Taxi Rates in Athens
 

I would like to get a price range of what we should expect to pay for taxis from the airport to the city center and also from the city to the cruise terminal. I have been quoted outrageous rates. We are a party of 6 and would probably have to split 3 and 3.

Airport to Central Athens shouldn't be more than 35 euro plus a baggage handling fee, but it doubles between midnight and 5am. Make sure the taxi meter is set for the proper time period. 1=before midnight, 2=after midnight.

Agree (per car). Sorry, but can't help with estimates to cruise lines.

I think I just read the taxi rates were raised 33% which would raise that estimate of Euro 35. Has anyone else heard of this change in rates?

The taxi rates are increasing, in instalments. This is the info from today's paper.
Current fares per km, 0.36 daytime, 0.68 night time
from May 1st 0.48 0.84
from Nov 1st 0.60 1.05
from May 2010 0.72 1.20
The minimum charge will stay the same at €2.80 & ordering a taxi by phone charge will be between €3 & €5 (already charged by some).
Transport Minister Stylianidis said the scheme is allowing taxi drivers to put up their fares to these new prices on condition they improve their attitude towards customers(!), keep their cabs clean & well serviced & use aircon in the summer! The 1st increase is going ahead & the further increases will only happen if the drivers watch their behaviour in the intervening period!
To help monitor this customers with grievances are being encouraged to to use the 1019 complaint line.

yiassas - thanks for the update. Will be interesting to see if it works!

We were faced with the same connection last week and modified it to make a wonderful day in Athens. Although we knew that we would be eager to get home after 3 days in Venice and a 7 day cruise, I couldn't imagine only seeing Athens in a quick trip from the port to the airport so extended the trip one day. Used Spiro's Taxi service. See new thread "Great Athens Taxi Tour".

I know this is a bit late, but in case anyone else is interested, there is a tool which can help estimate the cost of getting around Athens by taxi: http://www.zee.gr/taxi/ It includes an itemisation of charges you can expect such as the €3.77 airport pickup fee and €2.80 toll-road fee from the airport.

Johnny5, that looks great, but there may be some kind of "glitch." the first time I clicked on this, a green panel appeared from the Left side of the map, with choices of "Taxi" Esimtate" and "Info." when I clicked the first, there were things to fill in... start place & destination ... and I filled them in... and got an estimate. But when I opened the site up AGAIN, for a different estimate, the Green panel came out ... but BLANK. I tried many different times. same result. Any suggestions??

I printed this off from the Athens Airport site and used it during August 2010. It also shows you night and day tariffs from the airport to popular local destinations such as Piraeus, Rafina, Glyfada, Omonia Square etc

http://www.aia.gr/pages.asp?pageid=988&langid=2

I won't generalize but we had quite the experience with Athens taxi drivers. Mysterious charges, driving in circles. It got to where I flagged down a female driver thinking for some unknown reason that she would play it straight. She took me in a semi circle even as I was telling her she was padding the fare.

JOE that is TERRIFIC!! I have bookmarked it for use...

Yes travelerjan, that info was useful to us. We wish we had found it years ago as we have traveled so many times to either Piraeus or Lavrio (our daughter lives on Folegandros) and the fare differences from the airport were sometimes remarkable.

Over those years we've probably encountered most of the usual 'meter' tricks and I think, these days, travelers will benefit at the tighter control over taxi operators.