Early departure from Athens
 

In November I have a 5:55AM departure from the Athens airport. Any suggestions, short of staying at the very expensive Airport Sofitel Hotel, on getting from a downtown hotel to the airport early enough to catch my flight? I will also be saddled with lots of luggage as I'm coming off a cruise.

Your hotel in town will gladly help you organize a taxi, even in the middle of the night. Give yourself about 45 minutes from Athens to the airport. That means you'll have to leave Athens about 3:00 AM. You might have to pay an "after midnight" rate for the taxi if they are still enforcing that rule.

stevep,

The Sofitel is the only hotel by the airport. I have a 6:50 a.m. flight and I decided to stay at the hotel. The hotel is in the airport so you don't need a taxi and you can sleep a little later.

We had a flight that left from Athens airport at 7am and stayed downtown. We found out that there was a bus that runs from certain points downtown to the airport. I like getting to the airport early, so we left around 4am and the busses were running. If you find out where the bus stops are and stay in a place near one of them you shouldn't have a problem.

Did it in the spring. The only answer was a taxi. The pre-arranged cost was MUCH less than the difference in room prices, since the Sofitel is sooooo expensive.

As you have paid a lot of money for a cruise get them to organise it!

OK, is there any new info about a hotel near the Athens airport?

The Sofitel is wanting 190euro for a Saturday night stay. Way more than I'll spend, but it would be convenient to be close by.

I will have a car so maybe a small town close to the airport?

Stevep, i think that there is a "holiday inn" near the airport (apr. 5-10 min from the airport).
I have seen it, i just don't know if it operates. Why don't you give it a try, as it may be cheaper.

I truly understand your situation - as I will be in the same boat come October 12th. Yes, the Sofitel Hotel is way over-priced and I, for one, will Not be going thru their doors. A few days ago, I went into research... into the deeper chambers of my computer and found some "new" hotel listings... close to the airport. Just sent out emails to two of the locations for pricing and availability. Ofcourse, I'm still in research for a photo of one of them.It would be Nice to have a distant look at the property. The first listing:
"Marina Alimos Hotel Apartments" in Kalamaki. The specs list it at 4 km from E. Venizelos Int'l Airport. Thats unbelievable! I SURE HOPE THIS ONE IS ON THE MONEY!IT'S A "TOURIST CLASS" RATING (FOR THE bUDGET TRAVELER)SITUATED OPPOSITE A SHOPPING CENTER,OVERLOOKING THE MARINA. Their Phone# 210-982-8911.Lets see how this one goes!! The next listing is: "MIAMI HOTEL" located in Mati... 12.4 miles from the airport. A "C" class Hotel located within 100m of the beach.The Pricelist I was looking at for a Single was under 100 Euros. Their phone# 229-403-4373. Lets keep in touch to see what we come up with here.
Here's hoping we found something good!

Thanks Olsen. I appreciate knowing what you find out. I've looked on the internet but haven't found much about either place.

I keep hoping laterooms.com, lastminute.com or even the accor hotel website was a last minute special for the airport Sofitel as the time gets closer.

The hotels nearer the airport, including the Sofitel, are ... well... sort of in the middle of nowhere. in other words, not much fun for your last night in Greece.
It's so easy to arrange ahead of time with your hotel in Athens for a taxi to pick you up in the morning, and at that time of day, there is no traffic on the road and you zip right you to the airport, that it doesn't make sense to me to waste your last night. Stay in Athens, enjoy your evening meal, pack the night before, arrange for a cab, jump in the shower before you go and get to the airport as easy as can be. Let's see, in the last 21 years, I have done this at least 63 times and have never ever had a problem. Don't worry!

That's what I was afraid of. I was hoping there was an interesting little town worth exploring in the area as opposed to going back into Athens.

I've not been able to come up with a town that looks interesting on the internet like Markopoulo, Rafina or Loutsa. They're either described as port towns or party beaches or I can't find anything at all.

It may just have to be Athens. Thanks for your help Eleni.

Now I would put that another way -- thank God I get to spend one more night in Athens!!!
You'll have a great time indy!

We're facing the same thing in September. Look on the bright side - it's a chance for one last night in Athens. Yes the next morning will come too early, but it's only one morning. Your body clock will get messed up from the flight anyway so it's not a big deal!

OLSEN: I forgot to mention that Kalamaki (Alimos) is near the old Athens airport and not by E. Venizelos which is in Spata.

OK, any updates for the new Athens airport [E. Venizoulous] and the new suburban train line, or is it still a best bet to take a 4:00am taxi to the airport for an early flight?

Can anyone estimate the cost of a taxi from Syntagma/Monistraki area at 4:00am to the airport?

Thanks!

Rick in Maryland

All I know is that as we were taking a taxi to the airport just before sun-up and feeling we were the early birds, we saw everyone else coming out of the bars and heading home or on to breakfast. There were taxis everywhere. I think Athens was the busiest city I've ever seen at 5 AM. (not that I've seen that many at that hour).

So how much is a taxi at 4am to the new airport from downtown Athens?

Rick in Maryland

From downtown Athens to the airport in June cost some friends 24 euro at 05.00

We are cheapskates though and this autumn used the 24-hour Express bus (service E95) from Syntagma to the airport at a cost of only 3 euro. This was just after 4am.

That same ticket also gives 24-hour use of all public transport in the city including the metro. A cheap and convenient option to think about when you are heading INTO the city from Eleftherios Venizoulous.

Last week, 2 people in a taxi from Monastiraki to the airport cost 26 euros. We left our hotel at 3:30, got to the airport at 3:50 (the taxi driver was going between 160 and 200 km. an hour on empty streets), to check in for our 5:55 am flight.