The Athens hop on hop off bus is an open-top sightseeing bus that loops past the landmarks of the city, and you can step off at any stop and board a later bus on the same ticket. See more Greece tours for other ways to explore the capital.
This page walks through the routes, where to board, the bus times, the audio commentary and the tickets for the Athens hop on hop off bus.
How does the Athens hop on hop off bus work?
The Athens hop on hop off bus is a sightseeing bus on a fixed loop past the main sights. You buy one ticket, join at any stop, and hop off at the sights you like, at your own pace.
Getting on an Athens hop on hop off bus starts with a ticket check. At Big Bus Tours, you show your booking confirmation, on paper or on a phone, to a uniformed staff member. Staff scan the QR code and hand you a ticket for the bus. Keep that ticket, because lost tickets cannot be replaced.
City Sightseeing uses a voucher system. An agent at the stop or on the bus redeems your voucher before you board. The agent swaps it for a printed paper ticket, and you keep that ticket for the whole journey. The electronic voucher no longer works after the swap.
Once you hop off, you visit the sight and rejoin the next bus on the line. City Sightseeing says you can hop on and off any number of times. An Athens hop on hop off bus ticket covers the ride only. Entrance fees to attractions are not included.
A City Sightseeing ticket covers either the Athens line or all three lines, depending on the option you pick. The lines of an Athens hop on hop off bus network also connect. A passenger from Piraeus shows the ticket at the Acropolis and Plaka stop to join the Athens line.
The City Sightseeing listing adds one warning. Weather, traffic and events can disrupt the service, and timings and stops can change.
Which companies run hop-on hop-off routes in Athens?
Big Bus Tours, City Sightseeing and Sights of Athens each run their own Athens hop on hop off bus lines. Big Bus and City Sightseeing sell three lines each, while Sights of Athens sells four.
Big Bus Tours calls itself the largest operator of open-top sightseeing bus tours. Its Athens lines are the Athens, Piraeus and Riviera routes. The Athens hop on hop off bus from Big Bus is an open-top double-decker with a top deck for photos. The company also hires out buses for private groups.
The City Sightseeing Athens hop on hop off bus network has three lines: Athens, Piraeus and Beach-Riviera. The Athens line uses a red open-top double-decker bus. City Sightseeing says it serves 13 million customers a year in more than 100 cities. Somaco Tours is named as the supplier on its Athens tickets.
Sights of Athens runs blue buses on four lines: Athens, Piraeus, Glyfada and Vouliagmeni. This Athens hop on hop off bus company also sells day trips from Athens, such as Meteora and Delphi.
The reach of each network differs. Big Bus lists drop-offs near more than 40 sights, and City Sightseeing counts 43 stops. Sights of Athens lists drop-offs near 35 sights on its four lines.
Each company sells its own tickets, so the lines and the bus type set your choice. Compare the line count first. Then pick the Athens hop on hop off bus that reaches the sights on your list.
What does the Athens city route pass, from Syntagma to the Acropolis?
The Athens hop on hop off bus city route begins at stop A1, by the Old Parliament on Syntagma Square. Stop A2 is in Plaka, and stop A4 is the Acropolis and Parthenon.
Syntagma Square comes first on the Athens hop on hop off bus city line. Riders can admire the Hellenic Parliament and its guard line. The Athenians rose up against King Otto of Greece here, and the square is still a centre of political activity. The line also lists Ermou, the busiest shopping street in the city.
Next the Athens hop on hop off bus reaches Plaka, the old town. Stop A2 stands at the Melina Merkouri Monument, and stop A3 is near the Acropolis Museum. Stop A4 serves the Acropolis and Parthenon. Below the rock lies the Odeon of Herodes Atticus, a Roman stone theatre that still hosts concerts.
After the Acropolis, the Athens hop on hop off bus reaches the Gate of the Roman emperor Hadrian. The Temple of Olympian Zeus follows. In Roman times it was the largest temple in Greece, and its columns are 17 metres high. Stops A6 and A9 serve the Greek Parliament and the National Garden.
