© Oleksii Khodakivskiy・Unsplash License

Greece

Athens

Ancient and modern layers meet beneath the Acropolis. Three metro lines link most of the big sights.

Taxi (yellow)

Whether you open Uber, Bolt or FREENOW, the same licensed yellow taxi turns up. Fares are fixed by national law; an app booking only adds a capped dispatch fee. Since 2024 every taxi must take card payment.

Updated on August 5, 2026

How to ride

  1. 1
    Find a yellow cab, or open an app
    Athens' licensed taxis are yellow. A rank, a raised hand or an app all bring you the same car.
  2. 2
    At the airport, use the official rank
    The official rank is outside Exit 3 on the Arrivals level. Rides to the city centre run on a legal flat fare, not on the meter.
  3. 3
    Check the meter as you set off
    Every licensed taxi has a meter. Check that it is running as you pull away, and note which tariff number it shows.
  4. 4
    Take the receipt, then pay
    Drivers must issue a receipt at the end of the ride and must accept cards; you need not pay before you have it.

Typical costs

Fixed-price routes1

Airport to central Athens flat fare
EUR 40 from 05:00 to midnight, EUR 55 from midnight to 05:00. See the caution for where it applies.
40〜55 EUR ≈ $45–62

How the meter adds up8

Flag fall (metered)
Set nationally by ministerial decision; distance and time charges build on top of it.
1.8 EUR ≈ $2
Distance rate (per km)
Tariff 1 by day in town; tariff 2 from 00:00 to 05:00 and for stretches outside the taxi's home area.
0.9〜1.25 EUR ≈ $1
Minimum fare
No ride comes out below this, however short.
4 EUR ≈ $4
Airport surcharge
A surcharge on airport rides; the decision does not say whether it also applies on top of the flat fare.
4 EUR ≈ $4
Port, rail and coach station surcharge
Added when you board at a port such as Piraeus, a railway station or a coach station - not on arrival.
1.07 EUR ≈ $1
Phone or app booking charge
The legal ceiling on a booking charge. The meter starts where you get in, not where the car set off.
0〜5.65 EUR ≈ $6
Luggage, per item over 10 kg
Charged per item heavier than 10 kg; anything lighter travels free.
0.39 EUR ≈ $0.4
Waiting time (per hour)
Charged while the car waits during your ride; past 20 minutes, up to EUR 25 an hour if agreed in advance.
15 EUR ≈ $17

Estimates use exchange rates as of November 3, 2026

Take one at a rank, hail one in the street, or book by app. Phone and app bookings may add a dispatch charge, capped by law.

Payment

Tap to ride
Every licensed taxi is required to accept payment by card
App tickets
Apps send the same licensed taxis, and you can pay in the app
Cash
Cash works, but you are never obliged to pay in cash

Quick facts

Fares from
40 EUR+

Heads-up

  • The airport flat fare only reaches the central ring

    The flat fare covers only trips between the airport and the inside of the central ring (δακτύλιος) that the official gazette lists street by street. For Piraeus, Glyfada, Kifissia or anywhere else outside that ring the meter runs instead. Many third-party sites claim the flat fare reaches anywhere in the city - check where your destination falls before you get in.

  • You never need cash - the window sticker says so

    The official sticker on the rear right door window states, in Greek and English, that the driver is obliged to issue a receipt at the end of the route and to accept payment by card, and that the customer is not obliged to pay in cash or to pay before receiving the legal receipt. If a driver refuses your card, point at it.

Timetable

Typical duration The option that earns its keep with heavy bags, or once the metro and tram have stopped for the night
Check the official site for the latest times and service status
Editor Naotaka