Riding the city on an open top deck, the Athens hop on hop off bus lets you step off wherever a sight catches your eye. Compare more city rides in our list of tours in Greece.
This page covers how the bus works, how long a full loop takes and where it starts, the routes and central stops, the Acropolis and its museum, Plaka, Monastiraki and the Agora, the Temple of Olympian Zeus, Hadrian’s Arch, the Panathenaic Stadium, the Piraeus line, the audio commentary, ticket validity and who the bus suits.
What is the Athens hop on hop off bus, and how does it work?
Open-top and double-decker, the Athens hop on hop off bus drives a fixed route past the main sights. One ticket lets you board at any stop, step off where you like, and catch a later bus.
On a sightseeing day, the Athens hop on hop off bus works like a ride and a walk in turns. The bus carries you to a stop near a sight. You step off, look around on foot, then wait for the next bus. Booking pages call it easy transport between sights, with no journeys to plan.
Each line is a loop. The bus drives the loop, returns to the same stops, and starts again. Operators run more than one line, so a rider can pick the loop that fits the day. Operators say the stops sit near all the major sights. The open top gives panoramic views as you ride.
Show your voucher before you step aboard the Athens hop on hop off bus. Agents at a stop, or on board, redeem it. A phone screen or a paper copy both work. Keep the printed ticket for the whole trip, because the phone voucher stops working once it is swapped.
The ticket covers the ride only. One booking page lists site entry as not included, so each site needs its own entry. Timings and stops can change with the season, the traffic and city events. Look at the live timetable before the Athens hop on hop off bus pulls up at your stop.
How long does the Athens hop on hop off bus take, and where does it start?
One full loop on the main city line takes about 90 minutes aboard the Athens hop on hop off bus. Riders can board at any stop, yet the line starts at Syntagma Square in the city centre.
Syntagma, the central square of the Greek capital, is where that line begins. Its name means Constitution Square. King Otto granted that constitution after an uprising in the mid-nineteenth century. Metro lines 2 and 3 join below the square, near a tram terminal and city bus stops. It is among the busiest transport hubs in Greece.
The 90 minutes count the ride only. Time off the bus comes on top, so a day with stops runs far longer. Across the Athens hop on hop off bus routes, the loop times differ. One timetable lists 1 hour 20 minutes for the port line. It lists 1 hour 50 minutes for the coast line.
You do not have to begin at the square. One booking page names Syntagma Square among the favoured boarding points. Another says to start from any of the stops. The same freedom applies at the end of the day, because you can hop off at any stop.
Pick the stop nearest your hotel or the first sight on your list. Then catch the Athens hop on hop off bus there and ride the loop from that point.
Which routes and lines does the Athens hop on hop off bus run?
Depending on the operator, the Athens hop on hop off bus splits into three or four lines. A city line crosses the historic centre. A Piraeus line serves the port. One or two Riviera lines follow the south coast.
Operators do not agree on the number of lines. One network shows three: the Athens line, the Piraeus line and the Beach-Riviera line. Another sells four routes and splits the coast into a Glyfada line and a Vouliagmeni line. That makes every Athens hop on hop off bus map look a little different.
The city line is the core of the network. Operators describe it as a loop through the old centre, past ancient landmarks and the busy modern streets. One ticket option covers this line alone, and another covers all lines. One listing counts eleven stops on the Piraeus line and twenty-two on the Beach-Riviera line.
The colours of the lines on the Athens hop on hop off bus differ too. One map paints the city line red, Piraeus green and the Riviera purple. Another uses orange for the city, blue for Piraeus, yellow for Glyfada and green for Vouliagmeni. Operators publish one map for April to October and another for November to March.
The lines meet at fixed stops. The Piraeus line joins the city line at the Acropolis and Parthenon stop. The Riviera line joins it at the Acropolis and Plaka stop. Passengers show the ticket there and board the next bus. That link turns the separate lines of the Athens hop on hop off bus into one network.
Which stops does the Athens hop on hop off bus make in the city centre?
One operator’s listing gives the Athens hop on hop off bus sixteen stops on the city line. The list runs from Syntagma Square to Kotzia Square. Passengers can board at any stop.
