Athens. The car, the island hop and the yacht planned as one, so the summer starts calmly.
Most Greek summers begin at Athens. A long haul arrival, a short hop to the Cyclades or a car to the marina where the yacht is waiting. The hour in between is the part that goes wrong, and the part we plan.
The airport
Athens at a glance
- CodesATH / LGAVEleftherios Venizelos, in Spata, east of the city.
- DistanceAbout 30 km by roadStraight onto the Attiki Odos motorway, which runs west towards the city and south towards Lavrio.
- TerminalsMain and satellite, plus a General Aviation TerminalPrivate flights use the General Aviation Terminal, away from the scheduled halls. See the Athens FBO guide.
- RunwaysTwo parallel, 4,000 m and 3,800 mNo aircraft restrictions that matter for business jets, including ultra long range types.
Facts about the airport itself. Slot and parking arrangements are your operator's to make, and we plan the car around the times they give you.
Journey times
From Athens airport by road
| To | Quiet roads | Busy periods |
|---|---|---|
| Syntagma, Kolonaki and the Grande Bretagne | 40 to 55 minutes | 55 to 80 minutes |
| Piraeus cruise and ferry port | 50 to 70 minutes | 70 to 100 minutes |
| Alimos Marina | 45 to 60 minutes | 60 to 85 minutes |
| Flisvos Marina, Palaio Faliro | 45 to 60 minutes | 60 to 90 minutes |
| Vouliagmeni and the Athenian Riviera | 40 to 55 minutes | 55 to 80 minutes |
| Lavrio port | 30 to 40 minutes | 35 to 55 minutes |
| Cape Sounio | 50 to 65 minutes | 60 to 85 minutes |
Realistic ranges, not promises. The Attiki Odos is fast; the last few kilometres into the coastal suburbs and into Piraeus are where the time goes, and the worst of it is weekday evenings and summer Friday afternoons.
Why clients arrive here
The mainland end of a Greek summer
Athens is where a Greek itinerary is joined together. Long haul and European jets land here because the runways and the handling take anything; the island airfields do not. From Athens the day usually goes one of three ways: a short flight on to Mykonos or Santorini, a drive to a yacht lying at Alimos or Flisvos, or a night in the city before either.
The point that catches people out is the gap. A crew changeover, a customs formality or a ferry that has slipped can turn a neat connection into three hours on the ground. We hold the car rather than release it, keep the chauffeur in contact with the terminal, and move the pick up point if the aircraft is repositioned to a different stand.
Odyssey owns its cars and employs its chauffeurs in London and Manchester, and works through a trusted global network everywhere else. In Athens the cars are arranged through operators we know and have used, to the standard we set, and the booking, the brief and the invoice stay with your usual contact here.
On arrival
How the meet actually works
Two very different arrivals, and the details that apply to both.
- Private arrivals are met at the General Aviation Terminal, with the car positioned before the aircraft is on stand wherever the airport allows it.
- Scheduled arrivals are met inside the terminal with a name board, or at the kerb if you would rather not be met by name.
- We take the tail number or the flight number and watch it, so a two hour delay does not mean a car that has gone.
- Luggage is counted at the point of booking. Eight cases and a golf bag is not an S-Class job, and we would rather say so before you land.
- Where a yacht is involved we take the marina, the berth and the agent's number, because the quay gate is often the real destination.
- Child seats, onward drivers, a second car for staff or security: tell us at the quote stage and it is arranged.
Onward
Athens to the islands, by air and by sea
By air the hops are short. Mykonos and Santorini are well under an hour in a light or midsize jet, and both fields are small, slot controlled and busy through the summer, so the aircraft that brought you from London is often not the aircraft that takes you on. We can arrange the onward leg alongside the transfer through private jet charter, and the light jet and midsize jet pages explain what fits those runways.
By sea, Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio all serve different islands, and Lavrio is much the closest to the airport. Charter guests more often go to Alimos or Flisvos, where the boats lie. Give us the yacht's name and agent and we will coordinate the drop directly with them.
Onward
Where Athens passengers go next
Airports nearby
Request a quote
Tell us the arrival
Date, flight or tail number, passengers, luggage and where you are going, including the marina and berth if there is a yacht. We come back with a clear price. Nothing is booked or charged online.
Prefer to talk? +44 2030 048300 or WhatsApp, at any hour.
Questions people ask
About Athens transfers
Can the car come to the aircraft?
Where the airport permits it for your movement, yes. We confirm that with the handling agent before you land rather than promising it in advance.
We land at Athens and fly on to Mykonos the same day. Is a car worth it?
Often yes, if the gap is more than about two hours or the passengers want to leave the field. If the connection is tight we would rather arrange the airside handling than sell you a car that sits.
Can you meet a yacht at Alimos or Flisvos?
Yes. Give us the yacht, the berth and the agent. The marina gates are controlled, so the agent's contact matters more than the postcode.
Are these your own cars?
In London and Manchester, yes, and a trusted global network covers everywhere else. In Athens the cars are arranged through operators we know, and we stay responsible for the arrangement.
Can you arrange the aircraft as well?
Yes. See private jet charter.