East of the temple, the Athens hop on hop off bus reaches the Panathenaic Stadium. The first modern Olympic Games were held there. Further stops are the National Library and, at stop A11, the National Archaeological Museum. The operator’s text ends with the Monastiraki flea market and Thission. One timetable lists a full city loop at 1 hour 30 minutes.
Where does the Piraeus route go?
The Piraeus route of the Athens hop on hop off bus joins the cruise port with the Acropolis. One operator puts the ride from the cruise terminal to the Acropolis and Plaka stop at about 40 minutes.
On the Athens hop on hop off bus, the Piraeus line passes the yacht marina at Pasalimani. It also passes the harbour of Mikrolimano. The Archaeological Museum of Piraeus and Votsalakia Beach are also stops on one operator’s route. That operator adds that the waterfront has fresh seafood.
A second operator lists the Municipal Theatre, the Planetarium, and the Intercontinental and Grand Hyatt hotels as popular stops. Its Piraeus line also runs along the waterfront past the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center. The Athens hop on hop off bus therefore covers more of Piraeus than the port itself.
Going into Athens, the Piraeus line stops at the New Acropolis Museum and then at the Acropolis and Parthenon. This is the interchange stop. Riders change there to the Athens line or the coast line. A third operator says the interchange is only 30 minutes from the cruise terminals and the marinas.
The Piraeus route suits cruise passengers, because they can visit Athens and then return to the ship. One timetable lists a full loop of the Piraeus line at 1 hour 20 minutes. Riders on the Athens hop on hop off bus can plan the day around that loop.
Does a line run to the beaches of the Athens Riviera?
Yes. The Athens hop on hop off bus has coast lines that run south to the beaches of Glyfada and Vouliagmeni. Not every ticket includes them, so check the lines it lists before you buy.
Each company names its coast line differently. City Sightseeing runs a purple Beach-Riviera route. Big Bus has a green Riviera route with stops such as Flisvos Marina, Glyfada Beach, Astir Beach and Voula Park. Sights of Athens splits the coast into a yellow Glyfada line and a green Vouliagmeni line.
On the Glyfada side, the Sights of Athens yellow line runs from the Stavros Niarchos Foundation to Alimos Marina. This line of the Athens hop on hop off bus reaches a Glyfada terminal with shops and cafes. Marina Flisvou is the sunset spot, and Agios Kosmas is the swimming stop.
Further south, the green Sights of Athens line serves Vouliagmeni. Its sights include the Byzantine Museum and the Allied Forces Cemetery. Then it reaches Kavouri Oceanis Beach and Vouliagmeni Lake, which is known for its thermal water. City Sightseeing says its Athens hop on hop off bus route offers three beaches to choose from.
Plan the time before you commit. One booking site gives the City Sightseeing Riviera loop as 1 hour 50 minutes. Allow almost two hours for one full circuit on the Athens hop on hop off bus. One reviewer advises skipping the Riviera route unless you really want the beaches.
Where do you board the Athens hop on hop off bus?
You can board the Athens hop on hop off bus at any stop on its route. Sights of Athens says so on its question page, and a booking site says the same for City Sightseeing. At Sights of Athens, the stops carry official signs.
Big Bus gives each stop of its Athens hop on hop off bus a number and a street address. Stop 1 is at 1 Ermou Street, in front of a Nike store. Stop 2 is at 1 Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, in front of Melina’s statue. Its website has a stop finder that takes any address.
The beach stops of the Athens hop on hop off bus have street addresses too. Big Bus puts its Glyfada Beach stop on Poseidonos Avenue, at number 27, in front of the Oasis Hotel. The Vouliagmeni Lake stop is on the same avenue, at the bus stop near the car park entrance.
Cruise passengers join the Athens hop on hop off bus at Piraeus port instead. City Sightseeing buses wait outside the cruise terminals, past the customs building. They stand about 80 metres left of Terminal 1 and about 50 metres left of Terminals 2 and 3. Hosts at the Acropolis stop help riders change to the Athens line.
Piraeus has three main cruise terminals, A, B and C. Sights of Athens buses wait within about 2 minutes’ walk of the arrival gates at each. City Sightseeing’s page uses the names Terminal 1, Terminal 2 and Terminal 3 instead.
