Travel to Greece – latest news

Travel to Athens

Athens is easily accessible by air, sea, and road. Once there, the public transportation system provides a safe, dependable and efficient way to move around the city. The public transportation network consists of underground (metro), train, suburban railways, buses, trolley buses and trams. Athens is also connected with other parts of the mainland through a network of roads and railways.

Visitors arriving by air will arrive to the Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” (IATA code: ATH). This award-winning airport is one of the world’s leading airports in overall passenger satisfaction, and has been named the Airport of the Year (2014) in the 10-30 million-passenger category by internationally-acclaimed web portal Air Transport News.

The Athens International Airport is serviced by all major airlines, offering direct non-stop flights from/to most of the major European cities, New York, Philadelphia, Montreal/Toronto, North Africa, Gulf States, South Africa, and easy connections to the rest of the world. ATH is also serviced by low-cost and/or charter airlines that offer attractive packages.

Airport to/from Divani Caravel Hotel

Upon arrival to the El. Venizelos International Airport, one may reach the Divani Caravel Hotel by taxi, subway (“metro”), bus or private car.

Taxi

Taxis are available at the designated taxi waiting area located by Exit 3 of the Arrivals level. Ask the driver to get you to the DIVANI CARAVEL hotel. An average cost of the journey on normal traffic is 40 euros and is approx. 30 minute-drive.

In general, the drive from the airport to locations in the city center takes about 35-40 minutes and costs 38 EUR (flat rate – regular fare, from 5 a.m. until midnight) and 54 EUR (flat rate – night fare, from midnight to 5 a.m.)

Metro

The airport is connected to the city center via Metro Line 3 (Blue line) Aghia Marina – Douk. Plakentias – Aghia Marina. Athens metro is convenient, clean and safe. The trip to the city center takes about 40 minutes and costs 10 EUR (one way).

Metro tickets are sold in the ticket hall at the airport metro station. Do not forget to validate your ticket before going down to the platform and boarding a train (there are validation machines at the top of the escalators in the ticket hall). Boarding the train without ticket or non-validated ticket will incur a fine.

Walk to the metro station, adjacent to the Airport. Take the Blue line. Get off the metro at EVANGELISMOS Station. While exiting from the station, take the left exit towards VAS. SOFIAS street. Walk pass the Hilton hotel (on your left-hand side), cross Michalakopoulou Street, continue straight on Vas. Alexandrou Street. You will see the DIVANI CARAVEL hotel on your right. If you do not want to walk (approximately 5-7-minute walk), you may take the 224 bus (the stop is across the metro station exit), and get off at “CARAVEL Bus Stop”, right in front of the hotel.

Athens metro map (more info here, or just download PDF here)

Bus

Bus X95 to the city center (Syntagma Square) takes about 40 minutes and costs 6 EUR one way.

Car

Exit from the Airport, take the Attiki Odos highway following the signs for the Imittos ring. Exit right at the Katechaki / Mesogion avenue signs. Where Katechaki meets Mesogion avenue, turn left and follow directions to Michalakopoulou avenue. Driving down on Michalakopoulou avenue you will meet the Hilton hotel on your right-hand side. At this point, make a left turn into Vas. Alexandrou av. and you will see the DIVANI CARAVEL hotel around 100 meters away on number 2, Vas. Alexandrou avenue.

More information on local transportation

For detailed information, visit:

Language and currency

The official and national language of Greece is Greek. It is written in the Greek alphabet. In tourist areas in Athens, you will also find street names and signs transliterated into the Latin script. Many Greeks speak English, French, German or Italian as a foreign language.

Greece uses Euro (EUR) as currency. Major cards are accepted in larger cities and tourist areas in Greece. When shopping, however, you may get better deals with merchants with cash than debit or credit cards. You can withdraw Euros from ATM machines.

If you have a permanent non-EU residence and are planning to do some shopping during your stay in Greece, you may be interested to learn some tips and guidelines for tax free shopping.

Electricity, plugs and sockets

Electrical supply is 230 V, 50 Hz AC. Greece uses the standard European (round-pronged) plugs and power sockets. In technical terms, sockets are “type C” or “type F” (also known as “Schuko”), and they work with corresponding plugs (type C, E, F). Pictures may be found at https://www.power-plugs-sockets.com/greece/.

Visa requirements

Citizens of some countries need an entry visa for Greece. For more information, check out the detailed visa information page.