Athens Piraeus Port

Piraeus (port code: GRPIR) is the largest passenger port in Greece, with a passenger traffic of almost 18 million people annually. Ferries from Piraeus offer connections to all islands of the Aegean, including the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, the Saronic, the North Aegean islands and Crete.

It is located 12 km away from Athens city center and bears a 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.

These days it serves as a modern port, with a variety of renovated facilities and with many things to do in the area before your departure. Piraeus port congestion increases each summer during the tourist season.

• How to go to Piraeus port?

Piraeus is the largest port in Greece, with daily sailings to all Aegean Island groups - the Cyclades and Dodecanese complexes, Saronic islands, the North Aegean islands, and Crete. The port is a hub for the leading ferry companies operating in the Aegean including Blue Star Ferries, Hellenic Seaways, Seajets, Minoan Lines, and more.
Several options are available to occupy your time while waiting for your connection, including the Archaeological Museum and the Bay of Zea, which hosts waterfront tavernas and an attractive marina that emits a relaxed aura.
View Piraeus Port on map

From the Athens center

By taxi: The drive to Piraeus port from the center of Athens by taxi takes 25 minutes and costs around 25 euros. You can also book a taxi online.

By metro: Two metro lines connect to Piraeus Port: the Green Line from Omonoia and Monastiraki and the Blue Line from Syntagma and Monastiraki. In Piraeus, the metro station lies right in front of the harbor. That is the only port in Athens that can be reached via the metro. The metro operates from 5:30 am to 12:20 am; however, on Fridays and Saturdays, it is open until 1:30 am. A typical metro route starting from Syntagma lasts for roughly 25 minutes. Every 10 minutes (maximum time), subways to Piraeus depart from all metro stations.
Tickets cost 1.20 euros.
Learn more about the metro network of Athens.

By bus: Several bus lines can take you to Piraeus port or to a location nearby. They are only available during the daytime.
- 040 from Syntagma to Korai Square (reach the port on foot in 10 minutes). You have to get off at the Filellinon stop.
- 049 from Omonoia to Korai Square. You need to stop at Terpsitheas.
Both bus stops are approximately a 10-minute walk from the closer gate (E9). Buses depart from Omonoia/Syntagma every 15 or 20 minutes.
- X80 Express (seasonal availability) from Syntagma, Acropolis Museum or Museum of Modern Art to OLP station or terminal.
- 826, 832, 833, 875 from Suburban and Electric Railways to Gate E9.
- 218 from Karaiskaki Square near Omonoia to Piraeus
In Greece, buses typically operate from 5 am to 11:30 pm, but bus 040 from Syntagma to Piraeus operates continuously (24 hours).
Tickets cost 1.20 euros and can be used more than once in all public means of transport, as long as you don't exceed the 90' time limit. Day passes are also available. Keep in mind that different prices apply when going to/leaving from the airport. Children under the age of 6 travel for free in 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 queues outside all gates of the airport. A taxi ride from the airport to Piraeus port will take approximately 40-60 minutes, depending on the traffic. The taxi fare (indicative) 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 terminal of which lies right by the Piraeus harbor. The first metro train leaves the airport at 6:10 am, while the last at 23:34 pm. 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, be sure to locate the gate your ferry departs from, as the port’s area is quite wide.

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 hours and the drive takes about 90 minutes. Itineraries depart every 40 minutes during the day and every 15-30 minutes from 22:30 pm to 05:00 am.
Ticket price: 5 euros. (can only be used once).

• Port gates

Piraeus is a big port and the distance between the gates is long; it can take 1 hour to go from one side of the port to the other!
For this reason, there is a shuttle bus inside the port that will allow you to reach some remote spots and it is free of charge for ferry passengers.
Its route: Railway Terminal - Ag. Dionissios 1: Hellenic Railway - Ag. Dionissios 2 - Ietion 1 - Ietion 2 - Dexamenes - Ministry of Mercantile Marine - Vassiliadis 1: Customs - Vassiliadis 2 - Terminal.
The port gates are listed below, although the gate where your ferry departs from will also be indicated 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, Rethymno - Pedestrian Bridge - Passenger entrance
Ε7: Cyclades, Rethymno
Ε8: Argo-Saronic Gulf islands
Ε9: Cyclades, Samos, Ikaria
Ε10: Cyclades, Samos, Ikaria (Cars - exit only)
E11: Cruise Terminal A "Miaoulis"
E 12: Cruise Terminal B "Themistocles"
Cruise boats: Terminal C "Alkimos"

• Map

Discover the map of the port of Piraeus. Th ferry gates, the metro and bus stattions, the walking distances and more. You can also download the PDF.

