Going HoHo in Athens: Dos and Dont's for cruise travelers

The Athens Hop on Hop Off red line

This summer season Athens has effectively reorganized some of its tourist infrastructure. One serious change affecting cruise travelers is getting the Hop on - Hop Off bus lines from the Piraeus cruise terminal. In theory, that means you can hop on an open air bus in the morning, go to the center of Athens for sightseeing and return to Piraeus with one single ticket.

So, is this the best way to get to Athens? Well, that's not a simple answer. Several practical factors have to be taken into account: Traffic conditions in both Piraeus and Athens, travel cost and proximity of bus stops to the top attractions.

Traffic: The port of Piraeus is not far from the center of Athens, but that distance may appear longer in the morning due to heavy traffic in rush hours. For cruise travelers, time is valuable in Athens, as they need to get the most out of the city in only a few hours.

The bus ride to the center is scheduled to last 30 minutes, but in case you come across lots of traffic your trip may be extended. The same goes for your return trip that has to start a little bit earlier in order to be sure that you will be back to your ship on time.

The red and yellow bus station

Cost: The Athens City Tour (yellow bus) costs 15 euros p.p. (8 euros for children) while the Athens Sightseeing Tour (red bus) costs 22 euros (9 euros for children). Supposedly you are a family of 4, it may cost you between 50-70 euros aller-retour, while a taxi may cost you 30-40 euros for the same trip. In addition, catching the 853 bus (to Piraeus metro station) and then metro line 1 (to central Athens) will cost you only 2,80 p.p. aller-retour. Compared to the low cost of the metro, the HoHo is not a saver at all.

Proximity to top attractions: Most of the  main sights of Athens are situated in a pedestrianized area, so the HoHo buses can't get close enough. Furthermore, antiquities and tourist attractions around Acropolis are within walking distance. You will probably not need any other transportation before you head back to the ship.

The yellow HoHo at Syntagma Square

A joyful, relaxing ride with no worries of planning ahead

In case you are not in a hurry to catch all the action in Athens, the HoHo offers a pleasant ride. It passes through Marina Zeas (Passalimani) and Mikrolimano, two picturesque little ports filled with yachts, cafes and taverns. You can hop off there for a promenade by the sea and then hop on again heading to Athens. 

Kids, who are not usually in a rush, would love to sit on the top deck and watch Piraeus and Athens from above, while grownups won't have to worry about searching for bus or metro tickets, changing metro lines, etc. 

Solo travelers, couples and families with children with no budget worries and no rush to reach Athens quickly are now offered a third alternative to get to Acropolis and  its surroundings. The HoHo bus fills a gap serving that special category of cruisers.