Syntagma Square is stop A1 and the central square of Athens. Two metro lines, 2 and 3, cross under it. The tram line has its northern end beside it. The old royal palace across Amalias Avenue now houses the Greek Parliament.
After Syntagma, the Athens hop on hop off bus next stops at Acropolis and Plaka. Next come the Acropolis Museum, the Acropolis and Parthenon, and the Temple of Zeus. Those are stops two to five in the listing. Another network adds Hadrian’s Gate and the Thissio area.
Parliament and the National Gardens are stop six. The Parliament building is closed to visitors, but the gardens around it are open to the public. The hourly changing of the guard is held on the ground between the square and Parliament. The Four Museums, the National Gallery and the Ancient Olympic Stadium follow.
Stops eleven to sixteen start with the National Library, the National Archaeological Museum and Omonia Square. Modern Athens was designed with two central squares, and Omonia Square is the second one. Karaiskaki, Monastiraki and Kotzia squares close the list. Stop lists differ between operators, so each map shows its own stops for the Athens hop on hop off bus.
What does the Athens hop on hop off bus show of the Acropolis and the Acropolis Museum?
Two stops on the Athens line serve the Acropolis: one for the museum, one for the rock and Parthenon. The Athens hop on hop off bus rolls past the rock too, so the open top deck gives a view.
Three stop lists place the museum before the rock and the Parthenon. The museum sits low on the south-east flank. It stands along the old road that climbed to the sacred hill.
Riding the Athens hop on hop off bus puts two sights a short stroll apart. From the museum, the Parthenon is 280 metres away in a straight line and 400 metres by foot. Visitors enter from Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, where the Akropoli metro stop is right next door.
The building is worth a look in itself. Pillars lift it above an excavation of modest homes and workshops beside an old road. One layer is classical, one early Byzantine. Glass sections of the floor let visitors peer down at the remains.
The galleries were planned for every artefact found on the hill and its flanks. On the north side of the Parthenon hall you can look up at the real temple on the hill. Carrying the sculptures across from the rock took four months and three tower cranes.
Beside the rock itself, the Athens hop on hop off bus becomes a changing point. Riders swap here to the port and coast lines.
What does the Athens hop on hop off bus show around Plaka, Monastiraki and the Ancient Agora?
The route calls at Plaka early in the loop and at Monastiraki or Thission near the end. The Ancient Agora lies beside Thission, and the site can be entered from that district. The Athens hop on hop off bus serves both.
Plaka is the oldest quarter of Athens. It hugs the north-east flank of the Acropolis, with Syntagma at one end and Monastiraki at the other. Adrianou Street, its main artery, splits it into Ano Plaka high beneath the rock and Kato Plaka below. One operator talks of cafe tables on the pavement beside cobbled lanes.
On another operator’s page, the Athens hop on hop off bus swings through Plaka and round the Roman Agora. That agora holds the Tower of the Winds, an eight-sided marble tower 12 metres tall. It once housed a big water clock.
Monastiraki is the flea market quarter of the old town. The square gives the quarter its name, and the Pantanassa church gives the square its name. Stepping off the Athens hop on hop off bus there, one operator says, you can wander round the flea market. Two metro lines call at the station on the square.
The Ancient Agora sits north-west of the Acropolis. Two hills frame it: the Areopagus to the south and the Agoraios Kolonos to the west. It is not the Roman Agora. One operator’s highlight list names the Ancient Agora and adds the Hill of Mars, the ancient court of Athens.
Construction of the Temple of Hephaestus began in 449 BC on the western hill. Its Doric colonnade has six columns at front and back and thirteen on each flank. The Athens hop on hop off bus pulls into Thission, a district named after this temple. The temple was once wrongly called the Theseion.
Which ancient sites lie along the Athens hop on hop off bus, from the Temple of Olympian Zeus to the Panathenaic Stadium?
East of the Acropolis, every Athens hop on hop off bus goes by three ancient landmarks. They are the huge Olympian Zeus temple, Hadrian’s Arch and the Panathenaic Stadium. Route pages list the temple and the stadium among the stops.
