps to download
- TfA Tickets — the official app for buying and storing tickets across every OASA mode.
- OASA Telematics — real-time bus and trolleybus arrivals, plus trip planning.
- Google Maps or Apple Maps — solid for planning, with live OASA data built in.
When it runs
Metro Line 1 runs from about 05:00 to 00:15. Lines 2 and 3 run from about 05:30, with the last trains leaving Syntagma toward the terminal stations at 00:23 most nights — extended to 02:00 on Friday and Saturday nights, a change in place since November 2024. Buses and trolleybuses fill in around the edges, including a handful of 24-hour routes.
Accessibility
The 47 stations of Metro Lines 2 and 3 are built for step-free access: accessible lifts (with voice announcements), tactile floor guidance and Braille buttons, and accessible toilets. Bicycles are allowed on the metro, tram, and suburban rail — up to two per train.
Etiquette & local quirks
- Don’t forget to validate twice on the metro — once entering, once exiting. It’s easy to forget the second tap since there’s no barrier stopping you, but inspectors check for it.
- Stand on the right on escalators and let riders off before boarding.
- The tram to the coast is a genuinely pleasant, cheap way to see the Athens Riviera — no special sightseeing tour needed.
Good to know
- Fare enforcement is real. Inspectors do regular checks across the network, and riding without a valid, validated ticket brings a fine set at a multiple of the ticket price.
- The airport ticket is different from a regular ticket — it’s priced separately (€9.00 by metro, €5.50 by Express bus) and isn’t covered by the regular 90-minute, day, or 5-day tickets. Only the 3-day tourist ticket bundles in a round-trip airport ride.
- Bring a card, not just cash. Between Tap2Ride and the TfA Tickets app, you can ride the entire network without ever tracking down exact change or finding an open ticket window.