Taxi in Athens

The taxis in Athens are yellow. The prices depend on the destination, the traffic and the pick-up spot since taking a taxi from the port or airport will cost you a bit more especially if you have luggage. At the moment you enter the taxi the meter will write €1. Either you use the taxi to go down the street or a two-hour distance you will have to pay €2,70. During Christmas there is a euro added to this price as a Christmas present. Taxis are the most expensive means of transportation in Greece although they are cheap in comparison to those of other European countries and probably the slowest since traffic obliges the drivers to stay for hours stuck in long car lines.
The good thing is that you can find a taxi everywhere, at all times and days and if there is no traffic you can get to your destination really quickly. After midnight the prices are doubled until 6 am.

Taking a taxi from the airport
Taking a taxi from the airport is probably a very good idea especially if you have luggage because the taxi driver will get you to your destination without getting tired or wondering which bus to take or whether you should take the metro (which is a good idea as well).
The taxi queue is outside Door 4 of the arrivals level. It will take you about 40 to 60 minutes to get to the center of Athens since Eleftherios Venizelos Airport is a bit far from the city.
Taxi Fees (from the airport to Athens)
The cost of getting to Athens from the airport is about €20 to €30.
Taximeters

All the taxis in Athens have a taximeter showing you what you have to pay. As soon as you enter the taxi the taximeter automatically shows €1 and no matter how far you go you will have to pay €2,70 which is the tariff of taking a taxi, meaning the lowest amount charged for the service offered which is obligatory to be paid. If you are asked to pay another amount than the one you see on the meter then something is surely wrong and you should ask the driver why he charges you differently.
Taxi Fees (from the port of Piraeus to different destinations)

DESTINATION | DAY (in euros) | NIGHT (in euros) |
---|---|---|
Omonia Square | 9 | 12 |
Acropolis | 8 | 11 |
National Archaeological Museum | 9 | 12 |
Glyfada Square | 10 | 15 |
Vouliagmeni | 12 | 19 |
Syntagma Square | 8 | 11 |
Larissis Hellenic Railway | 9 | 12 |
Intercity Bus Station | 8 | 11 |
Airport (via Varis-Koropiou) | 25 | 36 |
Airport (via National Attiki Highway) | 28 | 42 |
Peace and Friendship Stadium | 5 | 6 |
Monastiraki-Plaka | 9 | 12 |
Radio Taxis
In case you don't want to go out in the streets waiting for a taxi to show up (although taxis are easy to find in Athens), you can ask for a radio taxi. These are hired cars that you can rent in order to take you to your destination. You call the radio taxi company, you tell the telephone operator where you want to be picked up from, your destination and the time. Even if you call ten minutes before your departure the taxi nearest to your location will come to pick you up. The driver will call you when he reaches the pick-up spot. You should have in mind that radio taxis are a bit more expensive than usual taxis because their meters start charging from the minute they start coming to pick you up and not from the time you get into the taxi. If you are staying at a hotel ask the receptionist to call a radio taxi for you or call yourselves. The telephones of some radio taxi companies are given to you below.

COMPANY NAME | TELEPHONE NUMBERS |
---|---|
Athina 1 | 210 9217942 |
Dimitra | 210 5246993 |
Enotita | 210 6459000-5 |
Ermis | 210 4115200 |
Express | 210 9943000 |
Ikaros | 210 5152800 |
Kosmos | 18300, 210 5222218 |
Parthenon | 210 5323300 |
Piraeus 1 | 210 4182333 |
Europe | 210 5023583 |
Protoporia | 210 2928150 |
Radio Taxi Hellas | 210 6457000 |
Radio Taxi Glyfada | 210 9605605 |
Radio Taxi Kifisia | 210 8084000 |
