Originally Posted by
EXLEFTSEAT
The CP website indicates that the airport is about 29 km from the airport, for a 35 minute ride. They claim the taxi charge to be 25 euro. I feel, that
would be quite low and unrealistic, especially compared to London or Paris.
Taxis in Greece are very cheap, unlike pretty much everything else you'll be buying here (in the last week I've been staying in SKG, I 've paid, inter alia, 1.18 Euros for a 50g bag of potato-snacks from the supermarket and no less than 5 Yuris for a cappuccino at a downtown cafe- I've heard about some place in ATH where a coffee costs SEVEN!).
London and Paris are the most expensive cities in Europe if not the world, so the comparison is rather pointless to begin with. A similar ride in Madrid would probably cost around 35.
Originally Posted by
EXLEFTSEAT
Also, I am never comfortable with taxis from an airport to any destination that I have yet to experience, because one does not have a reference point yet. I remember how I got screwed in Bangkok the first times until I had things under control. I know nothing about Athens, so maybe I feel more inclined to use the bus or the subway. Also I don't speak Greek and I have no idea how their English speaking abilities are. That's always a good reason for taxi drivers to cheat or at least try to. By the way,are the signs in Greek and in Western characters as well?
Taxi drivers will sometimes try to cheat you, but, knowing the approximate fare that you should be paying, it's easy to figure whether they are doing so. They have to give you a receipt so do ask for one if you're in any doubt. Pretty much everyone in Greece speaks a bit of English, so you won't have a problem getting them to understand where you're going.
Having said all that, I see no reason to take a taxi unless you have a lot of luggage with you. The Metro/Proastiakos combination is both faster and cheaper!