New Metro Stations in Greece Offer Fast Link from Piraeus Port to Athens Airport

Three new metro stations set to shorten commuting times between Greece’s largest port in Piraeus and Athens International Airport opened to the public on Monday as part of a major transport infrastructure overhaul.

The three new stations of Maniatika, Piraeus and Municipal Theater (Dimotiko Theatro) – on Metro (Blue) Line 3 – now connect Piraeus with the center of Athens and with Athens International Airport.

More specifically, the commute from Piraeus Port, where most of the ferries to the Greek islands set off, to Athens Airport will last under an hour (55 minutes) on Metro (Blue) Line 3.

Metro services on the Municipal Theater (Dimotiko Theatro) – Doukissis Plakentias – Airport Metro (Blue) Line 3, from Sunday to Thursday, will run from the Dimotiko Theatro station from 5.30am to 11.59 pm (from 5.30am to 1.06am on Fridays and Saturdays).

Those that have a ferry to catch in the early morning hours should know that the first route from Dimotiko Theatro and Doukissis Plakentias stations starts at 05:30. Also, the first routes from Aigaleo and Monastiraki stations towards Doukissis Plakentias and from Ethniki Amina stations towards Dimotiko Theatro also begin at 05:30.

132,000 commuters to be served daily

The three new stations are expected to handle an additional 132,000 commuters daily reducing at the same time the use of cars by 23,000 and slashing CO2 emission by 120 tons a day, said Athens Metro authorities. The project is budgeted at approximately 730 million euros.

The government is aiming to establish Piraeus as a central transportation hub with connections from the port via Metro Lines 1 and 3, tram services, and the Athens Proastiakos (suburban) railway.

In his opening remarks during the inauguration of the three Metro stations, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the groundbreaking project would connect Piraeus and with the center of Athens in under 20 minutes.

The PM went on to add that “in 15-16 months, by the end of 2023, early 2024, the Thessaloniki Metro will be ready to open with five stations which will also serve as museums, referring mainly to the Venizelos station.

“There can be no sustainable reduction of carbon dioxide emissions or any citizen-friendly interventions without the expansion of public transport,” said Mitsotakis, adding that the implementation of important infrastructure projects, most importantly Metro Line 4 and the extensions of Line 2 are vital for the standard of living in the Greek capital.

In total, the Municipal Theater – Doukissis Plakentias – Airport Metro (Blue) Line 3 now has 27 stations. In 2020, three more stations on the Piraeus-bound line opened to the public: those of Agia Varvara, Korydallos and Nikaia.

Last summer, Mitsotakis finalized an agreement for the construction of Metro Line 4 with French multinational rolling stock manufacturer Alstom SA, as part of plans to cover the commuting needs of some of the most densely populated areas in Athens.

“Piraeus is becoming a modern, a more humane city thanks to the Metro because everyone acknowledges that the metro is the most sustainable and clean means [of transport] that improves the everyday life of citizens. With the project, Piraeus emerges as an integrated transportation hub, an infrastructure and transport hub for the wider region,” said Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis.

The new Dimotiko Theatro station with ancient artefacts below. Photo source: Alstom SA

“Thanks to Cohesion Policy funds, the life of citizens in the greater area of Athens and Piraeus will be improved. This major project will also foster growth and create substantial benefits to the national economy of Greece,” said European Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms, Elisa Ferreira, welcoming the news.

The project received an EU contribution of 470 million euros, one of the biggest Cohesion Policy-funded projects in the EU and in Greece.