• Facilities at Piraeus port

- Passenger terminals: There are 3 passenger terminals with air-conditioned waiting rooms, refreshment rooms and restrooms.
- Shuttle bus: Free shuttle bus connecting the different areas of the port.
- Parking: 130 parking spaces near Terminal 4 and Cruise Terminal B.
- Toilets: All the terminals have toilet facilities with additional toilets at Terminals 3,4 and 5.
- ATM: ATM near Terminal 4 and Terminal 9.
- Currency Exchange: Currency exchanges are available near Terminal 4.
- Luggage lockers: Luggage lockers are located at Terminal 2.
- Tourist information: The tourist information desk is situated at Terminal 4.
- Taxi ranks: Taxi ranks are located at every passenger terminal.

• Routes from Piraeus Port

There are sailings from Piraeus port to the following destinations:
- Crete: Heraklion, Chania, Rethymno, Sitia, Kissamos.
- Peloponnese: Kyhtira, Antikythira, Porto Heli.
- 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, Ermioni, Methana.
- 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 14541.

Ferries to the Cyclades: E6, E7, E9 and E10
Ferries to Crete: Heraklion: E2, E3, Chania and Rethymo: E6, E7
Ferries to Dodecanese Islands: E1
Ferries to Argo-Saronic Gulf islands: E8
Ferries to North Aegean islands: E2, E9, E10

Depending on your destination, there may conventional and/or high-speed ferries available, which are provided by the following companies: Blue Star Ferries, Minoan Lines, Anek Lines, Saronic Ferries, Zante Ferries, ANES Ferries, Superfast Ferries, Seaspeed Ferries, Alphalines and Aegean Flying Dolphins.

• Contact info

Piraeus Port Address: 10 Akti Miaouli, Piraeus 185 38, Greece
Phone: +30 210 4550225 (Piraeus Port Authority: +30 210 4147800)
24-hour telephone information service: 14541 (landline cost: €0.92, mobile line €1.55 /call)
Website: www.olp.gr
Email: olp@apopsinet.gr
Piraeus tourist police: +30 210 4290664
Athens/Piraeus public transport info: +30 214 4146400

• What to do in the area

If you have some free time to spend in the area near Piraeus port, restaurants, bars and cafes can be found within a short distance.
Piraeus also offers several landmarks, places of interest and monuments worth visiting, including the Municipal Theater, the churches of Agia Triada, Agios Vasilios and Agios Nikolas, the Archeological 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 street Sotiros.
There are also two beaches in this area, Votsalakia and the Beach of Freatida. Swimming is not really 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.

More info

The Port of Piraeus in Athens, Greece: The Port of Piraeus is located in the southwest part of Athens. The history of the port can be traced to 490 BC, when the Athenians realizing the strategic importance of the deepwater harbor, converted it into a military harbor. Shipyards were built and massive fortifications were established to host the mighty Athenian fleet, thus turning the harbor into one of the most powerful 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 too suffered the same fate as Athens and fell to the control of Sparta. Some of the fortifications were razed to the ground, warships were burnt and the famous fortifications were pulled down.

The port of Piraeus then went into a long age of decline suffering, during the Byzantine Era and the Venetians. The city even lost its ancient name and came to be known as Porto Leone (the Lion's Port), a name attributed by 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 creation 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 of Piraeus 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 Greece.

The proximity of the port to Athens, its prime geographical location in the Aegean, the construction of the Athens-Piraeus Railway line and the creation of the Corinth Canal in 1893, all these provided a tremendous impetus to the development of the port, making it more strategically important than ever. Massive works were undertaken in the port. Dredging operations commenced, permanent dry docks, new buildings were added and facilities were modernized.

A Port Committee to control the construction and maintenance of the port was established in 1911. 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 both the port and the city suffered many damages, but after the war, restoration works were undertaken and new facilities were added after 1955.

Today, the port of Piraeus has emerged as the largest port in Greece and Europe. It is the third largest in the world as regards passenger transportation and carries 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 with an aim to improve aesthetics and to offer a high-quality service to the passengers.

The western part of the port is used for freight services. The port tops the eastern Mediterranean ports in terms of cargo traffic. Besides these, the port of Piraeus has many other superlatives to its credit. It is the largest marine-based shipping center of Greece and also the focal point for commercial shipping in the country.