Athens Piraeus Port
Piraeus (port code: GRPIR) is the largest passenger port in Greece, with passenger traffic of almost 18 million people annually. Ferries from Piraeus offer connections to most islands of the Aegean, including the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, the Saronic Islands, the North Aegean Islands and Crete.
It is located 12 km away from Athens city center and bears great significance as a commercial and political center. In fact, the port of Piraeus dates back to antiquity and was established around the 5th century BC, although it has been destroyed, abandoned and rebuilt more than once due to various wars.
Nowadays, it serves travelers as a modern port, with a variety of renovated facilities and many things to do in the area before your departure. Congestion increases every summer during the tourist season.
• How to get there
Piraeus is the largest port in Greece, with daily sailings to all Aegean Island groups - the Cyclades and Dodecanese complexes, Saronic Islands, Northern Aegean Islands, and Crete. It is a hub for the leading ferry companies operating in the Aegean including Blue Star Ferries, Seajets, Minoan Lines, and more.
Several options are available to occupy your time while waiting for your connection, such as the Archaeological Museum of Piraeus and Marina Zeas, which hosts waterfront tavernas and a charming marina that emits a relaxed aura.
View Piraeus Port on the map.
From the center of Athens
By taxi: A drivefrom the center of Athens via taxi takes 25 minutes and costs around 25 euros. You can also book a taxi online.
By metro: Two metro lines reach Piraeus: the Green Line from Omonoia and Monastiraki and the Blue Line from Syntagma and Monastiraki. The metro stations lie right in front of the harbor (Gate E5). The metro operates from 05:30 to 00:20; however, on Fridays and Saturdays, it is open until 01:30. A typical metro route starting from Syntagma lasts approximately 25 minutes, and itineraries are a maximum of 15 minutes apart from one another.
Tickets cost 1.20 euros.
Note that Piraeus is the only port in Athens reachable via the metro.
Learn more about the metro network of Athens.
By bus: Several bus lines can take you to the port or a nearby location. Most routes are only available during the daytime, yet there is a daily 24-hour bus line departing from Syntagma.
- 040 from Syntagma to Korai Square. You have to get off at the Filellinon stop. The route is available throughout the day, operating 24 hours a day.
- 049 from Omonoia to Korai Square. You need to get off at Terpsitheas stop.
Both bus stops are approximately a 10-minute walk from the closer gate (E9). Buses depart from Omonoia/Syntagma every 15 or 20 minutes during the day. Regarding nighttime, 040 departs every 30 minutes from 00:00 to 04:30.
- X80 Express (seasonal route - available from May to October) from Syntagma, Acropolis Museum, or Museum of Modern Art to the OLP station or terminal.
- 826, 832, 833 from Suburban and Electric Railway stations to Gate E9.
In Greece, buses typically operate from 05:00 to 23:30, but bus 040 from Syntagma to Piraeus operates continuously.
Tickets cost 1.20 euros and can be used more than once on all public means of transport for a total of 90 minutes. Day passes are also available. Keep in mind that different prices apply when going to/leaving the airport. Children under the age of 6 travel for free by all means of public transport.
Make sure to be aware of the gate your ferry departs from because the port of Piraeus is large and boasts numerous gates.
From Athens Airport
By taxi: There are taxi ranks outside all gates of the airport. A taxi ride from the airport to Piraeus port takes approximately 40-60 minutes, depending on the traffic. The (indicative) taxi fare from Athens Airport to the port of Piraeus is 45 euros in the daytime and 64 euros at night (24:00-05:00). You can book your Athens airport transfer online.
By metro: The metro connects the airport to the port with a direct line. The metro station is located right outside the airport. You board the blue line, the penultimate stop of which lies right by the Piraeus harbor. The first metro train leaves the airport at 06:10, while the last at 23:34. Itineraries from the airport depart every 36 minutes. The entire trip lasts around an hour. The ticket costs 9 euros (one-way).
When you arrive at Piraeus, locate the gate your ferry departs from, as the port area is far-flung.