The temple took centuries to finish. Work started around 520 BC, and the Roman emperor Hadrian completed it in the second century AD. It held 104 giant columns, and fifteen of them remain, each 17.25 metres tall. One route page says Athens hop on hop off bus passengers see the columns towering above them.
Hadrian’s Arch marks the north-western edge of the temple grounds. It once spanned an old road from the city centre. Its two faces carry carved lines. One says that Athens is Theseus’s ancient city. The other claims the city for Hadrian, not for Theseus. One route page lists a stop at Hadrian’s Gate.
The Panathenaic Stadium sits in Pangrati, east of the National Gardens. Runners raced here from the sixth century BC, at games for the goddess Athena. Herodes Atticus gave it a marble rebuild by AD 144, with seats for 50,000 people. Two route pages show it among the stops on Athens hop on hop off bus tours.
No other stadium on earth is made wholly of marble. In the late nineteenth century it welcomed the first modern Olympic Games and hosted both ceremonies. Each year the Athens Classic Marathon finishes here.
Does the Athens hop on hop off bus go to Piraeus and the coast?
Yes, Athens hop on hop off bus routes reach Piraeus and the coast on tickets that cover them. Operator pages describe a Piraeus line and a coast line next to the city loop. One page sells only the city line.
Operators sell different mixes of lines for Athens hop on hop off bus tours. One page lists unlimited access to the Athens line only. Another opens all three routes: the city, Piraeus and the Beach-Riviera. A third sells an Athens line ticket and an all-lines ticket side by side. Before boarding, check which lines your ticket covers.
Piraeus, the main port of Greece, is eight kilometres to the south-west of the city centre. Its harbour was made the new port for Athens in the fifth century BC. Along the Piraeus line, Athens hop on hop off bus journeys run between the port and the Acropolis stop. Its stops include Votsalakia Beach and the port’s Archaeological Museum.
If the ticket includes Piraeus, one page says buses are waiting outside the cruise terminals. You reach them once you pass through the customs building. The trip to the Acropolis stop takes about 40 minutes, and there you switch to the city line. From April to October Piraeus line buses run between 11:00 and 17:00, one every 60 minutes.
The coast line runs down the Athens Riviera. One page describes a single Beach-Riviera line with three beaches and Vouliagmeni Lake. Other pages split it into a Glyfada line and a Vouliagmeni line. On one timetable, Athens hop on hop off bus departures leave every 30 minutes on the city loop. The Beach-Riviera line leaves every hour.
How does the audio commentary on the Athens hop on hop off bus work?
Athens hop on hop off bus commentary is recorded and plays while the bus drives past the sights. Headphones are free on board. Operators list the commentary in 12 to 16 languages, so you hear about each sight as you pass it.
The commentary is recorded. One booking page says it plays as you drive past the monuments and neighbourhoods of the city. Another page says it tells the history, culture and society of Athens. A third page adds local stories. One operator site calls its Athens line a commentated route.
Athens hop on hop off bus audio comes in a set of main languages. Operator pages name English, Greek, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Hebrew, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian and Turkish. Longer lists add Arabic and Finnish. Each page gives its own count, so read the language line of your ticket.
Language options differ by ticket. One booking page lists recorded commentary in English only for its ticket. Operator pages list 12, 13, 14 or 16 languages. Check that line before you book, because a longer list gives you a wider choice.
Athens hop on hop off bus headphones come with the ticket. Two booking pages list earphones or headsets among the items you receive. A third says free headphones wait on every bus. One page lists the commentary in the Athens line ticket and in the ticket for all three lines.
How long is a ticket for the Athens hop on hop off bus valid, and who suits the trip?
Athens hop on hop off bus validity runs 24, 48 or 72 hours, depending on the option. The ride suits first-time visitors and travellers with limited time. Both groups see the sights at their own pace, with no planning of each journey.
Athens hop on hop off bus operators tie each line to set hours. The Athens line offers 24 hours or 48 hours. The ticket for all three lines offers 48 or 72 hours. One booking page counts 48 consecutive hours from the first ride. A Monday start at three ends on Wednesday at three.
