Athens

Athens metro information & facts

The Athens Metro is one of the oldest subways in the world. Its first line was opened in 1869, just six years after the London Underground was launched. In its original form, it had little in common with the metro - it was a land line along which an ordinary steam locomotive traveled. The official status of the metro was received in 1904 after electrification and the appearance of a tunnel that connected Omonia Square and the Thissio area. For a long time, line 1 remained the only line of the Athens metro, and only in 2000, especially for the Olympics, new lines 2 and 3 were opened.
Today, the Athens metro is the fastest and most convenient form of public transport. By metro you can reach the cruise port of Piraeus (Piraeus), Athens International Airport "Eleftherios Venizelos" and the main railway station (Larissa station). At the Doukissis Plakentias and Larissa stations, you can transfer to the Proastiakos suburban train and get to Corinth, Kyaton and the resort of Chalkis. Construction of Line 4 began in 2017 and is expected to open by 2025. It will connect the historical district of Goudi and the northern suburb of Athens Galatsi.
The Athens Metro is operated by Attico Metro and is part of the Athens city public transport system. Thanks to this, the Athens metro ticket is valid on the trolleybus, tram and bus. The price of a metro ticket in Athens is 1.40 EUR, a ticket to or from Eleftherios Venizelos Airport costs 10 EUR. There are no turnstiles in the Athens subway. Instead, there are ticket composting machines. The ticket must be validated and kept until the end of the trip, because. controllers check tickets quite often. The fine for ticketless travel in public transport in Athens is 60 EUR.
Inside some metro stations of Athens, real museums are equipped. They are decorated with various antiquities that were found during the construction of underground tunnels. Glass showcases built into the walls contain ancient dishes and jewelry, centuries-old sculptures and other archaeological finds. All Athens metro stations are equipped with special tracks and platforms for people with disabilities. With food and drinks, entry to the Athens metro is prohibited.

Athens Metro Lines and working hours

The Athens Metro consists of three lines, the red one, the green one and the blue one, and covers the city centre, residential districts and the airport. At many stations there are exhibitions of ancient items found when building the metro. There are 65 metro stations in total with lines length of 84,5 km. Working hours: from 5.30 a.m. till 0.30 a.m. Please note that Lines 2 and 3 work till 2.30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

Cost of tickets and fare price for the Athens metro

A ticket costs € 1.40. It is valid for 90 minutes after activation and can be used for other means of public transport. Additionally, rechargeable cards like ΑΤΗ.ΕΝΑ Card can be used. Its cost makes € 4.50. There are passes of the following kinds: for 24 hours – € 4.50, for 5 days – € 9.00, for a journey to the airport – € 10.00.

How to buy tickets and pay for travel on the Athens metro

Tickets and cards can be purchased from ticket offices and special ticket machines located at the metro stations. Stations are entered through ticket barriers. The ticket shall be kept until the end of the journey.