By train: From the Athens Airport station (adjacent to the airport terminal), the Athens Suburban Railway (Proastiakos) operates a direct service between the Athens International Airport and Piraeus Port. The journey takes 60 minutes and the ticket costs 9 euros (one-way).
By bus: The bus is the most affordable option. Bus X96 covers the route from Athens Airport to Piraeus Port directly. Buses operate 24/7 and the drive takes about 90 minutes. Itineraries depart every 40 minutes during the day and every 15-30 minutes from 22:30 to 05:00.
Ticket price: 5.50 euros (one-way).
• Gates
Piraeus is a big port and the distances between the gates are long; it can take up to 1 hour to walk from one side of the port to the other!
For that reason, a shuttle bus inside the port allows you to reach some remote spots. It is free of charge for all ferry passengers.
The route it follows is Railway Terminal (Gate E5) - Agios Dionissios 1: Hellenic Railway - Agios Dionissios 2 - Ietion 1 - Ietion 2 - Dexamenes - Ministry of Mercantile Marine - Vassiliadis 1: Customs - Vassiliadis 2 - Terminal.
The port gates are listed below. The gate where your ferry departs from will also be written on your ticket.
E1: Dodecanese
Ε2: Crete, Chios, Lesvos, Ikaria, Samos
Ε3: Crete, Kythira (Cars - entrance)
Ε4: Kythira (Cars - exit only)
Ε5: Shuttle bus terminal - Passenger entrance
Ε6: Cyclades - Pedestrian Bridge - Passenger entrance
Ε7: Cyclades
Ε8: Saronic islands
Ε9: Cyclades, Samos, Ikaria
Ε10: Cyclades, Samos, Ikaria (Cars - exit only)
E11: Cruise Terminal A "Miaoulis"
E12: Cruise Terminal B "Themistocles"
Cruise boats: Terminal C "Alkimos"
• Map
Discover the map of the port of Piraeus - ferry gates, metro and bus stations, walking distances and more. You can also download the PDF.
• Facilities
- Passenger terminals: There are 5 passenger terminals with air-conditioned waiting rooms, refreshment rooms and restrooms.
- Passenger halls: Except for the passenger terminals, 4 indoor waiting passenger halls stand across the port.
- Shuttle bus: Free shuttle bus connecting the different areas of the port.
- Parking: 700 parking spaces near Gates E7 and E8.
- Toilets: All gates have toilet facilities.
- ATM: ATMs lie near Gates E7 and E8.
- Currency Exchange: Currency exchanges are available near Gate E6.
- Luggage lockers: Luggage lockers are located in the vicinity of Gate E6.
- Taxi ranks: Taxi ranks are located at every gate.
• Routes from Piraeus
There are crossings from Piraeus port to the following destinations:
- Crete: Heraklion, Chania, Sitia, Kissamos.
- Peloponnese: Kyhtira, Antikythira, Porto Heli, Ermioni, Methana.
- North Aegean: Chios, Lesvos (Mytilene), Psara, Ikaria (Evdilos, Agios Kirikos) Fournoi, Samos (Karlovasi, Vathi).
- Saronic: Aegina (Aegina town, Souvala, Agia Marina), Agistri (Skala, Myli), Poros, Hydra, Spetses.
- Dodecanese: Astypalea, Halki, Karpathos (Karpathos Town, Diafani), Kalymnos, Kasos, Kastelorizo, Kos, Leros, Lipsi, Nisyros, Patmos, Rhosdes, Symi, Tilos.
- Cyclades: Amorgos (Aigiali, Katapola), Anafi, Donousa, Folegandros, Ios, Iraklia, Kimolos, Koufonissi, Kythnos, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Paros, Schinoussa, Serifos, Sifnos, Sikinos, Syros, Santorini (Thira), Thirassia, Tinos.
You can check all schedules on our Ferry Booking engine.
For information regarding arrivals and departures, you can call the 24-hour telephone information service at 14541.
