Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH) Information

(Athens, Attica, Greece)

As Athens becomes an increasingly popular global tourist destination, the city becomes even easier to reach, with extremely frequent flights and good connections from all over the world. When it comes to flying here, travellers will find that the city is now served by the relatively new Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH), which opened as recently as 2001, ready for the 2004 Olympic Games based here.

The onsite facilities are very much state-of-the-art, with the latest technology and equipment catering to monthly passenger figures easily topping one million. In fact, the airport now handles close to 15 million passengers each year and this figure is expected to continue to grow.

Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH)

Address: Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, 19019 Spata, Greece
Tel: +30 (0)10 353 0000
Athens Airport was a major development for the city, costing in the region of €2 billion. This stylish, new air facility is located some 27 km / 17 miles to the south-east of the city centre and has good connections, being found close to the suburbs of Karellas Koropiou, Koropi, Markopoulo Mesogaias and Spata. Just a short distance to the south is the Markopoulos Olympic Equestrian Sports Centre (Athlitiko Kentro Olympiako Ippasias Markopoulou).

Athens Airport has two large terminals, a Main Terminal and a secondary Satellite Terminal with boarding gates. Passengers should check in at the Main Terminal, where there is a connecting covered walkway. Notable airlines operating here include Aegean Airlines, Air China, Cyprus Airways, Delta Air Lines, EasyJet, Olympic Air, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, US Airways, Aegean Airlines, Air France, Sky Express and Vueling.

Athens Eleftherios Venizelos Airport (ATH) Guide

Facilities:

• Bureau de change
• 24-hour cash machines (ATMs) and banking facilities
• Restaurants, cafés and bars such as Buondi Caffe, Butterfly, Cafe Express, Caffe Ritazza, the Food Village, the Heineken Beer Restaurant, McDonald's, Puro Gusto, Segafredo and the Olive Tree
• Many excellent shops, including Accessorize, Artpoint Papasotiriou, Bag Stories, Bijoux Terner, Bulgari, Burberry, Cigar Humidor, the Diamonds Shop, Folli Follie, Hellenic Duty Free, Hermes, Lacoste, Longchamp, Newsstand Eleftheroudakis, Optical Papadiamantopoulos and Presspoint Papasotiriou
• Car hire companies - including Avis, Budget, Hertz, National / Alamo and Sixt
• Business area with five offices, desktop PCs, Internet access, telephones, dataports, fax machines, printers, scanners, office supplies and a large conference room
• Special facilities for disabled passengers
• Around 5,800 parking spaces for cars, spread over six car parks. These include both long-term and short-term parking. The long-term car park is connected by a courtesy shuttle bus that runs every ten minutes
• Other facilities include Children's Creative Entertainment, the Konstantinos Xatzis hair salon, a pharmacy, a post office, travel agencies and a VAT refund desk

Trains

An adjacent train station is connected to the terminal by a convenient elevated pedestrian walkway, being serviced by suburban 'Proastiakos' trains, as well as the Athens Metro (Line 3).

For rail destinations in northern Greece and Europe, trains leave from the Larissis station, while trains for Peloponnese depart from the Peloponnisos station. Both of these stations reside within the city centre. Services are restricted to domestic destinations and it is worth noting that Greek trains do tend to be slower than travelling by road. The railways are run by the Hellenic Railways Organisation (OSE).

Cars

The onsite car hire offices are to be found on the Arrivals level, within the Main Terminal. Driving into the nearby city centre is relatively easy for confident drivers and should take in the region of 35 minutes, or thereabouts. Follow the Attiki Odos (E4 Toll Highway) onto the Leoforos Periferiaki Imittou, joining the Leoforos Alimou Katechaki and then passing by both Ethiage Park and the Parko Ymittou. From here, head towards Zografou and onto the Leoforos Vasileos Konstantinou, before reaching the centrally located Syntagma Square, off the Vas Sofias Avenue.

Book your Athens Car Rental here.

Taxis

Taxis are in plentiful supply at Athens Airport, being based just outside of the Arrivals Hall, next to Exit 3, and offering a journey time of between 30 and 40 minutes. Flat fares are usually applicable for those travelling into the city centre's 'Inner Ring', while surcharges will be made for luggage, toll roads, waiting time and late-night trips. Limos provide a taste of luxury and can be collected from the inner curbside of Arrivals, in between Exits 3 and 4.

Buses

There are no less than four different bus routes that link Athens with its international airport, and these operate regularly throughout the day and night - the journey time is between 20 and 50 minutes. These buses, together with a regional KTEL Express service, connect destinations such as the stations and stops at Kalyvia, Keratea, Kifissos, Lavrio, Lionson, Markopoulo, Piraeus and Rafina, as well as the Metro station of Ethniki Amina. Buses drop-off passengers at Departures and collect passengers from Arrivals, in between Exits 4 and 5.