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In this section, you will find our practical tips and helpful information that might be useful during your stay in Athens while attending the ISAPS Olympiad. Let us help you be prepared and informed on everything you need to know.
Travel documents, Passport and VISA
We cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
Please check the requirements in advance with the Foreign Office / responsible department of state in your country.
Travel documents:
-ID card in the case that your country of origin is a signatory to the Schengen Agreement, you may use your national ID to enter the country and you may stay for a three-month period. In these cases a passport is not necessary, although you will need it in a variety of other transactions, including currency exchange, shopping etc.
-Visa If your country is not a member of the Schengen Agreement, make sure you obtain further information from the Greek Embassy or Consulate in your country before your trip, or from your travel agency. In case you travel with Visa, make sure you also have suitable insurance coverage for emergency medical or other needs.
-Passport If your country of origin is one of the following non-EU countries, your passport allows you to visit Greece and remain in the country for up to three months (90 days) within a six-month period: Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, New Zealand, Vatican, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, USA, Uruguay, Venezuela. Find out more on the official webpage of the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Athens International Airport is located 33 km southeast of Athens. It is easily accessible via the Athens ring road (Attiki Odos). The drive from downtown Athens takes 30-45 minutes, depending on traffic.
By Metro
Metro Line 3 connects the airport to the city centre (Syntagma Square). The journey time is approximately 40 minutes. Trains run every 30 minutes, 7 days a week from 6:30 am to 11:30 pm. One way tickets cost €9 (€4.50 for children, teenagers, over 65), return tickets cost €16.
By Bus
24-hour express buses connect Athens International Airport with the port of Piraeus and the Intercity Bus Terminal (KTEL Kifissos). These non-stop services operate daily, including public holidays. All buses drop off passengers at the Departures Level and depart from the Arrivals Level. Bus tickets are sold at the ticket booth outside the Arrivals hall (between Exits 4 and 5.) One way tickets cost €5.50 (€2.70 for children, teenagers, over 65).
There are four express bus routes from the airport:
By Suburban Railway
The suburban railway (Proastiakos) connects Athens Airport with Larissis Station, the central Athens railway station in approx. 45 minutes. Trains depart from Athens airport every 15-25 minutes to Doukissis Plakentias station, where you can transfer to the Athens Metro network, using the same ticket.
Proastiakos Suburban Railway: Website / Tel. +30 210 527 2000
By Taxi
Taxis are available outside Exit 3 of Arrivals Level. A taxi from the airport to the city centre costs a flat rate of €40 from 5 am to midnight, and €55 from midnight to 5 am. The rate is determined by the time of arrival at the destination and includes all applicable surcharges.
Pick Up Services
Book your taxi, car or limo from one of these trusted pickup service providers at Athens airport.
Taxiplon: Website / Tel. +30 214 416 5682
Tumlare - JTB Greece: Website / Tel. +30 210 321 5835 / Tel. +30 210 321 5824
The Greek Taxi: Website / Tel. +30 694 326 4350
Sunny Greece: Website / Tel. +30 210 923 7100
Limotours: Website / Tel. +30 210 922 0333 / Tel. +30 694 475 7754
Taxi2Airport: Website
Amphitrion: Website / Tel. +30 211 109 0000
Keytours: Website / Tel. +30 210 923 3166
Piraeus is the main port in Athens, accommodating around 20 million passengers every year. Located around 10 km southwest of the city centre and 45 km from the airport, Piraeus is the gateway to the Greek islands and the landing point for cruises to Athens.
By Metro
Athens Metro Line 3 connects Piraeus to the city centre (Syntagma Square) in 20 minutes. The same line reaches the Athens Airport in about 55 minutes.
By Train
Line 1 (overground train) runs from the port of Piraeus and meets Athens Metro line 3 at Monastiraki Station, which takes you to Syntagma Square.
By Bus
Bus 040 runs from Piraeus to Syntagma Square 24 hours a day. The X80 is an express bus from Piraeus to Syntagma, running every half hour from 7 am to 9:30 pm, available from May through October.
By Taxi
Taxis line the port, especially in the summer months, so you should have no problem picking up a cab on arrival. During high season the demand is high, so you may have to wait in line. Use one of the radio taxis or a taxi app like Taxiplon or the Beat app to have a taxi waiting for you at the port. The cost from Piraeus to the city centre is around €25.
Police Hotline: 100
Tourist Police: 1571 (English, French and German)
Airport Police: +30 210 353 6919
European Emergency Number: 112
Ambulance (First Aid National Centre): 166
SOS doctors: 1016
Hospitals & Pharmacies: 14944
Roadside Assistance (ELPA): 10400
Fire Brigade: 199
Poisoning Centre: 210 77 93 777
Athens is generally a very safe city. Like every big city, there are pickpockets and petty criminals—be especially vigilant with your belongings on public transport. Common sense precautions include:
All licensed taxis in Athens are equipped with metres. The fare is charged per kilometre and per hour.