Ferries to the Cyclades: E6, E7, E9
Ferries to Crete: Heraklion: E2, E3
Ferries to Dodecanese Islands: E1
Ferries to Argo-Saronic Gulf islands: E8
Ferries to North Aegean islands: E2, E9
Depending on your destination, there may be conventional and/or high-speed ferries available, owned by the following companies: Blue Star Ferries, Minoan Lines, ANEK Superfast, Saronic Ferries, Zante Ferries, ANES Ferries, Alphalines, Aegeon Pelagos and Aegean Flying Dolphins.
• Contact info
Piraeus Port Address: 10 Akti Miaouli Street, 185 38, Piraeus, Greece
Phone: +30 210 455 0000, +30 210 455 0100
24-hour telephone information service: 14541 (landline cost: €0.89, mobile line €1.50/call)
Website: www.olp.gr
Piraeus tourist police: +30 210 429 0664
Athens/Piraeus public transport info: +30 214 414 6400
• What to do in the area
If you have some free time to spend near Piraeus Port, restaurants, bars and cafes can be found within a short distance.
Piraeus also hosts several landmarks, places of interest and monuments worth visiting, including the Municipal Theater, the churches of Agia Triada, Agios Vasilios and Agios Nikolaos, the Archaeological and Maritime Museums, the Municipal Gallery, the historic Castella neighborhood, the Ancient Walls, the yacht port Zea (Pasalimani), the picturesque harbor Mikrolimano or the commercial Sotiros Street.
There are also two beaches in this area, Votsalakia and the Beach of Freatida. Swimming is not recommended due to pollution, but you can spend some time sunbathing and enjoying the view.
If you have to spend the night there, there are several hotels, while tourist buses offer tours to all these landmarks and will keep you busy for many hours.
• Hotels
Some of the best hotels are Piraeus Premium Suites and Theoxenia. View a complete list of selected hotels in Piraeus.
More info
The Port of Piraeus is located southwest of Athens. Its history can be traced to 490 BC when the Athenians realized the strategic importance of the deepwater port and converted it into a military harbor. Shipyards were built and massive fortifications were established to host the mighty Athenian fleet, turning the harbor into one of the most prominent naval bases in the Aegean Sea.
The splendor of the port reached its zenith during the Athenian Golden Age, in the Classical Times. After the Peloponnesian War, Piraeus suffered the same fate as Athens and fell to the control of Sparta. Some fortifications were razed to the ground and warships were burnt.
The port of Piraeus then went into a long age of decline during the Byzantine Era and the Venetian occupation. The city even lost its ancient name and became known as Porto Leone (the Lion's Port), a name attributed to the Franks. With the arrival of the Ottoman Turks in 1456, the port of Piraeus came under their occupation and remained unused, except for some minor commercial transactions.
Following the institutionalization of the Modern Greek State after the Greek War of Independence and with the establishment of Athens as the capital of the Greek State in 1832, the port entered a new phase of growth and development, turning the small town of Piraeus into a hub of industrial and commercial activity. Piraeus was then the center of transportation and economy for all of Greece.
Its proximity to Athens and prime geographical location in the Aegean, the construction of the Athens-Piraeus railway line, and the creation of the Corinth Canal in 1893 all provided a tremendous impetus to the development of the port, making it more strategically important than ever. Dredging operations commenced, permanent dry docks and new buildings were added, and facilities were modernized.
A Port Committee was established in 1911 in order to control the construction and maintenance of the port. For the efficient management of the port, the Port of Piraeus Authority was established in 1930 and contributed to the development of the port. The Second World War caused a setback to the developmental activities and Piraeus as a whole suffered much damage. However, after the war, in 1955, restoration works were undertaken, and new facilities were added.
Today, Piraeus has emerged as the largest port in Greece and one of the largest in Europe. It is the third largest in the world as regards passenger transportation and serves about 20 million passengers annually. The central port offers ferry services to nearly all the major Greek islands. The passenger port has made several advancements intending to improve aesthetics and offer a high-quality service to passengers.
The western part is used for freight services. The port tops the eastern Mediterranean ports in terms of cargo traffic. Besides these, Piraeus has many other superlatives to its credit; it is the largest marine-based shipping center in Greece and the focal point for commercial shipping in the country.