How frequent are the buses, and what are the running hours?
In summer, the City Sightseeing Athens hop on hop off bus comes every 15 minutes from 10:00 to 18:30. That is the operator’s own figure for its Athens line, and in winter the buses come every 20 minutes.
Early buses are slower. The same FAQ lists a departure every 30 minutes from 8:30 to 10:00. City Sightseeing counts summer as 1 April to 31 October and winter as 1 November to 31 March.
Each line of the Athens hop on hop off bus keeps its own hours. In summer, the City Sightseeing Athens line leaves stop A1, Syntagma Square, daily from 8:30 to 20:00. The last departure is at 18:30. The Piraeus line runs from 11:00 to 17:00, and the Riviera line from 9:00 to 17:00. Both leave every 60 minutes.
Other companies on the Athens hop on hop off bus market keep their own timetables.
- Big Bus lists Athens route departures from stop 1 between 8:35 and 18:20.
- Big Bus lists Piraeus route departures from stop 2 between 10:00 and 17:30, and Riviera route departures between 9:45 and 16:45.
- The Sights of Athens city line starts at 8:30 from Syntagma Square, and its last bus leaves at 6:15 pm. Buses come every 20 minutes.
- The Sights of Athens Piraeus and Glyfada lines come every 2 hours.
City Sightseeing runs the Athens hop on hop off bus all year. The one exception is 17 November, Memorial Day, when there are no departures. One ticket page adds that timings and stops are subject to change. Check the timetable for your date before you go.
How does the audio commentary on board work?
On the Athens hop on hop off bus, the commentary is tied to the stops. The City Sightseeing FAQ says a rider who stays on board always hears the full commentary, wherever they join.
City Sightseeing lists the commentary as part of the Athens hop on hop off bus ticket. During its 90-minute Athens line tour, the commentary tells the story of the city from ancient Athens to modern times. The Piraeus and Beach-Riviera lines also trace the history and culture of Athens and Attica in the same way.
The Athens hop on hop off bus offers the commentary in 13 languages. The FAQ counts them as 12 languages in addition to Greek. The ticket listing names English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Dutch, Hebrew, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese, Russian, Greek and Turkish.
Other companies on the Athens hop on hop off bus market run their own audio. The Big Bus tour listing describes pre-recorded commentary in 14 languages and free disposable wired earphones. Sights of Athens lists audio guides in 16 languages with free headsets, including Finnish and Arabic.
City Sightseeing gives a plan for riders who do not know Athens. Take one complete circuit and listen to the commentary. Then choose the places you want to visit and hop off there. That plan makes the Athens hop on hop off bus work like a spoken map of the city.
How long is the ticket valid, and what extras come with it?
An Athens hop on hop off bus ticket lasts 24, 48 or 72 hours with City Sightseeing. Big Bus sells 48 or 72 hours, and Sights of Athens sells two days. All three list Wi-Fi on board.
The Athens hop on hop off bus tickets of City Sightseeing come in more lengths than those of Big Bus. A reseller lists the Athens line as 24 or 48 hours and the all-lines ticket as 48 or 72 hours. One listing says the 72-hour ticket is sold in the summer months only.
You can book an Athens hop on hop off bus ticket ahead of the ride. City Sightseeing vouchers stay valid for 12 months from the travel date you pick. A Sights of Athens ticket runs two days from first activation. Both allow free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
Redeem a voucher before you board. One City Sightseeing listing says an agent at the stop or on the bus swaps it for a printed ticket. Keep that paper ticket for the whole ride, because the electronic voucher stops working once it is redeemed.
Extras on an Athens hop on hop off bus depend on the seller. A City Sightseeing listing adds a free Greek beer. The Big Bus 72-hour pass adds a one-hour night tour. That night bus has no hop on and hop off service. Sights of Athens adds a free route map.
