djuna

I'm leaving for Athens on Christmas Day, to visit friends and work on my book for 2 weeks on our northern Island home away from home...
I am anticipating the cancellation of my Olympic flight to the island - one of only 2 per week in the winter. The last 2 flights have been canceled, not sure if because of awful weather or simply Olymic's whim! So, I am trying to be prepared ahead of time.
Can anyone tell me how hard it is to just catch a taxi on the fly at Syntagma from the metro station?
I may need to get from airport to the bus station for a bus north and am trying to find if it will work for me to take metro to town and taxi to the bus.

Or - If it would be better to just take a taxi all the way from the airport? (I'm pinching pennies here, as the dollar takes another dive...)

thanks so much for any info!

Cries_Van_Notebook

The trick to catching a taxi at Syntagma Square is standing out in the street and flagging down a taxi that is going in the direction you want to go to.

If a taxi stops, yell where you want to go to. Run up to the window and shout inside the tax. You have to be aggressive. Many times you will have to share a ride with other passengers.

Aggressive wins the day in Athens.

Thin

djuna

Thank you Thin... yes, I agree that aggressive wins the day in Athens - ESPECIALLY if one is an older Greek woman, preferably dressed in black! However - an older, aggressive American woman ...?
We shall see... I have done my share of pushing and shoving onto Greek buses, after being polite for far too long didn't get me anywhere.

I do have a loud, mean, two fingered whistle though! That might win me points.

yiassas

I am assuming you need Kifissos bus station? If so you have another alternative, Metro to Omonia then bus to Kifissos. They normally run approx every 15 mins between 5am & midnight. I would expect a slightly reduced service on Christmas Day. I would only recommend this during the daytime though if you are on your own.

yiassas

Sorry! Totally forgetting the obvious choice! Bus direct from the airport to the bus station, 3.20 euro, takes between 45 mins & 1 hour depending on traffic.

djuna

Yiassas, Yiassas...

I need to get to Liossion station. (Terminal B) Is there a bus direct from the airport to Liossion?

thank you!

yiassas

I believe the bus for Kifissos calls at Liosion en route. If it doesn't actually go into the bus station, it stops outside. The bus is the X93 & as you go out of the arrivals terminal the bus stop (& booth to buy your ticket) is to the far right.

yiassas

Yes, it does! Check this out, it shows all bus & metro routes from the airport, http://www.alpha-omegaonline.com/ath...irport_bus.gif

djuna

Perfect!
Grateful thanks, Yiassas!

dfr4848

djuna - before making a final decision, you really need to check current status of the unrest/protests which have been going on the last 2 weeks. Many of these have been concentrated at Syntagma Sq since it's across the street from Parliament. It's been closed for much of the past couple of weeks. I don't know what the status of the Metro is at Syntagma, but getting surface transportation there may be very difficult. If nothing else the traffic jams in the area have been bad.

Our daughter just got back from Athens 2 days ago. She often used Syntagma, but was advised to avoid it and ended getting a bus to the airport.

As for your cancelled flights, it's most likely strikes. Public service employees have been striking at random but often over the past several weeks. The day after we left earlier this month, they struck and Olympic had to cancel 24 flights, and delay 48 others.

You might be better off just planning on a taxi from ATH to bus station.

Good luck.

yiassas

The X93 bus route that I suggested direct fom the airport to the bus station doesn't go anywhere near Syntagma.