What transportation should I use to get to the city center (Syntagma Square) when arriving at Athens Airport late at night?

Since the subway stops running at 11:30 PM, you should use the 24-hour airport bus. You can take bus X95 from Exit 4 or 5 at the airport, and the fare is 5.5 euros.

Is the Athens airport bus X95 convenient to ride with large suitcases?

Unlike airport limousine buses in Korea, the X95 bus is like a standard European city bus. Since it can be crowded, you may have to stand while holding onto your heavy suitcase. Therefore, if you have large luggage, it is recommended to consider an airport pickup service.

What should I be aware of when booking an Aegean Airlines economy class ticket from Istanbul to Athens?

Aegean Airlines economy tickets often do not include checked baggage. Therefore, you must be sure to check whether checked baggage is included before making your payment.

What are the features of the Metropolis Hotel near Syntagma Square, where the airport bus drops off?

The Metropolis Hotel is located just 5 minutes from Syntagma Square, offering excellent access to the city center. Additionally, the rooms feature fantastic views where you can see the Athens Metropolitan Cathedral and the Acropolis at a glance.

Athens Airport to City Center: X95 Bus Guide 2026

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Greece / DAY 1

After wraps up our amazing Turkey 6-Day Semi-Package Tour, we hopped on a Turkish Airlines flight from Ankara to Istanbul.

(Ankara 4:55 PM > Istanbul 6:15 PM)

Arriving in Istanbul around 6:00 PM, we had to prepare for our connecting flight to Athens via Aegean Airlines.

(Istanbul 10:00 PM > Athens 10:25 PM)

Since we booked these two flights separately, we had to do a self-transfer. This meant collecting our checked luggage, heading back up to the departure hall, checking in again, and passing through security. If you are planning a self-transfer like this, I highly recommend leaving at least a 4-hour buffer to account for any flight delays!

Finally, it was time to board our flight to Athens! We flew with Greece's flagship carrier, Aegean Airlines.

We were so exhausted that we fell asleep the second we sat down. I didn't even realize they served sandwiches until I woke up! Even for a short flight of just over an hour, they make sure you are well fed with a tasty snack.

Keep in mind that many of Aegean Airlines' economy class tickets do not include checked bags by default. Make sure you select a fare option that includes luggage during booking!

For this trip, I found that booking through Trip.com was actually cheaper than buying directly from the official airline website. Definitely compare prices before you book!

⬇️ Compare and Book Flight Deals ⬇️

Compare Flights & Book Cheap Tickets on Trip.com

Our flight landed right on schedule at 10:25 PM, but the baggage claim in Athens took an absolute eternity... It took us a full hour to get our bags and finally walk out of the terminal. (No wonder almost all the European travelers on our flight only had carry-on bags! Lesson learned.)

Our hotel was located right in the heart of downtown Athens. Generally, there are three main ways to get from Athens Airport to the city center:

1. Metro: €9 (~$10 USD), takes about 50 minutes

2. Airport Bus X95: €5.50 (~$6 USD), takes about 70 minutes

3. Taxi: €40 to €55 (~$44 to $60 USD), takes about 50 minutes

Taxis felt a bit too expensive for our budget. And since the Metro only operates from 6:10 AM to 11:30 PM, we missed the last train due to the luggage delay. That left us with the 24-hour Airport Bus! (At this point, we foolishly assumed it would be a spacious, comfortable coach bus...)

Once you exit through Gate 4 or 5, you will see the outdoor ticket kiosk for the airport buses.

The airport operates routes like X95, X96, X93, and X97. To reach the absolute center of Athens (Syntagma Square), you need to take the X95 bus.

Tickets are incredibly affordable at just €5.50 (~$6 USD) per person!

You can wait for the bus right next to the ticket booth.

When the bus pulled up, we got a sudden wave of dread. There was a massive crowd of people, and the vehicle was just a standard, run-of-the-mill city transit bus. We were expecting a spacious tour coach with luggage compartments, so this was a bit of a shock! (I guess the dirt-cheap price tag makes sense now.)

Traveling during winter with massive suitcases for a two-week trip made the 70-minute ride into town incredibly exhausting. The bus was packed tight like a rush-hour subway, and we spent the entire trip holding onto our rolling suitcases to keep them from sliding around. It was a serious forearm workout!

We were so exhausted after that ordeal that for our return trip from the hotel to the airport, we didn't hesitate to book a private transfer through Trip.com. If you are traveling with large or heavy bags, I highly recommend booking a private airport pickup instead!

🔗 Book Athens Airport Private Transfer on Trip.com

We finally made it to our hotel around 1:00 AM: the "Metropolis Hotel".

It is located just a 5-minute walk from where the X95 bus drops you off at Syntagma Square. Being right in the center of Athens made our stay incredibly convenient and stress-free!

🔗 Book Metropolis Hotel Athens on Agoda

Even though it was the middle of the night, the front desk agent was unbelievably welcoming and kind. Easily the friendliest staff member we met during our stay!

What made this hotel truly outstanding was the view. We could see the stunning Athens Metropolitan Cathedral and the Acropolis illuminated against the night sky right from our window!

By the time we checked in, got settled, and showered, it was already 2:00 AM. We needed to get some sleep quickly to rest up for our Delphi day tour tomorrow!

Stay tuned for my upcoming post on our day trip to Delphi (Delphoae), one of the most breathtaking and mystical places we visited in Greece!

To be continued...