Car Hire Athens Airport

Car Hire

Athens International Airport is the 13th busiest airport in Europe processing 14 million passengers yearly. It is 12 miles from Athens city centre and passengers have a wide range of options for transfer. The airport has a metro station as well as a suburban rail station. Buses and taxis are available as well. Hiring a car to drive to the city is also possible as the airport is connected to Route A6 (Attiki Odos Toll Road) which goes to north and east Athens.

Who to Book With
There are currently five car rental companies operating at Athens International. They are Avis, Budget, Hertz, National Car Rental / Alamo and Sixt. The offices of these companies can be found at the Arrivals level of the Main Terminal building. The cars will be collected at the car rental parking area (P5).

Need to Know Essentials
You will need to show the following documents at vehicle collection:

- Driving permit (valid for at least one year)
- Credit card (not needed for drivers 25 years or over)
- Deposit

For more info read our FAQ's

Driving
When a vehicle is parked illegally or in violation of traffic regulations, authorities have the right to stop you and tow away your vehicle or take your number plate. Drivers using the car horn unnecessarily may be fined. Petrol stations accept payments via credit card, but visitors are advised to always check with their credit card providers before travel. When driving in poor visibility, dipped headlights are required. A fire extinguisher, a first-aid kit and a warning triangle are required to be in a vehicle at all times.

See our guide to Greece for more information on driving here.

Transport

Visitors are presented with a number of options to get to the Athens city centre from Athens International. Those with a rental car can drive via Route A6 or the Attiki Odos Toll Road which passes through east and northern Athens. Otherwise, metro trains are the fastest way to get to the city centre. Suburban rail, taxi and limo services and buses are also available.

Trains
Visitors have two rail options getting out of Athens International. The faster way is the Athens Metro. It is clean and efficient, with some of the stations resembling museums. Metro trains run between the airport and Syntagma and Monastiráki stations located downtown on Metro Line 3. A one-way ticket costs around £6.50. The second rail option is the suburban rail from the airport to Ano Liossia Station where visitors can change to Metro Line 2. A ride costs about £5.

Taxis
Taxis and limo services are on hand at the airport and can even be booked prior to arrival via SATaxi provided by the Taxi Union Association. Taxi cabs observe a night time rate from 00:00 to 05:00.

Taxi prices:
Athens International Airport to City Centre / Rafina Port is about £28
Athens International Airport to Piraeus Port / Lavrio Port is about £38
Athens International Airport to City Centre / Rafina Port at night is about £40

Buses
There are a few bus lines running between the airport to various points in the city. Buses are available 24 hours and it takes 45 minutes to 1 hour, 30 minutes to get to town depending on road congestion. These buses depart from exits 4 and 5 at the Arrivals level. Visitors can take the following bus lines: X92 (Line 2) to Kifissia, X96 (Line 1) to Piraeus, X94 (Line 2) to Ethniki Amyna Metro Station (Line 3), X93 (Line 2) to Kifissos Coach Station, X95 (lines 2 and 3) to Syntagma Square and X97 (Line 2) to Dafni Metro Station. One-way rides from the airport cost about £4.

Facilities

Terminals
Athens International has two terminals, the Main Terminal and a Satellite Terminal. One is connected to the other via an underground foot tunnel equipped with moving walkways. The Main Terminal handles all flights within the Schengen zone, while the Satellite terminal only handles non-Schengen flights. Aside from domestic flights, Athens International receives also flights from all over Europe, northern Africa, the Middle East, and Asia (Beijing only).

Parking
There are exactly 7,160 parking spots available at all parking areas of Athens International. There is even an Executive Valet Parking service at Entrance 3 of the Departures level. Short-term parking is available in parking areas P1 and P2 while long-term parking is at P3. The first 20 minutes is free, increasing to £7 for two to three hours.

Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi is available to all passengers with laptops, tablets and smart phones within the airport's terminal areas. It is free for the first 60 minutes. After 60 minutes, passengers need to find Free Internet Access Points or head to the Business Centre to access the internet, with applicable charges.

Information Services
There are a number of Airport Information Counters available in many areas of Athens International.

Useful Numbers
Airport Call Centre: +30 210 353 0000

Accessibility
Athens International has a number of facilities for passengers with reduced mobility. These include toilets for the disabled, walkways and lifts, tactile floors, Braille signposts, parking spaces and electric cars.

Restaurants and Bars
The Departures level of the Main Terminal has most of the restaurants and bars in the airport. There is one restaurant at the Satellite Terminal.

VIP Lounges
A number of executive services are available at Athens International. At the Departures Level are seven business lounges. It is best to contact your airline regarding hours of operation and costs.

Money and ATMs
ATMs can be found in both the Departures and Arrivals levels. Banks here include Citibank, HSBC, Eurobank and many others. Alpha Bank has a branch at the airport open every day even weekends and holidays’ while Eurochange (bureau de change) also has a branch here.

Shopping
Both the Departures and Arrivals levels of the Main Terminal building have shopping areas, including duty-free shops. Passengers in transit can buy anything from food, fashion and accessories and electronics, to books, magazines, and newspapers.