Photos
Piraeus Port
We visited Piraeus Port on our way to Cyclades in August 2009 and would like to share our experience and views with you. The following assessment is based upon our own experiences and therefore description given below necessarily contains an element of subjective opinion, which may not reflect your own impressions on another occasion.
Port of Piraeus
Piraeus is the main port of Greece and with a transport of nearly nineteen million passengers a year is the largest in Europe and third in the world. After 2004 Olympics it was modernised and is probably one of the most beautiful ports in the Mediterranean. It is located around 30 minutes (Metro) from central Athens and is easily approachable by bus, train, metro and taxi.
Getting to the port
If you are going to Piraeus from central Athens the most cost effective way to get there is by Metro (for the avoidance of doubt it is not a fully underground service despite its name). It is very cheap (comparing to a taxi), convenient and quick - it takes only around 30 minutes from central Athens - Monastiraki station. Metro has its last stop located just across the port so you will not miss it.
Booking your trip
It is a bit cheaper to book your ferry tickets online. It will also guarantee that you have a seat or a cabin during the peak season. If you book your tickets online you will have to pick them up from the travel office located in Athens or Piraeus. If you decide not to book online you will still be able to purchase tickets in the port.
Useful Links
We have listed below a few links to key ferry lines operating from Piraeus. We trust they may be helpful to plan your trip.
Updated on 7th July 2010
By Arek Zasowski
Photographs by Viola and Arek Zasowski
Few points worth considering
To confirm your ship’s departure time and obtain information about possible delays you may call 24 hour information on 14541.
If you are taking a vehicle you should arrive at the port at least one hour prior to departure.
Port busses provide passengers with free transport from gate E5 to Gate E1 and vice versa. For information about the precise time of arrivals and departures please refer to bus stop boards.
Port has 12 Gates marked as E1 - E12. Each gate is located within a walking distance from another, however, if you arrive late and you are at the Gate 1 (E1) and your ferry leaves from Gate 12 (E12) there is a fair chance that you will miss your ferry. Remember to be in the port around one hour prior to departure to allow enough time to familiarise with port and have enough time to find the departure gate.
The departure gate should be listed in your ticket. If it is not then contact your travel agent or call 14541 or contact port police.
Getting to the airport by a taxi from the port may be expensive (around 50 Euros) - price usually depends of the time of your travel (day/night) and number of suitcases / luggage you carry with you. If you are not in a great hurry take metro form the port and bus from central Athens (if metro still does not connect the airport due to some construction work), you may save up to 40 Euros.
