Buses, Athens

You really are short of time. Even Delphi could do with 2 days as it really is a fascinating place. A day out there from Athens is doable though by bus and is quite a pleasant journey. There are 6 services a day from the bus station at Loission and the journey time is about 3 hours with a rest break about half way at the Erato Hotel (where you can grab a snack and use the facilities) - the bus timetable is at http://www.athensguide.com/practicalinfo/bus schedulesB.htm

A useful site for a taster of Delphi is http://www.greeklandscapes.com/greece/delphi.html which has a summary of Delphi's history and some very good links. Plus of course there is my page here on VT!

Enjoy,

Cheers, John.

DISCOVER ATHENS

Welcome on Board the new Athens Sightseeing public bus, Line 400, to the highlights of the City of Athens, a city rich in history and culture with contrasts between ancient and modern, that awaits for you.

SERVICES

Schedules are every 30 min., from 07:30 am till 21:00 pm,(June - September) starting from and terminating to Athens Archaeological Museum (at Vas. Irakleiou street).

The duration of the round-trip is about 80 - 90 minutes.

At every bus stop of this line you may find the exact bus schedules.

YOUR TICKET

The ticket costs 5 Euro and can be purchased ONLY on the vehicle.

It is valid for 24 hours and provides for unlimited travel by the Athens Sightseeing Public Bus Line and all other Public Transport Modes (except the Airport and Saronida express bus lines and the Metro and Suburban Railway lines from Doukissis Plakentias Station to the Airport).

Any other public transport ticket is not accepted on this line.

NATIONAL ARCHAEOLOGICAL MUSEUM
OMONIA
PSYRRI
KERAMEIKOS
THISSIO
MONASTIRAKI
MARKET (VARVAKEIOS AGORA)
KLAFTHMONOS SQUARE
SYNTAGMA
BENAKI MUSEUM
NATIONAL GALLERY (ETHNIKI PINAKOTHIKI)
AMPELOKIPI
NATIONAL GALLERY (ETHNIKI PINAKOTHIKI)
PANATHINAIKON STADIUM
PLAKA
AKROPOLI
OLYMPIC ZEUS TEMPLE (NAOS OLYMPIOY DIOS)
GREEK PARLIAMENT (VOULI TON ELLINON)
UNIVERSITY (PANEPISTIMIO)
OMONIA

We use two express lines from the airport.
- If you travelling to PIREUS take bus no. X96 /1h/ /PAROS,CRETE, CYKLADES/
-If you travelling to KIFISOS coach station take a bus no. X93 /1h/ /IONIAN Islands -ZANTE,KEFALONIA,CORFU/

Price 2.90EUR

I believe the thread will help you find time tables for the whole of Greece through the two main Bus stations in Athens.

There are two central KTEL bus stations in Athens. The first one is in Kifisos from where the buses leave towards northern Greece, Peloponnese and Epirus while from the second one in Kato Patisia buses head towards Thessaly and central Greece.

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We were in Athens just for one day during our cruise and to save time going from place to place decided to take the Hop on Hop off red tourist bus. The trip is about 90 min, starting the rout at Syntagma Sq. It costs 18Euro each (August 2009) goes around all the important sites and you can get off at any stop and then catch the next bus (every 30 min). I think it's a very good option to see the city if you don't have alot of time. You also get earphones and can choose audioguide from 6 languages.

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You need to get to Aigyptou Square, past the National Archaeological Museum to catch a bus to Sounio.

The frequency and timetable can be found from the kiosk at the rear of the bus station.

If you're at Syntagma, catch and purple & yellow bus (numbers 5 or 11) heading towards Aigyptou.

Alternatively, you can take the metro to Viktorias, and then walk back along Oktovriou-Patission toward the junction with Leof. Alexandras. The bus station is right there.

The buses is a common public transport in the city. At the end of the 20th century, finally, timetable information in all departure points and designed maps appeared in Athens, something which helps a lot and should be done many years earlier.
Except single tickets, which you can use for 90 minutes in all transport -except the daily ones-, you can also buy a weekly card for all public transport or even a monthly one - if you stay more, there is a yearly one too...
Since June 2005, you can even be inside the sightseeing tour bus and you can see most of the important sights of the city. Easy and helpful!

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As Hans and I were staying in Voulegmeni which is a town to the south of Athens, we took the bus to Athens on many occasions during our stay in Greece. It was so simple and convenient. We got on the E22 Express Bus and it took about 45 minutes to get to the center of Athens. We usually got off at Hadrian's Arch and walked from there. The traffic and congestion in Athens is so horrendous, that it is a nightmare to drive and even to park there. So I suggest to anyone to TAKE THE BUS. It's efficient and cheap .50 Euros. Bus tickets can be bought at any kiosk selling newspapers,