Planning · Athenian Riviera
Athens Airport to the Southern Riviera — transfers, taxi and the drive down
Around half an hour from the airport on a good run — and you never touch central Athens. You land, turn toward the coast, and the city falls away behind you.
The one thing to know before you land: the famous €40 airport flat fare does not reach this stretch of coast. It stops at central Athens, and the southern Riviera sits well past it — so a taxi here runs on the meter, not the flat rate. Sort that out in your head now and the rest of the arrival is the easy part.
Anavyssos and its neighbours — Saronida just north, Lavrio and Cape Sounion to the south — sit on the southern stretch of the Athenian Riviera, between Athens and the Temple of Poseidon. From Athens International Airport it’s only about 31–32 km — roughly 30–35 minutes by car on a free-flowing run. The happy quirk of this corner of the coast is that you drive away from Athens, not into it: the route heads down toward the sea, so you sidestep the city traffic almost entirely. The drive is half the welcome — olive hills on one side, the Saronic Gulf opening up on the other.
The simplest way down is the fast one. Leave the airport on Attiki Odos (the A6 ring road), follow the signs for Markopoulo and Lavrio onto the Lavrio road (E94 / Leoforos Lavriou), then branch toward the Saronida and Anavyssos coast. There’s a small motorway toll on the Attiki Odos stretch — about €2.50 for a car as of 2026 (rates are adjusted yearly, so don’t be surprised by a few cents either way). The coastal “Riviera” road through Saronida is the prettier alternative — worth it on a relaxed departure when you’ve time to dawdle, less so on arrival, when it’s slower and gets busy in high summer and you just want to be there.
Drive times from the house
| Athens International Airport (ATH) → Anavyssos coast | ≈ 30–35 min · ~31–32 km |
| Athens Airport → Saronida (just north) | ≈ 28–31 min · ~28 km |
| Central Athens & the Acropolis | ≈ 50–55 min |
| Cape Sounion · Temple of Poseidon | ≈ 30 min · ~22 km |
| Lavrio port (island ferries) | ≈ 30 min |
| Nearest beach (EverEden) | ≈ 2 min |
How to arrive
Three options that actually work from the airport: a taxi (on the meter — see above), a pre-arranged private transfer, or a rental car collected on arrival. Public transport is technically possible but, with luggage, a false economy.
Taxi — the €40 flat fare doesn’t reach here
The caveat from the top, in detail. The airport’s well-known flat fare — around €40 in the day, roughly €55 overnight (as of 2026; confirm current rates before you travel) — covers only central Athens, out as far as Glyfada. This coast lies beyond that zone, so a taxi from the airport runs on the meter instead, usually around €30–45 depending on traffic and time of day. Don’t let a driver quote you “forty” as though it carries you all the way to Anavyssos; agree the fare or ask for the meter before you pull out of the rank.
Private transfer
The most relaxed option after a long flight — a driver waiting, a fixed price, nothing to think about. Expect roughly €40–60 one-way for a sedan, more for a minivan if you’re a group or carrying plenty of luggage. Operator quotes move around, so confirm a fixed price when you book.
Rental car
For a coastal stay, a car is the one we’d recommend — the beaches, the tavernas, Cape Sounion and Lavrio’s ferries are spread along the coast and all short, easy drives. The big-name desks (and most of the budget ones) are all in the airport’s arrivals-level rental hall, so you can collect on the way out and be on the motorway in minutes. A growing number of local firms will instead deliver a car to your accommodation in Saronida, Anavyssos or Sounio — handy if you’d rather not drive straight off the plane. One practical note for the Lavrio road: fill up or charge near the airport or Markopoulo, as petrol stations and EV chargers thin out the further south you go toward Sounion, especially after dark. A private driver for the odd outing is a comfortable alternative to driving yourself.
Public transport
Honestly, not for this trip. There’s no direct airport bus to this stretch of coast: you’d ride an airport express bus into Glyfada and change onto a coastal KTEL line — the Athens–Sounio service that runs through Saronida and Anavyssos — which can stretch to two or three and a half hours by the time you’ve made the connections. Fine for a backpack, awkward with a suitcase. Save it for a relaxed onward day out rather than your arrival.
Land, turn south, and the city is behind you — the coast does the rest.
Athens, when you want it
Central Athens and the Acropolis are about 50–55 minutes away — close enough for a day among the ruins and the markets, far enough that you end the day by the sea rather than in the city. It’s the best of both: the capital as a day trip, the coast as your base.
The short version
If you remember one thing: ignore the €40 flat fare for this coast — it’s metered out here, so budget €30–45 by taxi or €40–60 for a booked transfer, and check current rates before you go. Rent a car if you plan to explore beyond the beach; skip the bus for your arrival. Then point the car away from Athens, and you’re at the sea in half an hour. Last checked: June 2026 — fares and tolls drift, so confirm anything that matters before you travel.
Good to know
Does the €40 airport flat fare reach the southern Riviera (Anavyssos, Saronida)?
No — and this is the one most people get wrong. The official Athens airport taxi flat fare (around €40 in the day, roughly €55 overnight, as of 2026 — confirm current rates before you travel) only covers central Athens, out as far as Glyfada to the southeast. Anavyssos and Saronida sit outside that zone, so a taxi from the airport runs on the meter instead — usually about €30–45 depending on traffic and time of day. Don’t accept “forty” as a door-to-door price for this coast; agree the fare or ask for the meter before you set off.
How far is Anavyssos / the southern Athenian Riviera from Athens Airport?
Roughly 31–32 km — about 30–35 minutes by car on a free-flowing run — and you never pass through central Athens. You head away from the city, down toward the coast, so you skip the worst of the traffic. Saronida, just north along the same stretch, is a touch closer at about 28 km.
Do you need a car on the southern Athenian Riviera?
For a coastal stay, honestly, yes. The beaches, Cape Sounion, Lavrio’s ferries and the area’s tavernas are spread along the coast and public transport is sparse, so a car turns a string of short drives into easy outings. Many visitors rent at the airport; some local firms will even deliver a car to your accommodation in Saronida, Anavyssos or Sounio. If you’d rather not drive at all, a private driver for the odd trip works too.
How far is it from central Athens and the Acropolis?
About 50–55 minutes. Athens makes an easy day trip from the coast — close enough to visit, far enough that you sleep by the sea rather than in the traffic.
Can you reach this coast by public transport from the airport?
Not easily, and not with luggage. There’s no direct airport bus to this stretch: you’d take an airport express bus into Glyfada and change onto a coastal KTEL line (the Athens–Sounio service that runs through Saronida and Anavyssos), which can stretch to two or three-and-a-half hours by the time you’ve made the connections. Fine for a backpack on an onward day, awkward for an arrival — a car or a pre-arranged transfer is far simpler.
More from the area
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