Athens hop on hop off bus perks go beyond the ride. Operator pages list unlimited rides, headphones, Wi-Fi on board and a route map. The ticket covers either the Athens line alone or all three lines. Entry to the sights is not included, and neither is hotel pick-up.
A voucher is the proof of your booking, and operator pages state that it stays valid for 12 months. Your phone can hold it. One page adds that staff exchange it for a printed ticket. Keep the printed ticket until the trip ends.
Athens hop on hop off bus travel suits visitors who want a relaxed ride. One page lets you stay on board in an open-top double-decker, or hop off and explore. Operator sites also list a cruise ship passenger ticket that lasts 24 hours, plus child tickets next to adult ones.
What else do travellers ask about the Athens hop on hop off bus?
Which months suit Athens hop on hop off bus riders, and how hot is the open top deck?
Athens hop on hop off bus rides run all year, say the operators. The summer timetable runs from April to October, and a winter timetable follows. The peak season runs from June to August, and one travel page calls Athens summers intense. The open top deck gives a breeze while the bus moves and a rest between sightseeing stops.
One cruise-line page says the lower deck is air-conditioned, but the open top deck is not. If the heat feels too strong, ride a loop on the lower deck. In winter the buses still run, only on a shorter timetable.
One operator says Athens hop on hop off bus service runs every day of the year except 17 November. Another adds a one-hour night tour to its longest pass, with views of illuminated landmarks after dark.
What do riders wear and pack for sun and wind on the bus?
Pack for sun and wind, because Athens hop on hop off bus seats upstairs are open-air. One cruise-line page calls the tour sensitive to rain, wind and sun. An operator page reminds riders of the coast route not to forget sun cream. A ticket listing adds a free poncho in case of rain.
Another cruise-line page lets riders sit inside the bus or on the open second level. Riders can swap decks when wind or sun gets strong. It also recommends comfortable shoes, because walks from the stops can cross cobblestone, gravel or steps.
Pack your phone too. One ticket listing says no printout is needed, and a mobile voucher is enough to show the driver. Another page says a printed copy is fine too.
Can wheelchair users and strollers board Athens hop on hop off bus services?
Operators list ramps, a low flat floor and a wheelchair space. One operator says wheelchair users get priority for that space, and that the bus has room for one wheelchair. A cruise-line page adds storage for two foldable wheelchairs per bus on the lower deck.
Drivers can help wheelchair users, says one operator. It asks riders to face the chair to the back of the bus and set the brakes. Another operator allows service animals on board.
That operator also asks wheelchair users to contact it before booking, so it can plan the day. One cruise-line page says Athens hop on hop off bus upper decks are reached by inclined steps. The operator pages do not mention strollers, so ask the staff at a stop before you board.
How frequent are Athens hop on hop off bus departures, and when do the first and last buses leave?
Two operators list the first bus on the Athens line at 8:30 am. One timetable for April to October runs until 6 pm with a bus every 15 minutes. Its November to March timetable runs until 5 pm with a bus every 20 minutes.
Another operator lists daily departures between 8:30 am and 8 pm in summer. Its last full departure is at half past six, and a bus runs every 30 minutes. Athens hop on hop off bus timetables differ by operator, so check the timetable for your travel date.
Athens hop on hop off bus departures at a third operator run from 8:40 am to 4 pm. Another listing quotes a bus every 15 to 30 minutes across the three routes. One page warns that times and stops can change.
Which free extras, such as a walking tour or a boat trip, come with a ticket?
Athens hop on hop off bus listings differ, yet a ticket can carry free extras. One three-day ticket lists free walking tours, and a 48-hour ticket lists them from April to October. They leave daily at 11 am and at 1:15 pm from a set bus stop.
The same listings add a free glass of Greek beer at the first stop, except on Sundays and bank holidays. Athens hop on hop off bus travellers can add a boat link too. One operator sells a combo with a full-day cruise on a traditional wooden boat. The cruise lasts about 11 hours, with swim stops, lunch and drinks.
Athens hop on hop off bus extras also include free onboard Wi-Fi and a brochure with a detailed map. The cruise combo adds round-trip vans from four central meeting points. It also serves coffee, juice and pastries as a welcome on the boat.