Location: Athens
Top Things to do in Athens
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Things to do in Athens, Attica: The Best Mass Transportation Systems
Once known for smog, traffic and tacky architecture, Athens is a city reformed thanks to fortunes brought by the 2004 Summer Olympics. Spotless parks and streets, an ultra-modern subway, new freeways, an accessible airport and all signs in perfect English make the city easily negotiable. Meriting more than a stopover en route to the islands, sophisticated Athens sites include many pillars of Western history, from the Acropolis to the Temple of Olympian Zeus, as well as treasures in the National Archaeological Museum.
Restaurants in Athens
1. Attiko Metro S.A.
Overall Ratings
3.5 based on 555 reviews
Reviewed By KPR1955 - Crewe, United Kingdom
Having previously lived in Athens and being invited back for a wedding, I was staying in the one of the central suburbs. I already had knowledge of the system so was able to immediately purchase a €10 ticket that would take me and my baggage into the centre. This is weighed against around €40 for a taxi! The trains are clean, they run on the times they quote, they are safe to use and easy to read the signs that are in both Greek and English. I changed trains at Syntagma onto the red line to reach my suburb and my accommodation was about 300m away. For the remainder of my visit I purchased a multi trip card for €13.50 which is in fact 13 trips of up to 90 minutes plus 1 free. When using the cards make sure you validate your trip both in and out of the system. This works also on the trams etc where you can board and validate, then make sure you validate when you exit. It is very similar to the oyster system in London. If you use all your trips you may recharge your existing card or purchase another. The Metro, which was completed just prior to the Olympic games in Athens 2004, but has since been extended, is a very useful method of transport throughout Athens and has many connections with trams, buses, the ΕΣΑΠ (Kifissia/Piraeus line), and the Prostiakos suburban line. You are relieved of the surface traffic jams, heat, pollution etc. and it is fast and efficient. The stations have remained graffiti free!! Even the trains are actually clean on the outside too. The network actually covers from the airport to the city centre and other lines cross the city from east to west, even extending up to the site of the old airport at Ελλινικο. If you get the chance take some extra time at a few of the central stations to see remnants of what was unearthed during the excavations, these can be seen at Syntagma, Monastiraki and Evangelismos stations for sure.
2. Urban Rail Transport S.A - Tramway
Overall Ratings
3.0 based on 8 reviews
3. Stathmos Larisis - Central Train Station
Overall Ratings
2.5 based on 58 reviews
4. KTEL Attikis
Overall Ratings
2.5 based on 18 reviews
Reviewed By permia
We took two full daytrips from Athens using KTEL, to Delphi and Nafplio. Very pleased with the service and punctuality on both occasions. Both were first buses of the morning, at 07:30 and 08:00 respectively. Bought return tickets each time. To Delphi took less than three hours and included a break of about 10 minutes at a café. The days were gloriously sunny with clear blue skies from sunrise. Perfect for viewing the early morning landscapes speeding by.
5. TrainOSE - Athens Suburban Railway
6. Oasa
Overall Ratings
1.5 based on 7 reviews