Free Now is an app-based yellow taxi service which finds your location and offers the options of paying in cash, by card, or using a Paypal account. It’s available for Android and iOS.
Uber is also available in Athens with the UberTaxi product—you can call an Uber via your app and a yellow taxi will pick you up. Download the app: Android / iOS.
Radio taxis are another option if you don’t feel like hitting the pavement to hail a cab, or if you want to ask for a specific pick-up time and date. Call them for a cab or pre-book online. Available options bellow:
Kosmos: Website / Tel. 18300
Ikaros: Website / Tel. +30 210 515 2800
Taxiplon: Website / Tel. +30 210 277 3600 (Taxiplon is a combination of web and app-based service that also offers business class vehicles and city tours)
There are numerous car rental agencies in Athens. Hertz, Avis, Budget, Enterprise and Sixt all have offices at Athens Airport, as well as around the city.
Greece’s currency is the Euro (€). All major credit cards are widely accepted in Greece, though some establishments do not accept American Express and Diners.
In Athens, banks are open Monday to Friday from 8 am to 2 pm, except on public holidays.
You can find ATMs all around the city that can disperse cash from your bank account at home, but they will charge you €2-3 per transaction.
Foreign currency can be exchanged at most Greek and foreign banks and at exchange bureaus located at Athens International Airport, Piraeus port, and around the city centre. Please note that you will need your passport to exchange money. Travellers checks and credit cards are also widely accepted.
There is no service charge at bars and restaurants, so do leave a tip for the staff, especially if you are happy with the service. The amount you tip is at your discretion and depends on the bill. The norm is to tip between 5% and 15%.
The Athens Info Points are situated at:
You can use all means of public transport using the same ticket (a single ticket costs €1.20 and is valid for 90 minutes).
The fastest way to get around Athens. The Athens Metro consists of 3 lines and connects to the tram, bus routes and suburban railway.
The Metro runs daily from 5 am to midnight. Lines 2 and 3 operate until 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays. At peak hours, trains run every 5-6 minutes.
Athens Metro Website
Line 1 is an overground train (known as ISAP) that runs from the northern suburb of Kifissia to the port of Piraeus. It connects to lines 2 and 3 at three stations (Attiki, Omonia and Monastiraki).
Athens Piraeus Electric Railways: Website
This overground train provides a direct link between Piraeus port and Athens International Airport. It also connects Athens to Halkida in Evia and Kiato and Corinth in the Peloponnese. The suburban railway operates from 4:30 am until 11 pm daily.
Suburban Railway: Website
Most buses and trolleybuses run daily from 5 am to midnight, but please check the timetable of your route.
Airport Express buses operate on a 24-hour basis. These services connect Athens International Airport with the city centre (Syntagma Square), Piraeus port and the Intercity Bus Terminal (KTEL Kifissos).
OASA Website
The tram network connects central Athens with the coastal suburbs of Faliro, Voula and Piraeus. It takes approximately one hour to get from Syntagma Square to the final seaside stops at Voula or Piraeus.
There are two tram lines; T6 connects Syntagma with Faliro (Pikrodafni station) and T7 connects Voula (Asklipeio Voulas station) with Piraeus (Agia Triada station). The two lines meet at Pikrodafni station.
The tram connects to the Metro and overground train at four stops: Syntagma, Syngrou/Fix, Neos Kosmos and SEF (Peace and Friendship Stadium in Faliro). See the timetable here.
The tram operates from 5:30 am to 12:00 am daily.
Athens Tram Website
Tickets and passes (Ath.ena tickets) for public transport are sold at ticket booths and machines in all Athens Metro and tram stations. There are three types of Ath.ena tickets: a paper ticket, an anonymous card that you can top up, and a personalised card. These tickets can be used on all forms of public transport.
For more information on prices, visit the Athens Transport website.
For more information on public transport in Athens visit www.oasa.gr
kalimera = good morning – καλημέρα. M for Morning!
kalispera = good afternoon – καλησπέρα. Used only when coming to a place or meeting someone in the evening or at night. P for PM!
kalinihta = good night – καληνύχτα. Used only as a goodbye greeting in the evening or at night.
yassou = hello or goodbye – γειά σου. A greeting to one person or a friend.
yassas = hello or goodbye – γειά σας. A greeting to more people or a more formal and polite way to greet an unknown person
Yassou file mou Yanni = Hello my friend Yanni
Efharisto = Thank you
Parakalo = You’re Welcome
Parakalo = Please
Nai = Yes
Oxi = No
Sorry/excuse me = Sigonmi
Milate Anglika? = Do you speak English?
Logariasmo parakalo = The bill, please.
Mporo na bgalo mia fotografia? = May I take a photo?
Then katalaveno = I don’t understand
Ela = Come
Pos se lene? = What is your name?
Fiye = Go away!
Me lene … = My name is …
Thelo ena kafe = I want a coffee
Ehete thomatio? = Do you have a room?
Thelo ena tsai = I want a tea
Thelo mia mpira = I want a beer
Cheers/Salute – Stiniyahmas