A plain Athens hop on hop off bus ticket from City Sightseeing excludes entrance fees to attractions. Combos add entry to the sights. The Sights of Athens combo adds timed Acropolis and Parthenon entry, with skip-the-line entry to the Acropolis Museum. City Sightseeing pairs its bus ticket with a Cape Sounio tour or an Acropolis and Parthenon tour.
Is the Athens hop on hop off bus worth it compared with the metro?
The Athens hop on hop off bus is worth it for short visits, summer heat, hills and the coast. For the central sights alone, walking and the metro do the job, because those sights sit close together.
Distances in the centre are short. Syntagma Square is about a 10-minute walk from Monastiraki along Ermou Street. A ticket reseller’s blog says an Athens hop on hop off bus can be unnecessary between the main historic sights. It names the traffic, the wait for the next bus and the fixed stops as limits.
The metro is quick in the same area. Syntagma station sits on Lines 2 and 3, and Line 2 reaches the Acropolis station in one stop. The entrance is a short walk from there.
The metro ends before Glyfada, though. Line 2 stops at Elliniko, and a 4.4 km extension on to Glyfada is only a plan. Piraeus has its own metro station, on Lines 1 and 3.
The same blog names reasons to ride an Athens hop on hop off bus. They include limited time, peak summer, mobility concerns and a wish to see beyond central Athens. It adds that a bus gives you a break between stops in hot weather.
You do not need to pick one. The blog suggests walking the historic centre in the morning and taking public transport on a longer trip. It then suggests the Athens hop on hop off bus for another part of the day.
Can wheelchair users and families with strollers ride?
Yes. On City Sightseeing’s Athens hop on hop off bus, every bus has ramps, low flat floors and a wheelchair space. Families can store prams there too, but wheelchair users come first. Big Bus lists a ramp and a wheelchair bay as well.
City Sightseeing’s question page says its buses carry every kind of wheelchair, unless the chair is in an unsafe condition. Wheelchair users have priority for the space, and other passengers move if the area is needed. Riders place the chair against the seat backrest, facing the rear, with the brakes on. The driver helps if you ask.
The Athens hop on hop off bus from Big Bus has ramp access too. Each bus has one wheelchair bay on the lower deck and storage for two foldable wheelchairs. Riders climb a number of steps to reach the top deck.
Booking pages do not agree on every ticket. One page for a four-route ticket says the buses are wheelchair accessible. Another page for a four-route ticket says they are not. A night tour listing asks riders to contact the operator before the trip. Ask first, and you avoid a problem at the stop.
A booking listing for the City Sightseeing buses says prams, bags and other items can go in the wheelchair area. Wheelchairs have priority, so you can be asked to move your things.
Children ride the Athens hop on hop off bus too. City Sightseeing calls its tours child friendly, because children enjoy the open-top double-decker. Two booking pages say children under 6 travel free without a ticket. Sights of Athens lists infants aged 0 to 3 as free.
What else do travellers ask about the Athens hop on hop off bus?
Can you bring a dog on the Athens hop on hop off bus?
It depends on the operator. City Sightseeing says dogs in carriers are permitted, and its question page adds that trained pets are welcome. A Big Bus ticket listing says pets cannot tag along. Check with your operator before you travel with a dog.
Does the Athens hop on hop off bus run in the rain?
Sights of Athens says its double-decker buses operate in all weather conditions. In rainy weather, passengers sit in the covered lower deck. A cruise-line page for the Big Bus tour calls its open-air buses sensitive to rain, wind and sun.
What happens if the Athens hop on hop off bus arrives full?
A cruise-line page for the Big Bus tour suggests waiting for the next bus, because the route stays constant. It adds that waits can happen at peak times. Leave spare time in your plan.
Can you cancel an Athens hop on hop off bus ticket?
Yes, with notice. City Sightseeing’s Athens hop on hop off bus ticket has free cancellation up to 24 hours before the travel date. Sights of Athens allows it only up to 24 hours before the tour date. After that, all sales are final.
Can you pay the driver on the Athens hop on hop off bus?
Yes, with two operators. City Sightseeing says its escorts and drivers accept credit cards on the buses. Sights of Athens sells tickets from its drivers too. It strongly recommends buying online in advance.