Basic Information: Transportation

Zappeion is within walking distance (approximately 5 minutes) from the Syntagma Square, the terminal for buses from and to the Ellinikon (/elini'kon/) airport.

Athens and its outskirts are linked by a web of bus and trolley lines, and you will get maps showing these lines at the Conference reception desk. Greek National Tourism Organization can also provide specific verbal info on major routes as to which "number" bus or trolley to take for your destination.

Zappeion can be easily accessed by bus or trolley bus from all parts of the City, especially from the Southern suburbs, that is, from the coastline and Piraeus (/pire'as/), the central harbour. The nearest metro station is located at Syntagma Square. At all metro stations you can buy day cards, costing 1000 GDR (ca.3 EURO) each, which allow infinite trips with all public transportation means.

Bus-terminals to the southern coastline (suburbs Glyfada, Voula, Vouliagmeni and Varkiza) are at about two minutes' walk from the building. There is usually not much traffic on the avenues leading to the coastline. Many buses leave from the northern bus terminal at Academias and Sina St. (ten minutes walk from Zappeion) to the northern suburbs of Halandri, Psyhiko, Maroussi and Kifissia. All buses have their route number and destination on the front. 

Piraeus, the central harbour, can be accessed either by the metro (from the Monastiraki station) or by bus (line 040). The terminal of the bus line 040 is at Syntagma Square and within walking distance from Zappeion (approximately 5minutes). Additionally, there are stops at about 3 minutes walk from the building.

Bus and trolley tickets are 120 GDR (0,36 Euro) each and can be purchased at special booths and kiosks near the bus stops. Once you are on the bus or trolley, validate your ticket by asserting it into one of the orange-coloured meters for that purpose; the ticket will be punched and dated. Keep the ticket until you step off the bus, since it's not uncommon to have a ticket-control.

Metro trains run every four minutes during rush hours and no less frequently than every ten minutes at all other times (expect between midnight and 5:30am, when the metro is closed). Metro tickets are purchased at the stations and will cost either120 GDR or 180 GDR , depending on how far you are going.

Taxis in Athens are cheap and easy to catch. You can normally pick them on the road at any time of the day but you can also call a radio taxi (numbers for radio taxis are available). Sometimes, taxis may be the only or, at least, the best transportation choice (when bus connections are inconvenient, in the small hours etc). You may find yourself sharing a taxi with strangers... While this is illegitimate in principle, it is, however, an everyday Athenian little habit. Also, have in mind that distances in Athens are short and you would not normally expect to pay anything more than 1500 GRD (around 4 Euro) for moving in the centre of the town and nothing more than 3500 GRD (around 10 Euro) for moving from and to the suburbs, the Ellinikon airport included.