🚇 The three lines, in plain English
Line 1 — Green (the old one)
The original 1869 line. Runs north-south Piraeus → Monastiraki → Omonia → Victoria → Kifissia. Mostly above ground in the central section. The vintage line — old stations, longer trains, slower journey, but the most scenic.
Line 2 — Red (the spine)
Opened 2000. Runs north-south through the absolute centre: Anthoupoli → Sepolia → Larissis → Omonia → Syntagma → Akropoli → Neos Kosmos → Elliniko. Modern, fast, the workhorse line.
Line 3 — Blue (the airport line)
Opened 2000, extended progressively. Runs east-west: Athens Airport → Doukissis Plakentias → Megaro Mousikis → Evangelismos → Syntagma → Monastiraki → Kerameikos → Piraeus. The line you'll use to and from the airport. (See airport metro guide.)
🎯 The twelve visitor stops
You can plan 95% of an Athens visit knowing only these dozen stations:
- Athens Airport (Line 3) — your arrival.
- Syntagma (Lines 2 and 3) — Parliament, Constitution Square, the Changing of the Guard, central shopping.
- Monastiraki (Lines 1 and 3) — Plaka, the flea market, ancient agora, the spiritual centre of the old town.
- Akropoli (Line 2) — Acropolis Museum, walking entry to the Acropolis, the south slope.
- Thiseio (Line 1) — Ancient agora exit, the pedestrianised promenade beneath the Acropolis, sunset views.
- Omonia (Lines 1 and 2) — central transport hub, slightly rough by day and gritty by night, but a key transfer point.
- Victoria (Line 1) — the residential corridor, National Archaeological Museum (6 min walk), Victoria Square neighbourhood.
- Larissis (Line 2) — main intercity train station for Thessaloniki and the rest of Greece, plus Suburban Rail to airport.
- Evangelismos (Line 3) — Kolonaki, Byzantine Museum, War Museum, Lycabettus Hill approach.
- Megaro Mousikis (Line 3) — Concert Hall, US/British embassies area, Mavili Square.
- Kerameikos (Line 3) — emerging arts/dining district, Kerameikos archaeological site, gateway to Gazi.
- Piraeus (Lines 1 and 3) — port for ferries to the islands.
🔁 Where to change lines
Syntagma
Line 2 ↔ Line 3. The busiest interchange. Walk through the underground archaeological museum-display while transferring.
Monastiraki
Line 1 ↔ Line 3. Compact, fast change.
Omonia
Line 1 ↔ Line 2. The traditional cross-city change. Slightly rough above ground but the metro level is fine.
Attiki
Line 1 ↔ Line 2 (further north). Less central but useful if your hotel is around Plateia Attikis.
🕐 Operating hours
- Sunday to Thursday: 05:30 to 00:30.
- Friday and Saturday: 05:30 to 02:30 (Lines 2 and 3 only; Line 1 closes earlier).
- Frequencies: 4–5 minutes peak, 6–10 minutes off-peak, 10–15 minutes evenings.
🏛️ The metro as a museum
Syntagma's underground archaeological gallery
Construction of Lines 2 and 3 in the 1990s required excavation through 25 centuries of Athens. Rather than discard the finds, the operators built archaeological display cases into the stations. Syntagma has the most extensive: visible cross-sections of ancient road, classical-era graves, Byzantine pottery, all behind glass on the main concourse. Akropoli, Monastiraki and Evangelismos all have smaller displays. Plan an extra 10 minutes at any of these stations to actually look.
🎫 Fares and tickets
The integrated ticket system: a single €1.20 ticket covers metro, bus, trolleybus, tram for 90 minutes from validation, with unlimited transfers. Day and multi-day passes work the same. The ATH.ENA Card (rechargeable) is more convenient for stays longer than 3-4 days. Contactless EMV tap-to-pay launched 2023–2024 and now works at all metro stations. (See tickets and passes guide.)
♿ Accessibility
Every Line 2 and Line 3 station has step-free access via lifts. Most Line 1 stations have lifts; a handful of older Line 1 stations (Petralona, Tavros, Faliro) have stairs only or partial accessibility — confirm before relying on them. Trains are fully accessible. Wheelchair users have priority spaces in the first and last cars.
📱 Apps
The official OASA Telematics app and Google Maps both work well in Athens. Citymapper covers the Athens metro reliably. The OASA app shows live train times; Google Maps adds walking directions and full multi-modal trip planning.
⚠️ Strikes and disruption
Athens metro workers strike with some regularity, often on Wednesdays as part of national general strikes. Strikes are typically pre-announced 24-48 hours in advance and partial — service often continues 09:00–17:00 to allow commuters to and from work. (See metro strikes survival guide.)
🚸 Etiquette and safety
- Let people exit before boarding. Athenians are generally good about this; please reciprocate.
- Keep bags on your lap, not on the seat next to you, when the train is busy.
- Pickpockets work the busy lines — particularly Line 3 between airport and Syntagma during cruise-ship arrivals. Wear backpacks on the front in crowds, keep wallets in front pockets.
- The metro is otherwise broadly safe, even late at night on Friday/Saturday extended hours.
🎯 FAQ
Can I take a suitcase?
Yes — no charge, no formal restriction. Each car has luggage areas at the ends. Avoid 07:30–09:30 morning rush hour with large bags.
Are there toilets in stations?
Limited — major stations (Syntagma, Monastiraki, airport) have public toilets; smaller stations don't. Plan around café stops if needed.
Can I bring a bicycle?
Yes, in designated cars and outside peak hours. Folding bikes are unrestricted. Standard bikes allowed weekdays before 07:30 and after 19:30, all day weekends. (See bikes and scooters guide.)
What about pets?
Small pets in carriers are allowed. Larger dogs (in the metro since 2022) must be muzzled and on a short leash; only one large dog per car.